Is locum work really worth more than your NHS salary?
Free calculators for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. Compare locum rates with NHS pay after tax, National Insurance, leave and pension, using 2026/27 figures from official sources.
- Updated for 2026/27
- Official NHS and HMRC figures
- Free, no sign-up
Example: a Band 6 nurse on £39,959 needs a locum rate of about £21.11/hr through PAYE to take home the same, or £30.63/hr to also replace the NHS pension.
Try it with your numbersCalculators
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Locum vs salaried calculator
Compare take-home pay, find your break-even locum rate and see what the NHS pension is worth.
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NHS take-home pay
Your monthly pay after income tax, National Insurance, NHS pension and student loan.
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Limited company vs umbrella
Compare take-home through PAYE, an umbrella company or your own limited company.
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2026/27 pay and locum rates
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Agenda for Change pay scales
Every band and pay point, with hourly, take-home and locum break-even rates.
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Resident doctor pay
FY1 to ST8 on the new ten-point scale, and what locum shifts need to pay.
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Locum doctor rates
NHS agency price caps and BMA rate cards for consultants and SAS doctors.
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Agency and bank nurse pay
What a bank or agency shift has to pay to beat a Band 5, 6 or 7 salary.
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Locum AHP pay
Physiotherapists, OTs, radiographers and other allied health professionals.
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How to become a locum
Registration, checks, getting paid, tax and pensions.
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Band 5, 6 and 7 at a glance
| Band (entry) | Salary | Take-home / month | Locum break-even |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 5 | £32,073 | £2,040 | £17.26/hr |
| Band 6 | £39,959 | £2,430 | £21.11/hr |
| Band 7 | £49,387 | £2,934 | £26.08/hr |
Why compare locum and NHS pay?
A locum hourly rate almost always looks higher than the hourly rate of a salaried NHS job. But a salaried post includes 35 to 41 days of paid leave, sick pay and an employer pension contribution worth 23.7% of salary. Our calculators put both on the same footing so you can decide with real numbers.
Last updated .