How much does a health visitor earn?

In England, entry Band 6 basic is about £2,430 a month take-home on £39,959 a year (full-time, before unsocial hours). Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use different pay points.

Health visitors are commonly Band 6 after SCPHN training. Community daytime patterns mean basic take-home is often closer to the table than for ward Band 6 posts.

Take-home by nationFull-time basic, entry and top pay points — no unsocial hours

Estimates assume 37.5 hours a week, tax code 1257L, NHS pension on, no student loan, no London weighting and no unsocial hours. Northern Ireland may show the latest published year labelled in the table.
Nation Entry basic Entry take-home / mo Top basic Top take-home / mo
England2026/27 £39,959 £2,430 £48,117 £2,866
Scotland2026/27 £43,169 £2,597 £52,603 £3,040
Wales2026/27 £40,559 £2,462 £48,841 £2,905
Northern Ireland2025/26 £38,682 £2,361 £46,580 £2,784

About this role

Health visitors are specialist community public health nurses. Band 6 is the usual AfC band. Basic pay matches other Band 6 roles; the work pattern is the main difference from ward nursing.

What comes off

  • Income tax and National Insurance — Scotland uses different tax bands.
  • NHS pension — tiered contribution; see the pension guide.
  • Student loan — common for newly qualified staff; see the student loan guide.
  • London weighting (England) — if you work in a designated zone; see HCAS.

Out-of-hours pay

Most health visiting is weekday community work, so unsocial enhancements are less common than on wards. If your service includes evenings or weekends, add them in the calculator.

Progression

Leadership posts may move into Band 7 team lead or service-manager roles. Compare with the Band 6 specialist nurse hub if you are weighing a ward specialty instead.

Open a calculator

England Band 6 From £2,430 / mo at entry Scotland Band 6 From £2,597 / mo at entry Wales Band 6 From £2,462 / mo at entry Northern Ireland Band 6 From £2,361 / mo at entry

Common questions

What band is a health visitor?

Health visitor posts are typically Band 6 under Agenda for Change after specialist community public health nurse training.

Do health visitors earn more than Band 5 nurses?

Band 6 basic pay is higher than Band 5. Individual take-home still depends on hours, tax and any enhancements.

Is health visitor pay different in Scotland?

Yes — Scotland has its own AfC points and Scottish income tax, so use the Scotland column or calculator.