In short
In England and Wales your NHS employer pays 23.7% of your pensionable pay into the NHS Pension Scheme on top of your own contribution, plus a 0.08% levy for running the scheme. In Scotland it's 22.5% and in Northern Ireland 23.2%. On the bottom of Band 5 in England that's £7,601 a year.
From 1 April 2027 the England and Wales rate falls to 15.5%. That doesn't change your pension at all, and here's why.
What employers pay, by country
| Scheme | Employer rate now | Set until |
|---|---|---|
| NHS Pension Scheme (England and Wales) | 23.7% + 0.08% levy | 31 March 2027, then 15.5% |
| NHS Pension Scheme (Scotland), SPPA | 22.5% | 31 March 2027; the 2024 valuation sets the next rate |
| HSC Pension Scheme (Northern Ireland) | 23.2% | Not stated by the HSC Pension Service |
In England, NHS organisations pay 14.38% of the 23.7% themselves and NHS England pays the rest centrally, an arrangement that has run since 2019/20 and continues in 2026/27.
Your employer's contribution doesn't go into a pot with your name on it
The NHS scheme is defined benefit. Your pension is set by the scheme rules: 1/54th of your pensionable pay for each year, increased by inflation plus 1.5% until you retire. The employer contribution pays for those promises across the whole scheme; it isn't saved for you individually. So the rate employers pay can go up or down without your pension changing.
That's what happens in 2027. The Government Actuary's 2024 valuation, published in July 2026, worked out that employers need to pay 15.5% rather than 23.7% from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2031. About five percentage points of the fall come from a change to the discount rate the Treasury uses to value public service pensions. The valuation's cost cap test didn't require any change to members' benefits, so you keep building up exactly the same pension.
How it compares with a private sector job
Under automatic enrolment, an employer only has to pay 3% of your earnings between £6,240 and £50,270. Here's the gap at the bottom of each band in England:
| Bottom of | Pay | You pay a year | NHS employer pays | Legal minimum elsewhere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 3 | £25,760 | £1,674 | £6,105 | £586 |
| Band 5 | £32,073 | £2,662 | £7,601 | £775 |
| Band 6 | £39,959 | £3,916 | £9,470 | £1,012 |
| Band 7 | £49,387 | £4,840 | £11,705 | £1,294 |
| Band 8a | £57,528 | £6,155 | £13,634 | £1,321 |
Even at 15.5%, the NHS employer contribution is several times the legal minimum. When you compare an NHS salary with a private sector offer, add the pension: a private job needs to pay noticeably more just to match the total package, and a defined contribution pension won't give you a guaranteed, inflation-linked income.
Why it matters if you're thinking of opting out
If you leave the scheme, your employer stops paying in for you and you don't get the money instead: it isn't added to your salary. You also stop building up 1/54th of your pay as pension each year. See opting out of the NHS pension before you decide.
Will the 2027 cut change NHS pay?
Not directly: it's a cost saving for employers and the government, not a change to your contract. Whether any of the saving finds its way into pay or services hasn't been announced.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the NHS pay into my pension?
Is the NHS employer pension contribution going down?
Does the employer contribution go into my pension pot?
If I opt out, does my employer pay me the contribution instead?
Sources (checked 18 October 2026)
- NHS Pension Scheme: employer contributions (NHS Employers)
- NHS Pension Scheme employer contribution rates 2026/27 (NHS Business Services Authority)
- NHS Pension Scheme 2024 Actuarial Valuation: Results (Government Actuary's Department / NHSBSA)
- Employer contributions (NHS Pension Scheme Scotland) (Scottish Public Pensions Agency)
- Membership, Contributions & Pay (HSC Pension Service)
- NHS Pension Scheme 2015 Members Guide (version 13, May 2024) (NHS Business Services Authority)
- Workplace pensions: what you, your employer and the government pay (GOV.UK)
- Pay scales for 2026/27 (NHS Employers)
- NHS Pension Scheme member contributions (NHS Employers)
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