- 09 May 2023
- 5 min read
A Quick Overview Of Nurses' Salaries In The UK In 2023
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"When you next hear about those highly paid agency Nurses, take it with a pinch of salt."In this article we take a look at how nursing salaries are determined, how they vary between sectors and some points to consider if you’re looking to increase yours.
(Please note: This article includes the 5% pay increase announced in May 2023)
Topics covered in this article
What is the starting salary for a Nurse in 2023?
What is the average salary for a Nurse?
What salary do you earn with each NHS banding?
How do you increase your salary?
How much do private Nurses earn?
Do you earn more as an agency or bank Nurse?
NHS Take Home Pay & More Information On Nursing Salaries
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The so-called ‘New Pay Deal’ introduced in 2018 ended in 2021. Since then, a 3% pay rise was announced in 2021, followed by a similar increase in 2022. And most recently, in May 2023, a 5% pay increase has been agreed - alongside a one-off payment ranging between around £1900 and £3000, depending on levels of seniority.
For Nurses of varying levels of experience and across different bandings, that means that salaries have been affected in lots of different ways.
Meanwhile, not all Nurses in the UK work within the NHS – and therefore, many haven’t been affected by the New Pay Deal.
So here’s a brief guide to nursing salaries in 2023 as they currently stand.
What Is The Starting Salary For A Nurse In 2023?
A newly qualified Band 5 NHS nurse now earns £28,407.
The vast majority of Nurses will work for the NHS once qualified, but it is possible to enter the workforce at a private institution.
Here, the pay is unregulated, but as a starting wage you’re likely to earn a similar or slightly higher rate of pay.
But keep in mind the benefits package too.
As an NHS worker, the benefits you’ll receive will be difficult to match.
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CommentWhat Is The Average Salary For A Nurse?
The Royal College of Nursing estimated in 2021 that the average annual salary of an NHS nurse is £33,384. The pay rise introduced across the NHS in 2023 means that average is probably now closer to £37,000.
More broadly, we estimate that the average salary for a nurse is somewhere between £33,000 and £37,000.
That takes into account the average amount of experience of a UK nurse, and data collected on major job boards.
What Salary Do You Earn With Each NHS Banding?
NHS pay is operated in a banding system that was introduced in 2004.
This system allocates specific roles and levels of seniority to specific bands, and therefore, salaries.
As already mentioned, newly qualified nurses enter the workforce at Band 5. Band 5 nurses can earn up to £34,581 with enough years' experience (over 4 years).
Within Band 6, the starting salary is £35,392 and the highest possible salary is £42,618.
Band 7 salaries start well beyond £43,000 a year, and for anyone within Band 8 and beyond, salary ranges become more complex. You can find all details on salaries within every banding point by using our handy NHS Pay calculator.
The upper ranges of each banding are achieved by performing the role within that banding for a certain number of years.
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ContributeHow Do You Increase Your Salary?
As an NHS nurse, your salary will increase as you gain more years of experience within your particular pay band.
However, those incremental increases stop when you reach the top of your banding – and the only increase that could apply is an inflationary one.
The other way to increase your earnings is to move into a higher banding.
This can only be achieved by applying for a new role within that banding, which in itself will normally require gaining further qualifications.
This might be possible from courses that can fit around your existing job.
However, in some circumstances you may need to complete some specialist study or a Master’s Degree.
Trusts will often be willing to fund this.
How Much Do Private Nurses Earn?
Private nursing pay is unregulated, so it’s impossible to say how much a private nurse earns, on average.
Anecdotally it’s said that the pay is typically in-line with an NHS salary – and in some cases, a bit higher.
Whatever financial benefits there may be from working privately must be balanced with other aspects of the job too.
Private hospitals and care settings tend not to be as stretched as NHS organisations, so the work might not be as stressful.
But typically, the benefits aren’t as good.
Ultimately, every private sector role must be individually assessed for its pay and suitability for you.
Do You Earn More As An Agency Or Bank Nurse?
The daily rates of pay for nurses who work through agencies or NHS Trust banks can be quite high – much higher, in some cases, than the daily pay of a permanently employed nurse.
These spikes in pay happen because the NHS is overstretched, and hospitals often desperately need nurses at short notice.
It’s a consequence of acute demand – demand that’s been exacerbated by an ageing population and Covid-19.
However, this doesn’t paint the full picture.
Agency and bank nurses don’t necessarily earn that same rate every day, and a comparison to full-time rates is misleading when you consider deductions like tax, pension and national insurance.
Furthermore, to truly earn more money in the long-term as an agency or bank nurse, you’ll need to be able to get work consistently.
For that, you’ll need lots of experience and contacts ideally across difference specialisms and locations.
So, when you next hear about those highly paid agency nurses, take it with a pinch of salt.
NHS Take Home Pay & More Information On Nursing Salaries
For more information about pay for NHS nurses (take home pay, showing deductions, pension and benefits, in weekly, monthly or annual amounts) go to our NHS Take Home Pay Calculator.
For more information about nursing pay generally, and the full table displaying pay rates for NHS Nurses according to bandings go to our UK Nursing Salary and Pay Scale Guide - 2023.
Nurses.co.uk Founder & CEO
About the author
Nurses.co.uk Founder & CEO
I believe people should be able to choose to enjoy work. That is, choose an employer who reflects their values and provides them with a sustainable career.
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Sign In JoinGwen Makosana
Gwen Makosana
7 months agoThis article is very misleading and not true. A band 5 nurse pay rate does not start at £33k. A ... read more
This article is very misleading and not true. A band 5 nurse pay rate does not start at £33k. A Band 5 nurse is your typical nurse running around all day and having one to one patient contact. The pay scale is Actually way lower and take home pay after deductions is about £1700 per month. A band 6nurse could start at £33k per year but that is normally a Specialist role. This really infuriates me to mislead people and make nurses look like they are greedy when in actual fact are struggling to make ends meet. Most nurses have to do extra hours to supplement their income and over time can cause burnout.
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Hi Gwen, I think you've misread the article, it actually states "A newly qualified Band 5 NHS nurse now earns £27,055" and "the average annual salary of an NHS nurse is £33,384" We also link to ou... read more
Hi Gwen, I think you've misread the article, it actually states "A newly qualified Band 5 NHS nurse now earns £27,055" and "the average annual salary of an NHS nurse is £33,384" We also link to our Pay Calculator which goes much more in depth. All of our information is taken from official sources, and our aim is not to mislead, but to inform.
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Stephen Mallison
Stephen Mallison
11 months agoAm I missing something, starting salary around £27k average salary around £35k seems pretty good to me. I am ... read more
Am I missing something, starting salary around £27k average salary around £35k seems pretty good to me. I am retired professional and live on less than half that. I remember my starting salary was £150 pa.
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Stating salary is about £25k. To get to £33k can take yrs and have to have been promoted thanks to the pay cap. So if you remain in the same band(which is the majority of nurses)the pay remains pretty... read more
Stating salary is about £25k. To get to £33k can take yrs and have to have been promoted thanks to the pay cap. So if you remain in the same band(which is the majority of nurses)the pay remains pretty much the same. This article is misleading and not giving the correct information about nurse’s pay.
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Hi Gwen, Again I think you've misread the article. We state "Band 5 nurses can earn up to £32,934 with enough years' experience(over 4 years)." As stated above, all our information is drawn from off... read more
Hi Gwen, Again I think you've misread the article. We state "Band 5 nurses can earn up to £32,934 with enough years' experience(over 4 years)." As stated above, all our information is drawn from official sources.
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Melissa Smith
Melissa Smith
11 months agoDecent salaries, add on the great final salary pension, sick pay and generous leave and nursing really is a great ... read more
Decent salaries, add on the great final salary pension, sick pay and generous leave and nursing really is a great career. There's also opportunities to progress to more than £100,000 salary for those that work their way up the ladder. I hope all this negative publicity doesn't put off potential new recruits to what is a very rewarding career.
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Kim Maidment
Kim Maidment
11 months agoI volunteered at the NHS during lockdown as a Medical Electronics Engineer. They tried to pay me on Band 2 ... read more
I volunteered at the NHS during lockdown as a Medical Electronics Engineer. They tried to pay me on Band 2 with about 40 years experience. I did point out that I was a volunteer so gave the money back. I also volunteered to work on the COVID ward to administer Acupuncture as I am a degree qualified Acupuncturist. This is what they do in China. I was told this was in appropriate!!. I then volunteered to see up a free clinic one day per week for NHS staff again told it was inappropriate, even though most of the Patients at my own clinic were NHS staff. It is about time the NHS opened their eyes, there is more to health than pharmaceuticals. Bye the way, as a self employed Acupuncturist with 28 years experience and a degree, I earn about £15,000 per year so when I hear about people going on strike I get a bit upset.
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hazel cuthill
hazel cuthill
one year agotwenty years ago nurses were badly paid, not now, now they are very well paid. Remember maslows heirarchy of needs, ... read more
twenty years ago nurses were badly paid, not now, now they are very well paid. Remember maslows heirarchy of needs, no matter how much a human gets, they want more. Think about how difficult life is for many of your patients especially those ill because of poverty. Then think about your own lifestyle and count your blessings. Then think about what this country, the planet and all life on it is going through, humans starving, the animals dying, the sea life dying, droughts, floods, forest fires, sea levels rising all because of human activity. All of us must slow down, spend less, live smaller lives. Please start leading by example to help us all slow down and live smaller lives, start setting a good example, not the opposite and at the moment I many people may well think public sector stirking for even more of our tax money as greedy and selfish. That is what it looks like at the moment.
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Good to have all opinions. I take your point. The strike is about conditions as well as pay. And I accept people will view pay levels differently. But I think something needs to be said and done about... read more
Good to have all opinions. I take your point. The strike is about conditions as well as pay. And I accept people will view pay levels differently. But I think something needs to be said and done about the conditions, including the severe staffing crisis. That affects morale and patient care. Really appreciate you making your point Hazel, thank you.
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Greedy and selfish ? Why do you think that there are thousands of nursing vacancies ? Most of those considering a career in nursing take a look at the salaries and conditions, plus paying for their ow... read more
Greedy and selfish ? Why do you think that there are thousands of nursing vacancies ? Most of those considering a career in nursing take a look at the salaries and conditions, plus paying for their own three year university training and think:- "I'll give that a miss." Why pick on nurses because they get sick pay, holidays with pay, and a guaranteed pension when they retire ? Every single person who works in fire and rescue, the police, local and national government, the civil service etc, gets the same. And they don't have to go to university either ! Most of those who work in the private sector also get the same sick pay and holiday entitlement. Thanks to Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor, they no longer get final salary pensions, but most will receive a pension of some sort. If you're going to pick on someone, have a go at the MP's who run this country. They like to say that serving their country "is a vocation" - something that's thrown at nurses all the time i.e. it's a vocation and if you want more pay then you're in the wrong job. MP's earn £86,500 p.a. and with expenses that they can claim, it pushes it up to around £100,00 p.a plus. They also get around 80 days away from Westminster, but they argue it's spent doing work in their constituencies !
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Jency Samuel
Jency Samuel
2 years agoKindly advise, i got many offer for band 5 nursing however salary is only 24K only. I have overseas experience ... read more
Kindly advise, i got many offer for band 5 nursing however salary is only 24K only. I have overseas experience of 10+ years. How can i get / negotiate for higher pay . ( many of my ex colleagues claiming that they are getting 30K - 33K )
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Obviously, it's very difficult for us to talk specifically about a particular situation as we don't know all the details. But if it is an NHS role in England / Wales then you will be paid in line with... read more
Obviously, it's very difficult for us to talk specifically about a particular situation as we don't know all the details. But if it is an NHS role in England / Wales then you will be paid in line with the banding of the role, together with the years exp you have. Before the 3% pay rise a Band 5 would start on £24K. The new starting rate for NHS Band 5 nurses is detailed above and on our Pay Guide and Pay Calculator page. If you are talking about private healthcare, then, yes, that will vary.
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Louise Tulloch
Louise Tulloch
3 years agoPrimary care nursing offers an amazing career for newly qualified nurses but I worry we will be able to keep ... read more
Primary care nursing offers an amazing career for newly qualified nurses but I worry we will be able to keep them if we don’t achieve Agenda For Change pay scales for them. There must be someone in a place of influence that can finally end the need for each individual nurse to plead for a pay rise.
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Louise Tulloch
Louise Tulloch
3 years agoMatt the idea that we nurse for love and not money is incorrect. We love the job we do but ... read more
Matt the idea that we nurse for love and not money is incorrect. We love the job we do but NEED the money. Primary care nurses are no longer working for “pin money” they work full time have degrees and masters qualifications.
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That's a very fair point Louise. I did write that in my bio: "nurses do it for love not money". I guess I didn't mean you're happy to do it for no money, but I get that that's how it read - so I've ju... read more
That's a very fair point Louise. I did write that in my bio: "nurses do it for love not money". I guess I didn't mean you're happy to do it for no money, but I get that that's how it read - so I've just changed it! Thanks Louise.
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