2015 CARE Scheme · 2026/27 contribution rates
NHS Pension Calculator
Estimate your NHS pension: what you could retire on, what retiring early costs, how it fits with your State Pension and what a tax-free lump sum would really cost. Built for nurses, midwives, paramedics, doctors and every other NHS role.
- Free to use
- Runs in your browser
- Updated October 2026
- Based on NHS Pension Scheme rules
This starts with an example (age 40, £42,000 pensionable pay, £5,000 built up) so you can see how it works. Change your details or jump to the estimate
Your details
About you
Your actual , not full-time equivalent. Not sure? Use the NHS pay calculator.
What you have built up so far
From your latest .
The annual pension your statement shows for the 2015 Scheme. If you joined before 2015, also add your older sections in Detailed mode.
No statement to hand? Estimate it
Rough estimate: £8,501 a year, assuming your pay was lower in earlier years in line with your pay growth assumption.
Your statement is always better. This is only a starting point.
Which scheme am I in? 1995, 2008 or 2015
When did you first join the NHS Pension Scheme?
Joined before 2015? Your statement may also list 1995 or 2008 Section pension. .
Your retirement plan
Your is 68. Retiring before it reduces the pension permanently; retiring after it increases it.
Not sure of your Normal Pension Age? Work it out
Used only to work out your State Pension age under current law. It is not stored or sent anywhere.
Your Normal Pension Age is your State Pension age, or 65 if that is later. The Government reviews State Pension age from time to time, so check GOV.UK.
Your answers are saved in this browser only, so they are still here if you leave to check out or come back later. Nothing is sent to us.
Your estimated NHS pension
From age 68 (2054),
£37,286a year
£3,107 a month before tax, about £2,695 after tax
- Years to go
- 28
- Most tax-free cash
- £154,090
- Capital value
- £745,720
Tax-free cash is the most you could take by giving up pension at £12 for every £1 a year (plus any automatic 1995 lump sum), and it costs you pension for life. Capital value uses HMRC's 20 to 1 factor and is not a transfer value.
Runs in your browser. Not a benefit statement.
How your pension builds up
Each scheme year adds 1/54th of your pay as pension, and everything already built up is revalued at CPI plus 1.5%. Shown in today's money, so the lines are comparable with your pay now.
- Already built up, revalued
- Still to build from future service
| Age | Pension per year |
|---|---|
| 40 | £5,000 |
| 41 | £5,836 |
| 42 | £6,692 |
| 43 | £7,568 |
| 44 | £8,465 |
| 45 | £9,383 |
| 46 | £10,323 |
| 47 | £11,284 |
| 48 | £12,267 |
| 49 | £13,273 |
| 50 | £14,303 |
| 51 | £15,355 |
| 52 | £16,432 |
| 53 | £17,533 |
| 54 | £18,658 |
| 55 | £19,809 |
| 56 | £20,986 |
| 57 | £22,189 |
| 58 | £23,418 |
| 59 | £24,674 |
| 60 | £25,958 |
| 61 | £27,271 |
| 62 | £28,611 |
| 63 | £29,981 |
| 64 | £31,381 |
| 65 | £32,810 |
| 66 | £34,271 |
| 67 | £35,763 |
| 68 | £37,286 |
What would change it
Each line changes one thing and keeps the rest as you entered it. Amounts are annual pension in today's money.
- Work one more year+£3,148 a year
- Retire a year earlier-£3,383 a year
- Pay grows 1% a year faster+£4,240 a year
- Pay only keeps pace with inflation-£3,578 a year
- Work 80% of your hours for 5 years-£1,120 a year
- Take a 1 year career break-£1,131 a year
An estimate for planning, not a benefit statement. Your Annual Benefit Statement and NHS Pensions' own retirement quote are the authority.
Budget day, 28 October: what it means for your NHS Pension
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Assumptions, sources and limits
How it works. Each scheme year the 2015 Scheme adds 1/54th of your pensionable pay as annual pension. Everything already built up is revalued each 1 April at CPI plus 1.5%. We assume your CPI figure, and pay that grows faster than CPI by the percentage you choose. Amounts are shown in today's money by dividing by your assumed inflation, so they compare with your pay now.
Early and late retirement. Month-by-month factors from the Government Actuary's Department as issued to NHS Pensions in June 2023. NHS Pensions has announced revised factors after the May 2026 SCAPE discount rate change, so the exact reduction on your quote may differ. We will update this when the new tables are published.
Older sections. 1995 and 2008 Section pensions are final salary linked, so we grow the figure from your statement with your pay assumption, and apply their own early retirement factors. No late uplift is modelled for the 1995 Section. The McCloud remedy choice is not made for you.
Lump sum. £12 for every £1 of pension given up, capped so that tax-free cash is at most 25% of the value of the benefits paid (pension at 20 times, plus the lump sum), and by the £268,275 Lump Sum Allowance unless you hold protection.
State Pension. Full new State Pension of £241.30 a week for 2026/27, scaled by your qualifying years out of 35, assumed to rise with inflation. State Pension age follows the timetable in law today, which the Government reviews.
Not included. Additional Pension, AVCs, ERRBO, ill health retirement, tax on a lump sum above the allowance, changes in hours or career breaks other than the what-ifs, and any change to scheme rules.
Sources. NHSBSA 2015 Scheme members' guide, GAD factor and guidance hub, GOV.UK new State Pension, GOV.UK State Pension age. Read our editorial policy. Last updated October 2026.
This is an illustration to help you plan, not a benefit statement, a retirement quote or financial advice. Your Annual Benefit Statement and an official estimate from NHS Pensions are the authority.
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Independent
Not affiliated with NHS England, NHS Pensions or NHSBSA. No adverts, and the basic estimate is free.
Editorial policy -
Sourced
Accrual, Normal Pension Age and McCloud dates follow NHSBSA guidance. Figures are shown with their assumptions.
See sources -
Private by design
The projection is calculated in your browser. Only the optional AI chat sends your figures to an AI service.
AI use disclosure -
Honest about limits
A planning estimate, not your Annual Benefit Statement or a formal retirement quote.
What it models
On this page
- How your pension builds up
- Worked examples by band
- Contribution rates 2026/27
- Retirement age and early retirement
- Lump sum options
- 1995, 2008 and 2015 compared
- McCloud remedy
- Reading your Annual Benefit Statement
- How to use it for your role
- What it does and does not model
- Free versus Pro
- Common mistakes
- Glossary
- More pension guides
- Sources and method
- FAQs
Short answer
This NHS pension calculator projects your 2015 Scheme (CARE) pension. Every scheme year you bank 1/54th of your pensionable pay as annual pension, the running total is revalued each year (modelled here at CPI plus 1.5%), and you can take it in full at Normal Pension Age (your State Pension age, or 65 if later) or earlier with a permanent reduction. The estimate is free and works the same for nurses, midwives, paramedics, doctors and every other role. It is a planning estimate, not your Annual Benefit Statement.
NHS pension at a glance (2015 Scheme)
1/54th
Accrual each year
CPI + 1.5%
Revaluation while active
5.2% to 12.5%
Contribution tiers
State Pension age
Normal Pension Age
The basics
How your NHS pension builds up (2015 CARE scheme)
Most NHS staff now build their pension in the 2015 Scheme, a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme. Instead of basing your pension on your final salary, it adds up a slice of pension from every year you are a member. The calculation is the same for every role, which is why one NHS pension calculator for nurses, midwives, paramedics, doctors and admin staff gives each of them a fair answer.
- Bank. For each scheme year, divide your pensionable pay by 54. That is the annual pension you earn that year.
- Revalue. According to NHSBSA, your banked pension is revalued on 1 April each year. While you are an active member the uplift is CPI plus 1.5%, and the whole running total is revalued, not just the latest slice. The calculator models this at 2.5% a year as a long-run planning assumption.
- Add up. Your pension at retirement is every year's revalued slice added together.
- Retire. Take it in full at Normal Pension Age, or earlier with a reduction for the longer period you will be paid.
A quick example: on £35,000 of pensionable pay you bank £648 of annual pension in that year (£35,000 ÷ 54). Thirty years at that pay would be about £19,444 a year before revaluation, and revaluation adds to it. The band-by-band tables below show the same arithmetic for Band 5, 6, 7 and 8a.
What the free calculator estimates
The calculator has two modes. Instant estimate needs only your age, pay, the pension your statement shows and the age you want to retire. Detailed adds your 1995 and 2008 Section pensions, your Normal Pension Age to the month, and your own inflation and pay growth assumptions. A scheme finder helps if you are not sure which sections you are in. Either way you get your projected annual pension at the date you choose, with the official early or late retirement factor applied for each section, shown in today's money or in future money. Free tabs then show what each retirement age gives you, your income with the State Pension and any gap, the maximum tax-free lump sum and what it costs, your contributions and tax relief, death benefits, and a short health check. You can share the scenario by link and save your answers in your browser. If you want the official figure instead, our guide on how to get an NHS pension forecast explains how to request one from NHSBSA.
ℹThis is a planning tool, not your benefit statement
Every figure here is illustrative. It uses the published accrual rate, a long-run revaluation assumption and the Government Actuary's Department early and late retirement factors issued in June 2023. For the real figures behind your own pension, use NHS Pensions' statements, which are built from your actual employment and pay record. See how to read your Annual Benefit Statement.
Real pay, real tiers
NHS pension worked examples: Band 5, 6, 7 and 8a
This is the question behind most searches for a nurses pension calculator: roughly what does my band build? The table uses 2026/27 Agenda for Change pay in England at the entry and top point of each band, the member contribution rate for that pay, and the same projection engine as the calculator.
| Band and point | Pensionable pay | Your rate | You pay a year | Pension banked per year | After 20 years, with revaluation | After 30 years, before revaluation | After 30 years, with revaluation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 5 (entry) | £32,073 | 8.3% | £2,662 | £594 | £15,172 | £17,818£1,485 a month | £26,076 |
| Band 5 (top) | £39,043 | 9.8% | £3,826 | £723 | £18,469 | £21,691£1,808 a month | £31,742 |
| Band 6 (entry) | £39,959 | 9.8% | £3,916 | £740 | £18,903 | £22,199£1,850 a month | £32,487 |
| Band 6 (top) | £48,117 | 9.8% | £4,715 | £891 | £22,762 | £26,732£2,228 a month | £39,120 |
| Band 7 (entry) | £49,387 | 9.8% | £4,840 | £915 | £23,362 | £27,437£2,286 a month | £40,152 |
| Band 7 (top) | £56,515 | 10.7% | £6,047 | £1,047 | £26,734 | £31,397£2,616 a month | £45,947 |
| Band 8a (entry) | £57,528 | 10.7% | £6,156 | £1,065 | £27,214 | £31,960£2,663 a month | £46,771 |
| Band 8a (top) | £64,750 | 10.7% | £6,928 | £1,199 | £30,630 | £35,972£2,998 a month | £52,643 |
Swipe sideways to see every column. Agenda for Change pay, England, 2026/27 (entry and top pay point). Contribution rates are the 2026/27 member tiers. "With revaluation" assumes pay stays at that level and the pension is revalued at 2.5% a year (the calculator's planning assumption). Planning illustration only.
How to read the table
- Pension banked per year is pay divided by 54. It is the new pension you add in that one scheme year.
- Before revaluation multiplies that slice by 30 and ignores revaluation, so you can check the sum yourself.
- With revaluation assumes pay stays at that level for the whole period and the pot is revalued at 2.5% a year. Because it uses future money and flat pay, do not compare it with today's pay as a percentage. Real careers include increments and pay awards, which is what the pay growth input is for.
- Use your own pensionable pay if you are paid on a different scale, in a high cost area or part time. The NHS Pay Calculator and NHS Employers pay scales help you find the figure.
Want the bands in detail? See the Band 5 nurse, Band 6 nurse and Band 7 ward manager salary guides, and the full Agenda for Change pay scales.
What you pay
NHS pension contribution rates 2026/27
What you pay into the 2015 Scheme depends on your actual annual pensionable pay (not a whole-time-equivalent figure). There are six tiers for England and Wales. Overtime and part-time hours both feed into actual pay, so they can change your tier. These are the same rates the calculator uses.
| Actual annual pensionable pay | Your rate | Cost at the top of the tier (a year) | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £13,259 | 5.2% | £689 | £57 |
| £13,260 to £28,854 | 6.5% | £1,876 | £156 |
| £28,855 to £35,155 | 8.3% | £2,918 | £243 |
| £35,156 to £52,778 | 9.8% | £5,172 | £431 |
| £52,779 to £67,668 | 10.7% | £7,240 | £603 |
| Over £67,668 | 12.5% | Depends on your pay | Depends on your pay |
Swipe sideways to see every column. Tiers are based on your actual annual pensionable pay, not a whole-time-equivalent figure. The rate applies to all of your pensionable pay, not just the part inside the tier, and is shown before tax relief.
- The rate applies to all of your pay. It is not marginal. At the top of a tier you pay the tier rate on every pound, which is why crossing a boundary can feel like a step.
- Tax relief softens the cost. Contributions get tax relief at your marginal rate, so the effect on take-home pay is smaller than the headline rate. The NHS Pay Calculator shows your actual take-home.
- Your employer pays separately. The employer contribution is paid on top of your salary and does not come out of your pay.
- Thinking of opting out? Try the NHS Pension Opt-Out Calculator and read whether opting out is worth it first.
- Salary sacrifice schemes can change pensionable pay and pension in ways worth checking: see the Salary Sacrifice Impact Calculator.
When can I retire?
NHS pension retirement age and early retirement
Your Normal Pension Age (NPA) is the age you can take your pension in full. It depends on which section your service is in. Taking it earlier is possible, but the pension is permanently reduced because it will be paid for longer.
| Section | Normal Pension Age (full pension, no reduction) |
|---|---|
| 1995 Section | 60 (55 for Special Class and Mental Health Officer status) |
| 2008 Section | 65 |
| 2015 Scheme | Your State Pension age, or 65 if that is later |
Swipe sideways to see every column. Source: NHSBSA 'Standard benefits' guidance. Check your own statement for the ages that apply to your service.
| Years before Normal Pension Age | Approximate reduction | Pension left (a year) | Lost every year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year early | 5.2% | £14,220 | £780 |
| 2 years early | 10.1% | £13,485 | £1,515 |
| 3 years early | 14.5% | £12,825 | £2,175 |
| 5 years early | 22.3% | £11,655 | £3,345 |
| 7 years early | 28.9% | £10,665 | £4,335 |
| 10 years early | 37.3% | £9,405 | £5,595 |
Swipe sideways to see every column. Government Actuary's Department factors for the 2015 Scheme issued to NHS Pensions on 30 June 2023, for whole years early (the calculator works by the month and has its own tables for the 1995 and 2008 Sections). NHS Pensions has announced revised factors after the May 2026 SCAPE change, so check your quote. Example: a £15,000 a year pension at Normal Pension Age.
The earliest you can take it
You can usually only take a pension from the normal minimum pension age, which is 55 now and, according to NHSBSA, rises to 57 in April 2028. Some members with 1995 Section benefits who joined before 6 April 2006 have a protected minimum age of 50, and others may keep protection from the change, so check your own position with NHS Pensions before you plan around an age.
What retiring early really costs
The reduction is a permanent cut to every payment, not a one-off charge, and it grows faster than most people expect. The calculator applies the published Government Actuary's Department factors, month by month, to your own projection for each section, and the table above shows whole-year examples for the 2015 Scheme. They are the factors issued to NHS Pensions on 30 June 2023. NHS Pensions has announced revised early and late retirement factors following the May 2026 change to the SCAPE discount rate, so your live reduction may differ: ask for a quote before you commit. An Early Retirement Reduction Buy Out can reduce or remove the cut; the guide to boosting your NHS pension covers it.
Other ways to retire flexibly
- Partial retirement: draw 20% to 100% of your pension while staying in the NHS on a reduced contract.
- Retire and return: take your pension and come back to work.
- Ill health retirement: a formal medical decision with two tiers, assessed by NHS Pensions' independent medical assessors. The calculator does not model it.
Tax-free cash
NHS pension lump sum: automatic or by commutation
Whether you get a tax-free lump sum automatically depends on your section. If you are in the 1995 Section it is built in. In the 2008 Section and 2015 Scheme you have to choose to swap some yearly pension for cash, which is called commutation.
1995 Section
Automatic lump sum
You get a tax-free lump sum of 3 times your annual pension without choosing anything. On a £8,000 a year pension that is £24,000.
2008 Section and 2015 Scheme
Commutation: your choice
No automatic lump sum. You can give up some annual pension for cash at a fixed rate of £12 of lump sum for every £1 of yearly pension you give up.
| Step | Figure |
|---|---|
| Annual pension before commuting | £8,000 |
| Annual pension you give up | £1,000 |
| Tax-free lump sum (× 12) | £12,000 |
| Annual pension left for life | £7,000 |
| Maximum lump sum by commutation with no automatic lump sum (4.29 × the £8,000 before commuting) | £34,286 |
| Annual pension left for life if you took that maximum | £5,143 |
| Extra lump sum a 1995 Section member could commute for, on top of the automatic £24,000 | £18,857 |
Swipe sideways to see every column. Hypothetical figures to show the mechanics. The 25% HMRC limit is measured on the pension you are left with after commuting, which is why the maximum is about 4.29 times the pension before commuting. NHS Pensions' own retirement quote will use your exact figures.
How the cap works
HMRC limits the tax-free lump sum to 25% of the value of the benefits you end up with, with the pension you are left with valued at 20 times its yearly amount and the lump sum added on top. Because you are left with a smaller pension once you have swapped some of it for cash, the limit works out at 30/7, or about 4.29 times your annual pension before commutation, for someone with no automatic lump sum. (The same limit is about 6.67 times the smaller pension you are left with, which is why you may see that figure quoted, but it is not a multiple of the pension you start with.) A 1995 Section member's automatic lump sum counts toward the same cap, so there is less room to commute further. The separate Lump Sum Allowance, currently £268,275 for most people, can also cap tax-free cash. These are planning figures; NHS Pensions' retirement quote gives the exact amount.
Is more lump sum better?
Not necessarily. Commuting converts guaranteed, inflation-linked income for life into cash now, and the decision is generally made at retirement and not reversed. It also lowers the pension that future annual increases are applied to. Consider independent financial advice before deciding. The full rules are in our guide to NHS pension lump sum options, and Pro includes a commutation optimiser that runs this maths on your own figures.
Which scheme am I in?
NHS pension schemes compared: 1995, 2008 and 2015
Longer-serving staff can have service in more than one section, so this comparison is a map rather than a verdict. Your Annual Benefit Statement shows which sections your service sits in.
| Feature | 1995 Section | 2008 Section | 2015 Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Final salary | Final salary | Career average (CARE) |
| How pension builds up | 1/80th of final pensionable pay for each year of service | 1/60th of final pensionable pay for each year of service | 1/54th of each year's pensionable pay, revalued every year |
| Normal Pension Age | 60 (55 for Special Class or Mental Health Officer status) | 65 | State Pension age, or 65 if later |
| Lump sum | Automatic tax-free lump sum of 3 times annual pension; can commute more | None automatic; you can commute at 12:1 | None automatic; you can commute at 12:1 |
| Open to new joiners | Closed from 1 April 2008 | Open 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2015, now closed | Yes, for everyone joining since 1 April 2015 |
| New service building up today | None since 31 March 2015 (the 2015 to 2022 remedy period is subject to the McCloud choice) | None since 31 March 2015 (same remedy-period position) | Yes, the scheme every active member is in from 1 April 2022 |
| Does this calculator cover it? | Yes, free in Detailed mode: enter the pension from your statement and the calculator applies the official early or late factor. Pro adds a simplified legacy comparison for remedy-period service | Yes, free in Detailed mode: enter the pension from your statement and the calculator applies the official early or late factor. Pro adds a simplified legacy comparison for remedy-period service | Yes, free, including projecting new service to retirement |
Swipe sideways to see every column. Sources: NHSBSA standard benefits guidance and the FrontlinePay section guides linked in the column headings.
If you are unsure how the older sections differ in detail, read the 1995 Section guide and the 2008 Section guide. If you only want to understand the basic idea of a pension that promises a defined amount, start with defined benefit pensions for beginners.
Pre-2012 service
NHS pension McCloud remedy in plain English
When the 2015 reforms moved younger members into the CARE scheme, older members were allowed to stay in their legacy scheme. The courts found that was unlawful age discrimination, and the remedy gives affected members a choice. In short:
- Who: you were an active member on or before 31 March 2012 and had NHS pensionable service in the remedy period. You do not apply; NHS Pensions identifies you.
- Remedy period: 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2022. For that service you can choose legacy (1995 or 2008 Section) benefits or 2015 Scheme benefits.
- When: usually when you take your pension. NHS Pensions sends a Remediable Service Statement showing both options with your real record.
- Deadline: according to NHSBSA, you have 12 months from the date in your statement. If you do not reply, your benefits are permanently set to the 1995 or 2008 Section for the remedy period.
Neither option is always better; it depends on your pay history and years of service. The free calculator projects your legacy and 2015 Scheme benefits as they stand, without comparing the remedy options. Pro adds a simplified legacy versus 2015 comparison to show why the choice can go either way, but the Remediable Service Statement is the authoritative answer. Read the McCloud remedy explainer or the official NHSBSA page on making your remedy choice.
Get the inputs right
How to read your Annual Benefit Statement and what to enter
The most common reason a calculator result looks wrong is a wrong input. Your Annual Benefit Statement (ABS) or Total Reward Statement is the best place to find the right numbers. Here is how its lines map to the calculator.
| Calculator input | Where to look on your statement |
|---|---|
| Pension already banked | The accrued annual pension shown as at 31 March. If you have more than one section, enter each in Detailed mode. |
| Pensionable pay | Your pensionable pay for the scheme year, which is worth checking against your payslips. Use your current annual pay for the projection. |
| Normal Pension Age | Your statement and your State Pension age on gov.uk. For the 2015 Scheme it is State Pension age, or 65 if later. |
| Which section(s) | Membership details at the top. Pre-2015 service may be split or cross-referenced because of the McCloud remedy. |
Swipe sideways to see every column.
Remember the timing: statements describe your position as at 31 March and are generally published between August and December, so they can be many months out of date by the time you read them. Our guides on understanding your Annual Benefit Statement and the Total Reward Statement go line by line, and the member self-service guide explains how to log in.
Why your forecast and your statement will not match
- Your statement looks backwards at pension already built; the calculator looks forward using assumed pay growth.
- Assumed pay growth is your choice, and over a long career it moves the answer a lot.
- The revaluation rate here is a long-run assumption; the real rate is confirmed annually.
- McCloud remedy-period service is not compared in the free tool, and the calculator uses the pension figures you enter rather than your full service record.
Step by step
How to use the NHS pension calculator for your role
- Find your pensionable pay. Use your annual pay in pounds. If you only know your band, look it up in the NHS Pay Calculator first. Part-time? Enter what you are actually paid.
- Find your pension already banked. Take the annual pension figure from your latest statement. If you are new to the scheme, enter 0.
- Check your Normal Pension Age. In the 2015 Scheme it is your State Pension age, or 65 if later. Use the work-it-out box or check gov.uk.
- Pick a pay growth assumption. Try a few values. It is the biggest lever on a long projection.
- Test your retirement age. Change the age and months you retire and watch the reduction or increase, and the income tab for the gap before State Pension. Then use the share button to keep or send the scenario.
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Nurses
Enter your pensionable pay in pounds a year. If you only know your band and point, find the figure in the NHS Pay Calculator first.
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Midwives
Same rules as every 2015 Scheme member. If you have had maternity leave, check how accrual worked during it before you trust a projection.
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Paramedics
Use your actual pensionable pay, including any enhancements that count as pensionable. Your Annual Benefit Statement shows the pay NHS Pensions holds for you.
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Allied health professionals
Physiotherapists, radiographers, occupational therapists, dietitians and others all use the same calculation. Enter your own pay, not a band average.
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Healthcare assistants and support staff
A lower pay level still builds a pension at 1/54th. Part-time staff should enter actual pay, not a full-time equivalent.
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Admin, clerical and estates
Admin and estates staff are in the same scheme with the same tiers. Pick your pay from the Agenda for Change scales if you are unsure.
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Doctors and consultants
Same CARE mechanics, but higher earners should also check the Annual Allowance and, if relevant, the tapered allowance.
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GPs
Use your pensionable income as your scheme treats it. GPs have some extra scheme mechanics, covered in the GP guide.
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Bank, locum and agency
Check whether the shifts you work are pensionable before you count them in. Do not assume bank or agency pay builds pension.
Not sure where your role sits? The NHS roles hub lists pay and career guides for every group.
Honest limits
What the NHS pension calculator does and does not model
It models
- ✓ 1/54th accrual on your pensionable pay, with your assumed pay growth
- ✓ Revaluation at a planning assumption of 2.5% a year (CPI plus 1.5%)
- ✓ Early and late retirement for the 1995, 2008 and 2015 Sections, using the published GAD factors by the month (issued June 2023)
- ✓ Your income with the State Pension, and any gap, with income tax estimated at today's rates
- ✓ The maximum tax-free lump sum (30/7 of your pre-commutation pension, less any automatic lump sum) and its cost in pension
- ✓ Contributions, tax relief and death benefits
- ✓ Pro: simplified McCloud, lump sum optimiser, partial retirement, Annual Allowance with carry forward, inflation stress, divorce, saved scenarios and age-comparison modelling
It does not
- ✕ Use your real year-by-year pay and service history
- ✕ Use NHS Pensions' live actuarial factors (revised factors have been announced) or issue a retirement quote
- ✕ Include other income, a tax code or National Insurance record: the income view assumes no other income and a full State Pension record you set
- ✕ Model ill health retirement
- ✕ Model buying Additional Pension or an Early Retirement Reduction Buy Out
- ✕ Replace your Remediable Service Statement for the McCloud choice
Because of those limits, treat the result as a way to understand the shape of your pension and to compare scenarios. For a figure you will rely on, ask NHS Pensions. Our guide to contacting NHS Pensions has the details.
Why upgrade
Free versus Pro: what you get and what it costs
The basic estimate is free and stays free. Pro is for the decisions where a single projection is not enough. Here is an honest guide to when each makes sense.
The free estimate is probably enough if you
- • are curious how much a year in the scheme is worth
- • are early in your career and want a ballpark
- • want your Normal Pension Age, the cost of retiring a few years early, your State Pension gap and the maximum lump sum
Pro is worth a look if you
- • have service before April 2012 and face the McCloud choice
- • are deciding whether taking a tax-free lump sum is worth it, or considering partial retirement
- • are a higher earner close to the Annual Allowance (the standalone Annual Allowance Calculator also offers carry forward free)
- • want saved scenarios to compare, an inflation stress test, divorce modelling or a PDF for an adviser
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Instant and detailed modesFour inputs for a quick answer, or add 1995 and 2008 Section pensions, assumptions and months | Included | Included |
| Scheme finderWhich of the 1995, 2008 and 2015 Sections your service is likely to be in | Included | Included |
| Early and late retirement with the official factorsGovernment Actuary's Department factors for each section, by the month (issued June 2023) | Included | Included |
| Retirement age explorer: pension at each ageThe annual pension if you retire at each age | Included | Included |
| State Pension timeline and income gapYour income before and after State Pension age against the income you want, with income tax estimated | Included | Included |
| Maximum tax-free lump sumThe most cash you can take and the pension it costs, with the 1995 Section automatic lump sum counted | Included | Included |
| Contributions, tax relief and death benefitsYour 2026/27 tier, take-home cost after tax relief, and what is paid if you die | Included | Included |
| Health check, share link and saved inputsPlain-English prompts for your situation; a link that reloads your inputs; answers kept in your browser | Included | Included |
| McCloud remedy comparisonSimplified legacy (1995 or 2008) versus 2015 comparison for remedy-period service | Not included | Included |
| Lump sum optimiserChoose any lump sum up to your limit, with break-even age and the return the cash would need to earn | Not included | Included |
| Retirement age explorer: lifetime valueWhat each retirement age is worth over a whole retirement, not only the annual pension | Not included | Included |
| Inflation stress gridSee the effect of higher CPI and weaker pay growth on your pension | Not included | Included |
| Partial retirement modellingDraw part of your pension while working reduced hours | Not included | Included |
| Annual Allowance with carry forwardEstimate pension growth against the allowance and unused allowance from earlier years. Carry forward is also free in the standalone Annual Allowance Calculator | Not included | Included |
| Pension sharing (divorce) modellingThe mechanical effect of a pension sharing order | Not included | Included |
| Saved scenarios with A/B comparisonKeep several what-ifs and compare two side by side | Not included | Included |
| AI chat and written strategyAsk questions about your own numbers and get a written summary | Not included | Included |
| PDF reportDownload or print everything for your records or an adviser | Not included | Included |
| A formal NHS Pensions retirement quoteOnly NHS Pensions can issue one. Use your Annual Benefit Statement and Remediable Service Statement | Not included | Not included |
Swipe sideways to see every column. The free estimate stays free. Pro features are subject to change as the calculator improves.
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Avoid these
Common NHS pension calculator mistakes
- Entering full-time pay when you work part time. Your pension builds on actual pay. See part-time NHS pension explained.
- Treating the result as a guarantee. It depends on assumptions about pay growth and revaluation. Run a high, a middle and a low case.
- Assuming Normal Pension Age is 60 or 65. In the 2015 Scheme it is your State Pension age, or 65 if later.
- Expecting an automatic lump sum in the 2015 Scheme. There is none; you commute for one. See lump sum options.
- Ignoring McCloud. If you were in the scheme before April 2012, the choice for 2015 to 2022 service can change your pension. See the McCloud guide.
- Assuming bank or agency work builds pension. Check first with our locum and bank guide.
- Missing the Annual Allowance after a promotion. A big pay rise can create a tax charge. See the Annual Allowance guide and Scheme Pays deadlines.
- Forgetting your nomination. Update it after a life event: how to update your nomination. More in common NHS pension mistakes.
Plain English
NHS pension glossary
Short definitions of the terms you will meet on your statement and in this calculator.
- Annual Benefit Statement (ABS)
- NHS Pensions' yearly summary of your pension position as at 31 March. It is backward looking and published several months later.
- Annual Allowance
- The yearly limit on pension growth you can build up before a tax charge can apply. See the Annual Allowance Calculator and carry forward guide.
- Additional Pension
- An optional way to buy extra annual pension in the 2015 Scheme, paid for by you in set multiples.
- CARE (Career Average Revalued Earnings)
- How the 2015 Scheme works: each year you bank 1/54th of that year's pensionable pay as pension, and the running total is revalued annually.
- Commutation
- Giving up some annual pension for a tax-free lump sum at retirement, at £12 of lump sum for each £1 of yearly pension given up.
- Deferred benefits
- The pension you keep if you leave the NHS Pension Scheme with at least two years' qualifying membership. It is revalued each year until you draw it.
- Early Retirement Reduction Buy Out (ERRBO)
- An optional payment that reduces or removes the early payment reduction when you retire before Normal Pension Age.
- McCloud remedy
- The correction for age discrimination in the 2015 pension reforms. It gives eligible members a choice for service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022.
- Normal Pension Age (NPA)
- The age you can take your pension in full with no early payment reduction. It differs by section: 60, 65 or your State Pension age.
- Normal minimum pension age (NMPA)
- The earliest age you can usually take a pension at all, currently 55 and due to rise to 57 in April 2028. Some members have protections.
- Pensionable pay
- The pay your pension is built on and your contribution is charged on. It is not always the same as your total pay.
- Pension Input Amount (PIA)
- The measure of how much your pension grew in a tax year, used to test the Annual Allowance.
- Remediable Service Statement (RSS)
- The statement NHS Pensions sends so you can compare legacy and 2015 Scheme benefits for your remedy-period service.
- Revaluation
- The yearly uplift applied to your banked CARE pension while you are an active member, modelled here at CPI plus 1.5%.
- Scheme Pays
- A way to have an Annual Allowance tax charge paid by the scheme out of your pension, subject to conditions and deadlines.
- Total Reward Statement (TRS)
- A wider statement that wraps your pension figures with employment and local benefits information, for staff at employers using ESR.
- Whole-time equivalent (WTE)
- The full-time version of your pay, shown in pay scales and job adverts. NHSBSA sets your contribution tier on your actual annual pensionable pay, not on WTE pay.
Keep reading
More NHS pension guides and tools
Every guide below is independent, UK English and kept up to date. The NHS pension hub lists them all.
Understand the scheme
NHS Pension Scheme 2015 explained
CARE accrual, revaluation, tiers and early retirement in full.
NHS Pension 1995 Section explained
1/80th final salary, the automatic 3x lump sum and age 60.
NHS Pension 2008 Section explained
1/60th final salary, commutation and Normal Pension Age 65.
NHS McCloud remedy explained
The deferred choice, the RSS and what to do now.
McCloud: legacy scheme or 2015? How to decide
A framework for the choice you may be asked to make.
NHS pension contribution rates 2026/27
Every tier and how your rate is set from your actual pay.
NHS pension increase April 2027
How the yearly increase is set, with an estimator.
Can I pay less into the NHS pension?
Why there is no 50/50 option, and your real choices.
Added pension and AVC payback explained
Whether paying extra in pays back, with a calculator.
Defined benefit pensions for beginners
What 'defined benefit' means in plain English.
NHS pension for part-time staff
Why accrual follows actual pay, not full-time equivalent.
Your statement and forecast
Understanding your Annual Benefit Statement
A line-by-line walkthrough of what it shows.
NHS Total Reward Statement explained
What a TRS adds beyond the pension figures.
How to get an NHS pension forecast
The two official routes to a forecast from NHSBSA.
NHS Pension member self-service portal
Registering for and using your online account.
How to contact NHS Pensions
Phone, email and postal details.
Retiring and lump sums
NHS pension lump sum options
Automatic lump sum, 12:1 commutation and the HMRC cap.
NHS partial retirement
Draw part of your pension and keep working.
NHS retire and return
Taking your pension and coming back to work.
NHS ill health retirement
The two tiers and how an application works.
Boosting your NHS pension before retirement
Additional Pension, ERRBO and other real options.
NHS pension deferred benefits
What happens if you leave before retirement.
Tax and allowances
NHS Annual Allowance tax charge explained
Why a promotion can trigger an unexpected tax bill.
Carry forward worked examples
Using unused allowance from the previous three years.
Pension Input Amount worked examples
How the growth figure is measured.
Tapered Annual Allowance worked examples
What happens at very high incomes.
NHS Scheme Pays explained
Eligibility and deadlines.
NHS Pension AVCs explained
Extra voluntary saving and its tax relief.
Your situation
NHS pension for doctors and consultants
Allowance questions for senior clinicians.
NHS pension for GPs
GP-specific scheme mechanics.
NHS pension for locum and bank staff
What is and is not pensionable.
NHS pension and maternity leave
How accrual works during paid and unpaid leave.
NHS pension and divorce
Pension sharing, offsetting and attachment.
Is it worth opting out of the NHS pension?
What opting out really costs.
Common NHS pension mistakes to avoid
A checklist of ordinary admin that costs real money.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Related calculators
Annual Allowance Calculator
Check pension growth and carry forward for a tax year.
NHS Pension Opt-Out Calculator
What opting out really gains and costs.
Salary Sacrifice Impact Calculator
How salary sacrifice interacts with pension and pay.
NHS Pay Calculator
Find your pensionable pay and take-home by band and point.
Career Earnings Forecaster
Compare promotion against staying put over 15 years.
Retirement bundle and all plans
Compare Pro unlocks, bundles and subscriptions.
How we calculate
Sources, method and assumptions
Method
- Accrual is 1/54th of pensionable pay for each scheme year, per the NHS Pension Scheme 2015 rules described by NHSBSA.
- Revaluation is modelled at 2.5% a year, a planning assumption for CPI plus 1.5%. The real rate is confirmed annually.
- Early and late retirement factors are the Government Actuary's Department tables issued to NHS Pensions on 30 June 2023 (2015 Scheme table 0-420, and the 1995 and 2008 Section tables), applied by complete months to the pension before commutation. NHS Pensions has announced revised factors after the May 2026 SCAPE change, so treat them as indicative.
- The tax-free lump sum limit applies the HMRC 25% rule to the benefits left after commutation (pension valued at 20 times), which gives 30/7 of the pre-commutation pension and matches the Government Actuary's Department worked example for the 2015 Scheme.
- Contribution tiers and band pay are the 2026/27 figures in our data and the same ones the calculator uses.
- The capital value uses a 20 to 1 factor, the same factor HMRC uses for lump sum limits. It is an illustration, not an annuity quote.
Primary sources
- NHS Pensions (NHSBSA), the scheme administrator for England and Wales.
- NHSBSA: standard benefits, for Normal Pension Age and normal minimum pension age.
- NHSBSA: understanding your statement, for accrual and revaluation.
- NHSBSA: public service pensions remedy (McCloud), including making your remedy choice.
- GOV.UK: check your State Pension age.
- GOV.UK: Annual Allowance.
- NHS Employers: pay scales 2026/27.
Last reviewed October 2026. FrontlinePay is independent and not affiliated with NHS England, NHS Pensions, NHSBSA or the Department of Health and Social Care. This is general information, not financial advice. See our editorial policy, source policy and corrections policy, and tell us if you spot something wrong through the contact page.
NHS pension calculator FAQs
How much NHS pension will I get? +
How do I calculate my NHS pension? +
Is there a free NHS pension calculator? +
Is this the official NHS pension calculator? +
Is there an NHS pension calculator for nurses? +
What is a CARE pension and how does a CARE pension calculator work? +
How is my NHS pension revalued each year? +
What is my Normal Pension Age? +
What is the earliest age I can take my NHS pension? +
How much is my NHS pension reduced if I retire early? +
Is there an NHS pension retirement age calculator? +
Do I get a tax-free lump sum from the NHS pension? +
How much lump sum can I take from my NHS pension? +
Is there an NHS pension lump sum calculator? +
Does this calculator include the McCloud remedy? +
Who is affected by the McCloud remedy and when do I choose? +
Is there a calculator for the 1995 or 2008 Section? +
What are the NHS pension contribution rates for 2026/27? +
How much will the NHS pension cost me each month? +
Do part-time staff build up a smaller pension? +
What should I enter as the pension I have already banked? +
Why is my result different from my Annual Benefit Statement? +
Can I take partial retirement and keep working? +
Is there an ill health retirement calculator? +
Does this work for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? +
Is this calculator suitable for doctors, consultants and GPs? +
Do I need to worry about the Annual Allowance? +
Will my pension go up each year after I retire? +
What happens to my pension if I leave the NHS? +
Can I increase my NHS pension? +
How accurate is this calculator? +
Is my data stored or shared? +
How much does NHS Pension Calculator Pro cost, and is it a subscription? +
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