Paramedic pay

A newly qualified paramedic in England is paid on Agenda for Change band 5, starting at £32,073 a year from 1 April 2026. Paramedics who take on more responsibility are usually on band 6, which runs from £39,959 to £48,117. The 2026/27 award in England is 3.3%.

Band 5: newly qualified

Most paramedics join an NHS ambulance trust at band 5 after finishing a degree or a degree apprenticeship and registering with the HCPC. At band 5 you move up the scale on set dates, so pay rises without you having to apply for anything.

Band 5 point	Annual pay from 1 April 2026	Time on point
Entry	£32,073	2 years
Middle	£34,592	2 years
Top	£39,043

When and how a paramedic moves from band 5 to band 6 is decided by each trust, so ask in the interview or check the job pack. The wider rules on moving between points are in how pay progression works in the NHS.

Band 6: experienced and specialist roles

Band 6 covers paramedics who have developed into senior or specialist roles, including those working in urgent care, hear-and-treat and some clinical support roles. The scale from 1 April 2026 is:

Band 6 point	Annual pay	Time on point
Entry	£39,959	2 years
Middle	£42,170	3 years
Top	£48,117

Above band 6, advanced and consultant paramedic roles are typically banded 7 and above, with band 7 starting at £49,387. See band 7 pay and jobs for those figures. The page on band 6 pay has the rest of the detail.

What you earn on top of basic pay

Ambulance work runs round the clock, and a large part of a paramedic’s earnings can come from shifts at unsocial hours. Enhancements for nights, weekends and bank holidays are set out in the national terms and conditions, and we explain them in the unsocial hours guide. Trusts also pay for overtime and for shifts that overrun, and the amount depends on the trust and the contract. The salary on a job advert is basic pay only, so the actual figure on your payslip can be higher.

London weighting

Ambulance trusts in London pay a high cost area supplement on top of basic pay. In inner London it is 20% of basic pay, with a minimum of £5,794 and a maximum of £8,746. In outer London it is 15% (minimum £4,870, maximum £6,137), and in the fringe area it is 5% (minimum £1,346, maximum £2,270). Details are on the high cost area supplement page.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

The Scottish Ambulance Service is on Scotland’s separate Agenda for Change deal: 4.25% for 2025/26 and 3.75% for 2026/27 from 1 April 2026. Scotland has fewer pay points than England and higher values. Band 5 is £34,494, £36,857 and £42,977, and band 6 is £43,169, £45,070 and £52,603. A top-up is paid in March 2027 if average CPI for January to December 2026 is above 2.75%.

Wales has announced 3.3% for 2026/27, but that is reported by the RCN and we have not read the Welsh Government’s statement. Northern Ireland has not confirmed 2026/27 pay. The review body recommended 3.3% and the Health Minister wants to pay it, but it depends on the Executive’s budget.

Pension, tax and take-home pay

Paramedics in the NHS Pension Scheme in England and Wales pay a rate based on actual annual pensionable pay. For 2026/27 that is 8.3% for pay from £28,855 to £35,155, 9.8% from £35,156 to £52,778. Tax, National Insurance and any student loan are on top. To work out a figure for a specific salary, use the take-home pay calculator.

Staff in the NHS are also covered by structural talks on the lowest bands and graduate pay. These do not change band 5 or 6 as the figures above stand, and no agreement had been reached by 16 October 2026. Read the job profile for paramedics for the route into the role.