NHS Sick Pay & Half-Pay Calculator 2026/27
Check your exact NHS occupational sick pay entitlement (1 to 6 months Full Pay & Half Pay) by years of service, and see how much net monthly cash you actually take home during the Half Pay + Statutory Sick Pay (`SSP`) phase.
Your NHS Service & Pay
Agenda for Change Section 14 Sick Pay
Under Section 14.4, regularly rostered unsocial hours enhancements are paid during NHS sick leave.
Phase 1: Full Pay (6 Mos)
£2,177/mo
100% of normal net take-home pay
Phase 2: Half Pay + SSP (6 Mos)
£1,572/mo
Equals 72% of your normal net pay!
Phase 3: SSP Only (Up to 28 Wks)
£515/mo
£118.75/week statutory rate
Half-Pay Phase Gross Makeup
£1,956/mo Gross
50% NHS Pay (£1,441) + SSP (£515)
Total Protected Net Income (12 Months)
£22,495 Net Total
Across 6m full pay and 6m half pay
Your NHS Sick Pay Phase Breakdown (Band 5)
Gross pay, reduced PAYE tax/NI deductions, and net monthly take-home by phase
| Sick Leave Phase | Duration | Monthly Gross | Tax, NI & Pension | Net Take-Home / Mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Occupational Full Pay | 6 Months | £2,883 | -£705 | £2,177 |
| 2. Occupational Half Pay + SSP | 6 Months | £1,956 | -£384 | £1,572 |
| 3. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Only | If SSP weeks remain | £515 | £0 | £515 |
Why NHS Half Pay Gives You 72% (Not 50%) of Your Normal Take-Home Pay:
During the Half Pay phase, two things boost your net monthly pay: first, Statutory Sick Pay (£118.75/week = £514.58/month) is added on top of your 50% occupational half pay; second, your £12,570 tax-free Personal Allowance and National Insurance threshold remain unchanged while your gross pay drops, cutting your monthly tax and NI bill dramatically.
Official NHS Sick Pay Entitlement Scale (Agenda for Change Section 14)
Entitlement is based on your total aggregated reckonable NHS service across all Trusts in any rolling 12-month period.
| Reckonable NHS Service | 100% Full Pay Period | 50% Half Pay + SSP Period | Combined Paid Sick Leave |
|---|---|---|---|
| During 1st Year of NHS Service | 1 Month | 2 Months | 3 Months Protected |
| During 2nd Year of NHS Service | 2 Months | 2 Months | 4 Months Protected |
| During 3rd Year of NHS Service | 4 Months | 4 Months | 8 Months Protected |
| During 4th & 5th Year of Service | 5 Months | 5 Months | 10 Months Protected |
| After Completing 5 Years (Year 6+) | 6 Months | 6 Months | 12 Months Protected |
2026/27 NHS Full Pay vs. Half Pay + SSP Monthly Take-Home Chart
Entry-step net monthly take-home pay during Full Pay vs. Half Pay + SSP (£514.58/mo) after PAYE tax, NI, and NHS Pension.
| NHS Band (Entry Salary) | Full Pay Net / Mo | Half Pay + SSP Gross / Mo | Half Pay + SSP Net / Mo | % of Normal Net Kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 (£25,272) | £1,700/mo | £1,568/mo | £1,340/mo | 79% |
| Band 3 (£25,760) | £1,727/mo | £1,588/mo | £1,354/mo | 78% |
| Band 4 (£28,392) | £1,874/mo | £1,698/mo | £1,427/mo | 76% |
| Band 5 (£32,073) | £2,040/mo | £1,851/mo | £1,503/mo | 74% |
| Band 6 (£39,959) | £2,430/mo | £2,180/mo | £1,692/mo | 70% |
| Band 7 (£49,387) | £2,934/mo | £2,572/mo | £1,944/mo | 66% |
| Band 8a (£57,528) | £3,353/mo | £2,912/mo | £2,140/mo | 64% |
Frequently Asked Questions: NHS Sick Pay & Rolling 12-Month Rules
1. How does the NHS rolling 12-month sick pay calculation work?
On the first day of any new sickness absence, NHS payroll (ESR) looks back over the immediately preceding 12 months and adds up all days of paid sickness absence taken in that window. Those days are deducted from your total Section 14 entitlement to determine how much Full Pay and Half Pay remains available.
2. Do I still accrue NHS annual leave and bank holidays while on sick leave?
Yes. You continue to accrue your full contractual Agenda for Change annual leave entitlement while on paid or unpaid sick leave. If you are unable to take your annual leave due to long-term sickness across the April 1st leave year boundary, you have the statutory right to carry over up to 20 days (150 hours pro-rata).
3. What happens to my NHS Pension while I am on Half Pay?
During Half Pay, you only pay pension contributions on the actual reduced pay you receive, but your 1/54th 2015 CARE pension pot continues to build as if you were working on 100% Full Pay (known as “deemed pensionable pay”) at no extra cost to you!
Explore All 2026/27 NHS Calculators
Model your take-home pay, 2015 CARE pension pot, maternity pay phases, annual leave hours, and extra bank shifts.
2026/27 NHS Salary & Take-Home Pay Calculator
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NHS Pension (2015 CARE Scheme) Calculator
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NHS Maternity Pay (OMP + SMP) Calculator
8 wks full pay, 18 wks half pay + equalised spread
NHS Annual Leave & Bank Holiday Hours Calculator
Convert 27, 29 & 33 days + 8 BH into hours & 11.5h shifts
NHS Bank Shift & Overtime Net Pay Calculator
Exact cash-in-pocket after marginal tax, NI & student loan