How much does an NHS matron earn?

In England, entry Band 8a basic is about £3,353 a month take-home on £57,528 a year (full-time, before unsocial hours). Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use different pay points.

Matron posts are usually Band 8a. Some trusts band similar leadership roles differently — always check the advert. Table figures are full-time basic take-home.

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 £57,528 £3,353 £64,750 £3,663
Scotland2026/27 £65,032 £3,532 £70,202 £3,686
Wales2026/27 £58,405 £3,390 £65,737 £3,705
Northern Ireland2025/26 £55,690 £3,265 £62,682 £3,574

About this role

Matrons are senior nursing leaders. Band 8a also covers many advanced clinical practitioners and other principal clinical roles. Basic pay is the AfC Band 8a scale; titles differ by organisation.

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

Matron roles are often more Monday–Friday, though some posts include on-call or weekend cover. If yours does, add those duties in the calculator; otherwise the basic table is a reasonable baseline.

Progression

Above 8a sit 8b–9 director and consultant leadership bands. Related Band 8a roles include advanced clinical practitioners — same band table, different job content.

Open a calculator

England Band 8a From £3,353 / mo at entry Scotland Band 8a From £3,532 / mo at entry Wales Band 8a From £3,390 / mo at entry Northern Ireland Band 8a From £3,265 / mo at entry

Common questions

What band is an NHS matron?

Matron posts are typically Band 8a, but trusts sometimes use 8b for wider remits. Confirm on the job description.

Is a matron paid the same as an ACP?

Where both are Band 8a, basic AfC pay points match. Role expectations and any on-call arrangements can still differ.

Does matron take-home vary by nation?

Yes. Each nation publishes its own Band 8a points, and Scotland uses Scottish income tax.