NHS Pay Protection Calculator

Moving to a lower-banded NHS role? Check whether your situation usually qualifies for pay protection, see the gap between your old and new basic pay, and find out what happens when protection ends.

Want the background first? Read NHS Pay Protection Explained. Everything this tool says about eligibility and coverage comes from that guide.

Your situation

Statements in the results come from our pay protection explainer. Your trust's own policy decides what you actually get.

Your old role (the pay being protected)

If you enter a figure here it replaces the band and point above.

Your new, lower-banded role

If you enter a figure here it replaces the band and point above.

Both roles are worked out pro rata at these hours.

From your trust's offer (all optional)

There is no national protection period, so we never assume one. If your trust has given you a start date and a length in writing, enter them here.

Whole months, up to 120. Leave blank if you have not been told.

Only used to illustrate "mark-time" protection, where your pay is frozen while the new band rises. Your own assumption, not a forecast. Up to 20%.

Unsocial hours, overtime or on-call pay you regularly received. These are typically not protected.

Does your situation usually qualify?

Usually qualifies for protection

Redeployment into a lower band because your original post was made redundant or removed in a genuine restructure is one of the situations that usually qualifies for some form of pay protection.

Pay protection is agreed locally by each trust. It is not a fixed statutory entitlement, so your trust may offer more, less or something different. Always ask HR for the written policy.

Protected pay versus new band pay

£8,398 a year

about £699.83 a month, or £161.06 a week, before tax (14.86% of your old basic pay)

Old basic pay (Band 7, point 3), the figure protection would aim to keep£56,515
New band basic pay (Band 6, point 3)£48,117
Gap per year£8,398

If protection is granted by mark-time, your pay is frozen at the old cash amount rather than adjusted for new-band pay awards or increments.

How long does it last?

We cannot tell you this. There is no single national figure, and the duration depends on your situation and your trust's own policy. The explainer describes service-linked periods, flat periods, tapered tails and mark-time protection that ends when the new band catches up, but says none of these is universal. Ask HR for the duration in writing, then enter it on the left to see what it is worth.

What happens when protection ends

  • Protection is temporary by design. Every arrangement ends, whether on a fixed date, after a service-linked period, or when the new band's own pay catches up with the protected figure.
  • You would be paid on the new band's ordinary scale, so basic pay would fall by up to £8,398 a year (£699.83 a month) at today's pay rates, less anything the new band has risen by in the meantime.
  • Some trusts follow full protection with a tapered period where only part of the difference is protected, so the drop can be gradual rather than a single step. Check which method yours uses.
  • Protection can also end early, for example after a further move or a disciplinary outcome. Ask for the early-ending rules in writing.

What this does not cover

  • Protection almost always covers basic pay only, not unsocial hours, overtime, on-call payments or changes to high cost area supplements. This tool compares basic pay only.
  • Your day-to-day pension contributions and accrual are normally based on your actual current pensionable pay, not the protected figure.
  • NHS Pensions has its own separate "protection of pay" for members of the 1995 or 2008 Section with a final salary link, with at least 2 years' pensionable service, applied for in writing, typically within 3 months of the reduction. It is not the same as your trust's policy and is not modelled here.

Get these in writing before you agree

  • The exact protected figure, and exactly how it was calculated - basic pay only, or something broader?
  • The precise duration, or the formula that decides when protection ends (service-linked, flat period or tapered).
  • Whether your pension contributions and accrual will be based on your protected pay or your new, actual pay.
  • Whether you might separately qualify for NHS Pensions' own final-salary protection of pay, if you are in the 1995 or 2008 Section.
  • What would cause protection to end earlier than its normal expiry, for example a further move or a disciplinary outcome.
  • Whether the offer matches your trust's actual written policy, not just what a manager has described verbally.

If you are a union member, ask your representative to check the offer against your trust's policy before you sign.

Short answer

Pay protection lets staff who move to a lower band through no fault of their own keep some or all of their previous pay for a period, but it is agreed locally by each trust. There is no national figure for how long it lasts, so this tool does not invent one. It shows the gap between your old and new basic pay using the 2026/27 Agenda for Change scales, whether your situation is one that usually qualifies, and, if you enter your trust's own dates, when protection would end and what it is worth. It is free, and nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.

⚠Guidance, not HR or legal advice

This tool is general guidance based on our pay protection explainer. It is not HR, pensions or legal advice. Your trust's own written policy governs what you actually receive, including who qualifies, how much is protected, how long it lasts and when it ends. Ask HR for the policy document, and if you are a union member ask your representative to check any offer before you sign.

What this calculator does, and what it does not

Because pay protection is a local arrangement, the honest version of this tool is a checker and a gap calculator rather than an exact rules engine. It does four things:

  • Tells you whether your situation is one the explainer says usually qualifies, usually does not, or needs checking with HR.
  • Compares your old and new basic pay, pro rata for your hours, using the shared 2026/27 pay scales or a salary you type in.
  • Works out an end date and the value of protection only if you enter the start date and length from your trust's own offer.
  • Optionally illustrates mark-time protection, using a yearly pay rise that you choose.

It does not decide whether you qualify, predict how long protection will last, include unsocial hours or other enhancements, or model NHS Pensions' separate protection of pay. For the wider redeployment picture, see our guide to suitable alternative employment.

Pay points marked as estimates on our 2026/27 pay scales page are shown as estimated here too. If your payslip differs, trust your payslip.

How long does NHS pay protection last?

The honest answer is that it depends on your trust. The NHS Terms and Conditions Handbook (Section 19) leaves protection of pay and conditions to local agreement, and there is no national fixed-duration scheme for Agenda for Change staff. Common local designs:

  • Mark-time protection. Your basic pay stays at its old cash figure, with no increments or pay awards, until the new band catches up. Protection then ends by itself.
  • Service-linked duration. A number of months based on your NHS service, usually with a cap.
  • A flat period. The same length for everyone who qualifies.
  • Tapering. Protected pay steps down over a set number of years.

As an illustration of one such policy only, a published ICB policy (BNSSG ICB) uses mark-time protection of basic pay plus a shorter protection of total earnings, with a duration of one month per month of service up to 24 months. Other trusts differ, so treat that as an example, not the NHS rule.

What pay protection usually covers, and does not

  • Basic pay is the core of most policies. Some also protect long-term recruitment and retention premia.
  • Unsocial hours, overtime and on-call are often not protected in the long term. Some policies protect them for a shorter period. Our Unsocial Hours Calculator shows what your enhancements are worth, so you can see what you stand to lose.
  • Pension. Contributions and accrual normally follow your actual pay. NHS Pensions' separate protection of pay may help legacy-section members, if they apply in time.
  • Voluntary moves and disciplinary outcomes usually do not qualify.

Sources: NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook, version 63 (NHS Employers), Section 19; NHSBSA, protection of pay; and our pay protection explainer.

Why trust this tool

  • ✓ Follows our own pay protection explainer and never states a duration, percentage or taper that the explainer does not
  • ✓ Says plainly that pay protection is agreed locally by each trust, and points you to your trust's written policy and your union
  • ✓ Compares basic pay only, because protection almost always covers basic pay only
  • ✓ Uses the same 2026/27 Agenda for Change pay data as the rest of the site, and flags estimated pay points
  • ✓ Runs in your browser. Your details are not sent anywhere or saved
  • ✓ Guidance last updated October 2026

Related guides & tools

NHS Pay Protection Explained

What pay protection is, when it applies, and exactly where it stops covering you.

Agenda for Change Pay Scales 2026/27

Every band and pay point, the data this calculator uses.

NHS Pay Calculator

Work out your expected pay, tax and take-home.

Suitable Alternative Employment in the NHS Explained

Where pay protection typically fits when you are offered a lower-banded role.

NHS At-Risk Register and Redeployment Explained

How the redeployment process that often leads to a pay protection situation works.

How to Challenge Your NHS Pay Band: Job Evaluation Appeal

What happens if a job evaluation lowers your band.

Frequently asked questions

Is pay protection a legal right, or can my trust refuse it? +
It is not a fixed statutory entitlement in the way statutory redundancy pay or statutory notice is, and the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook does not set a national fixed-duration pay protection scheme for Agenda for Change staff. Section 19 says terms not covered nationally are agreed locally with staff representatives, and lists protection of pay and conditions of service as an example, so each trust sets its own policy (the old national assimilation protection ended in 2011). Many trusts do have a policy for genuine no-fault band reductions. Ask HR for yours in writing.
How long will my pay protection last? +
This calculator cannot tell you, and neither can any national figure, because there is not one. The explainer describes common patterns, such as a duration linked to your continuous NHS service, a flat period for everyone who qualifies, a tapered tail after full protection, or mark-time protection that ends when the new band catches up. It stresses that none of these is universal and that policies get revised. Ask HR for the duration that applies to you in writing, then enter it in the calculator to see the end date and what it is worth.
Does pay protection include unsocial hours, overtime or other enhancements? +
Almost always not. The explainer says protection nearly always covers basic pay only, meaning your salary at your previous band and pay point. It typically does not extend to unsocial hours payments, overtime, on-call payments or changes to high cost area supplements. That means someone moving from a role with regular night and weekend enhancements into one without them can see their monthly take-home pay drop even while their protected basic pay stays the same. Ask HR to confirm for your own trust, and use the optional enhancements field to see the possible effect.
Does my pension keep building up at my old, higher rate? +
Not automatically. According to the explainer, your ongoing pension contributions and accrual are normally based on your actual current pensionable pay, which is the new, lower figure. Separately, members of the 1995 or 2008 Section of the NHS Pension Scheme with a final salary link may be able to apply to NHS Pensions for its own protection of pay. The explainer says that needs at least 2 years' pensionable service and a written application, typically within 3 months of the reduction. It is a different thing from your trust's pay protection, and this calculator does not model it. Check with NHS Pensions directly.
What is mark-time protection, and why does the illustration use a pay rise? +
Mark-time is described in the explainer as the most common method. Your pay is frozen at its old cash amount rather than being adjusted for the new band, so when annual pay awards or increments raise the new, lower band, the gap narrows. When the new band reaches your frozen figure, protection ends naturally. To illustrate that, the optional projection lets you enter an assumed yearly pay rise for the new band. It is your own assumption, not a forecast, it ignores increments, and it only applies if your trust uses mark-time. A minority of trusts use a different method, such as a percentage taper over a fixed number of years.
Does pay protection apply if I chose to move to a lower-banded role? +
Generally not, according to the explainer. Protection exists to soften situations where you lost your previous banding through no fault of your own, such as a genuine redundancy situation, an ill-health redeployment, or a restructure that removed your post. If you voluntarily apply for and accept a lower-banded vacancy, that is usually treated as your own choice and you would normally move onto the new band's pay scale from day one. A band reduction from a disciplinary or capability process is also listed among the situations that usually do not qualify. If you are unsure which category you are in, ask HR before accepting an offer.
How long is pay protection in the NHS? +
There is no national answer, because it is set locally. Some trusts link duration to your NHS service, some give a flat period, some taper pay down, and many use mark-time protection that ends when the new band catches up. As one illustration only, a published ICB policy gives one month of protection for each completed month of service up to a 24-month cap, with mark-time on basic pay. That is one trust's policy, not a rule. Ask HR for the duration that applies to you, in writing, then enter it into the calculator.
What happens when pay protection ends? +
Your basic pay moves to the pay point on your new band, so your take-home pay drops by the gap shown in the calculator, plus any change in pension contributions. Under mark-time protection the gap can close earlier if the new band's pay catches up with your frozen figure. Ask HR for the end date in writing, and plan for it: the calculator shows the monthly drop.
Is pay protection the same as 'protection of pay' in the NHS Pension? +
No, they are different things with similar names. Your trust's pay protection is about your salary for a period. NHS Pensions' protection of pay is a separate pension rule that can protect final-salary benefits for members of the 1995 or 2008 Section if their pay falls. For involuntary reductions you apply on form SM R9 to your employer, normally within three months, and it does not apply to 2015 Scheme benefits. This calculator does not model it, so check with NHS Pensions.
Does NHS Scotland's move to a 36-hour week count as organisational change? +
No. The Scottish Government circular PCS(AFC)2025/8 reduces the full-time week from 37 to 36 hours from 1 April 2026 as a national change, so it does not itself trigger organisational change protection. It does say mark-time protection applies where the change reduces earnings through fewer unsocial hours. If that is your situation, ask your board how protection is being applied to you.
What about extra travel costs if my base changes? +
That is covered separately. Section 17 of the Handbook, from 1 June 2026, deals with reimbursement of extra travel after a base change or accepting an alternative post, to be determined locally, with a maximum of four years. Note that Section 17 is about travel, not pay protection. Ask HR what your trust offers.