NHS Junior Sister / Charge Nurse Salary, Hourly Rate & Net Take-Home Pay (2026/27)
Band 6 Junior Sisters, Charge Nurses, and Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) lead shift-by-shift clinical operations on acute hospital wards, coordinate emergency patient flow, mentor Band 5 nurses, and run specialist outpatient clinics.
In the 2026/27 financial year (+3.3% Agenda for Change uplift), an NHS Junior Sister / Charge Nurse (Band 6) earns a starting basic salary of £39,959/year (£20.44/hr), rising to £48,117/year (£24.61/hr) at the top experience step. After standard UK PAYE Income Tax, Class 1 National Insurance, and 9.8% 2015 CARE Pension deductions, a full-time (37.5h/wk) Junior Sister / Charge Nurse takes home £2,429.77/month net at entry and £2,865.96/month net at the top of Band 6 (or £2,857.07/month at entry in Inner London with 20% HCAS).
1. 2026/27 NHS Junior Sister / Charge Nurse (Band 6) Pay Step Progression & Net Take-Home Table
View Full Band 6 Spine Guide →| Experience Step | Annual Gross | Basic Hourly | Night Rate (+30%) | NHS Pension | PAYE Tax & NI | Net Monthly Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (0 yrs) | £39,959 | £20.44/hr | £26.57/hr | 9.8% (−£326/mo) | −£574/mo | £2,430/mo (£29,157/yr) |
| After 2 years (Mid) (2+ yrs) | £42,170 | £21.57/hr | £28.04/hr | 9.8% (−£344/mo) | −£622/mo | £2,548/mo (£30,576/yr) |
| After 5 years (Top) (5+ yrs) | £48,117 | £24.61/hr | £31.99/hr | 9.8% (−£393/mo) | −£751/mo | £2,866/mo (£34,391/yr) |
2. NHS Junior Sister / Charge Nurse London Weighting (HCAS) & UK Regional Net Pay Comparison (2026/27)
| UK Region / Tax Zone | Statutory Rule | Entry Gross (Inc. HCAS) | Entry Net Monthly | Top Step Net Monthly | Regional Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Standard (England, Wales & NI) | 0% HCAS (National Spine) | £39,959 | £2,430/mo | £2,866/mo | Open → |
| London Fringe (+5% HCAS) | 5% HCAS (Min £1,346 / Max £2,270) | £41,957 | £2,537/mo | £2,988/mo | — |
| Outer London (+15% HCAS) | 15% HCAS (Min £4,870 / Max £6,137) | £45,953 | £2,750/mo | £3,181/mo | Open → |
| Inner London (+20% HCAS) | 20% HCAS (Min £5,794 / Max £8,746) | £47,951 | £2,857/mo | £3,324/mo | Open → |
| NHS Scotland (S1257L Devolved Tax) | 19%–48% Scottish Income Tax | £39,959 | £2,424/mo | £2,854/mo | Open → |
3. Full-Time, Part-Time Pro-Rata & Night Shift Take-Home Matrix (Junior Sister / Charge Nurse)
| Contracted Hours & Shift Pattern | Annual Gross (Inc. Enhancements) | PAYE Tax & NI | NHS Pension | Net Monthly In-Bank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Time Standard Days (37.5h / 1.0 WTE) | £39,959/yr | −£574/mo | −£326/mo (9.8%) | £2,430/mo |
| Acute Rotational Shifts (37.5h inc. 1 Night/wk +30% & Sunday +60%) | £45,477/yr | −£703/mo | −£326/mo (9.8%) | £2,761/mo |
| Part-Time 4 Days / Week (30.0h / 0.8 WTE) | £31,967/yr | −£408/mo | −£221/mo (8.3%) | £2,034/mo |
| Part-Time 3 Days / Week (22.5h / 0.6 WTE) | £23,975/yr | −£240/mo | −£130/mo (6.5%) | £1,628/mo |
Clinical Career Pathway & Promotion Pay Step-Up (Nursing & Midwifery)
Band 6 spans three spine points: Entry (0 yrs), Intermediate (2 yrs), and Top Step (5+ yrs). Stepping from Band 5 Top to Band 6 Entry gives a modest initial increase before unlocking significant pay growth at the 2-year and 5-year increments.
Gross: £39,959 – £48,117/yr
Starting Gross: £49,387/yr (+£9,428/yr vs Band 6 Entry)
Interactive NHS Junior Sister / Charge Nurse Shift, Overtime & Take-Home Calculator
Pre-loaded: Band 6 • Junior Sister / Charge Nurse (2026/27)Standard NHS baseline is 37.5 hrs/wk (1.0 FTE)
Nights & Sats +30% | Suns & Bank Hols +60%
+£289.72 / mo directly into your account after PAYE Tax, National Insurance, and 9.8% CARE Pension deductions.
tuneAdvanced Statutory Tax & Pension Configurationexpand_more
£45,477
−£1,165 / mo
Statutory model synchronised with 2026/27 NHS Pension Tier Threshold updates & Autumn Statement NIC rates.
Compare Band 6 Junior Sister / Charge Nurse Pay Across 15 UK Cities & NHS Regions
Select a location below for local NHS Hospital Trust HCAS allowances, Scottish tax bands, and regional take-home tables.
Related Nursing & Midwifery & Band 6 Career Guides
Compare pay scales across sibling clinical specialties and adjacent NHS career roles.
Frequently Asked Questions: NHS Junior Sister / Charge Nurse Salary (2026/27)
How much does an NHS Junior Sister / Charge Nurse earn per month after tax in 2026/27?
A full-time (37.5 hrs/wk) NHS Junior Sister / Charge Nurse (Band 6) takes home £2,429.77/month net at the starting spine point (from a gross salary of £39,959/yr), rising to £2,865.96/month net at the top step (£48,117/yr) after PAYE Income Tax, Class 1 NI, and 9.8% NHS CARE Pension deductions.
What is the hourly rate and weekend/night rate for an NHS Junior Sister / Charge Nurse?
The basic daytime hourly rate is £20.44/hr at entry (up to £24.61/hr at top step). Under Agenda for Change Section 2, weekday nights and Saturdays pay £26.57/hr (+30%), while Sundays and Bank Holidays pay £32.70/hr (+60%).
How much does an NHS Junior Sister / Charge Nurse earn in Inner & Outer London?
In Inner London (+20% HCAS), starting pay for a Band 6 Junior Sister / Charge Nurse is £47,951/year gross (£2,857/month net). In Outer London (+15% HCAS), starting pay is £45,953/year gross (£2,750/month net).
How much NHS Pension does a Junior Sister / Charge Nurse build each year?
Under the 2015 CARE Scheme (1/54th annual accrual), each full-time year worked as a Band 6 Junior Sister / Charge Nurse adds +£740/year at entry (up to +£891/year at top step) to your guaranteed, CPI+1.5% inflation-revalued NHS retirement pension for life.
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