NHS Unsocial Hours Calculator 2026/27

Nights, weekends and bank holidays are enhanced under Section 2 of Agenda for Change — +30% for nights and Saturdays, +60% for Sundays and bank holidays, on top of your basic hourly rate. Enter your band and the enhanced hours you work to see the uplift and what it's worth after tax, National Insurance and the NHS pension.

How NHS unsocial-hours pay works

Under Section 2 of Agenda for Change, hours worked at unsocial times are paid at an enhanced rate on top of your basic pay. There are two enhancement levels for 2026/27:

When	Enhancement
Weeknights and all day Saturday (from midnight Friday to midnight Sunday, excluding Sunday)	+30%
Sundays and public/bank holidays	+60%

The enhancement is applied to your basic hourly rate, which is your annual Agenda for Change salary divided by 1,955.4 full-time-equivalent hours (37.5 hours a week across the year).

Worked example: a Band 5 nurse's shifts

A Band 5 nurse on £32,073 has a basic hourly rate of about £16.40. So:

A 12-hour night shift earns an enhancement of 12 × £16.40 × 30% ≈ £59 on top of basic pay for those hours.
A 12-hour Sunday shift earns 12 × £16.40 × 60% ≈ £118 on top.

Over a year those enhancements add up — but they are taxable, National-Insured and pensionable, so the net gain is smaller than the gross uplift. Enter your typical enhanced hours in the calculator to see the annual figure and its effect on your take-home.

Tip: the calculator derives your hourly rate straight from your band and step, so you don't need to work it out yourself — just estimate how many night/Saturday and Sunday/bank-holiday hours you work in a year.

Your basic pay and any London weighting are handled on the NHS take-home pay hub and the HCAS calculator. This page focuses on the Section 2 enhancement.

Source: NHS Agenda for Change Terms & Conditions Handbook, Section 2 (pay for work in unsocial hours). Estimates only; enhanced-rate rules can vary locally — confirm with your trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as unsocial hours in the NHS?

Under Section 2 of Agenda for Change, unsocial hours are those worked at night (typically 8pm–6am), on Saturdays, on Sundays and on public/bank holidays. Nights and Saturdays attract a 30% enhancement on your basic hourly rate; Sundays and bank holidays attract 60%. The enhancement applies only to the hours actually worked in those periods.

What are the NHS unsocial hours rates for 2026/27?

For most Agenda for Change staff the Section 2 enhancements are +30% for nights and Saturdays (time plus 30%) and +60% for Sundays and bank holidays (time plus 60%). The enhancement is calculated on your basic hourly rate, which is your annual salary divided by 1,955.4 full-time-equivalent hours.

How much is a night shift worth in the NHS?

Take a Band 5 on £32,073: the basic hourly rate is about £16.40, so a 12-hour night shift adds roughly £59 of enhancement (12 × £16.40 × 30%) on top of the basic pay for those hours. A 12-hour Sunday shift adds about £118 (× 60%). Both figures are before tax, NI and pension.

Are unsocial hours payments taxed and pensionable?

Yes. Unsocial-hours enhancements are ordinary earnings — taxable, subject to National Insurance and pensionable for the NHS scheme. So while a Sunday shift is worth 60% more gross, the net gain in your pocket is smaller once tax, NI and the pension contribution are taken. This calculator shows the effect on take-home.

Do bank and agency staff get unsocial hours enhancements?

NHS bank staff engaged on Agenda for Change terms generally receive the same Section 2 enhancements. Agency workers are covered by their agency's contract and the Agency Worker Regulations rather than AfC directly, so their enhancements can differ — check your assignment terms.