Nurse salary in the UK: A Comprehensive 2025 Overview
Darshan Shah
05 Oct 2024
What is the nurse salary in UK? It really depends on a lot of factors. We will cover all aspects of how much a nurse in UK is expected to earn, what are the bonuses, what additional benefits do they gain working as a nurse, how can you earn more as a nurse in the UK, and more.
Average Salaries of Nurses in the UK
While laying down the average salary of a nurse in the UK is sometimes a bit tricky (due to the varied landscape of their work and expertise), it is safe to say that they earn anywhere between 37,000 to 42,000 GBP per annum. This number is true to most nurses having at least 5 years of experience.
Most of the nurses in the UK work in the National Health Service (NHS) sector. So the pay scale for the private sector varies greatly in the numbers.
However, the pay really differs from public to private sector nurses, the location you serve in, and the experience you have in the field. We will dwell into each of these factors in the sections below.
Average salary of nurse in UK
37k-42k GBP per annum
Entry-level Nurse Salary in the UK
When you’re just starting off in your career, the entry-level nurse salary UK is about 23,614 GBP. This is equal to 26.24 Lakh INR. As you gain some experience, your salary quickly increases based on the years and what band you’re on.
Scroll below for the complete list of bands and how they affect your nurse salary in UK per month.
Monthly Salary Breakdown for Nurses in the UK
The nurse salary in the UK per month is on average 3,083-3500 GBP. Nurses in the UK currently get paid 11.32 GBP per hour.
So after working for 37.5 hours per week, this translates into 1,300-1,500 GBP per month after deducting costs such as tax, national insurance, pension, or student loan repayments.
Nurse salary in UK per month
3,083-3,500 GBP
Nurse minimum wage in UK
11.32 GBP per hour
Number of working hours
37.5 hours/week
Net monthly salary after taxes
1,300-1,500 GBP
Nurse Salary in the UK for Indian Nurses
As an Indian nurse, you will need to undergo NMC registration and meet the visa requirements to work in the UK. After applying for work and securing a job, you can easily move to the UK and practice as a nurse.
For the public sector, the nurses earn about 41.11-46,67 Lakh INR on average.
Nurse salary in UK in Indian Rupees
41.11-46,67 Lakh INR per annum
Registered Nurse Salary in UK
While studying your nursing degree, you will have 4 specializations to choose from:
adult nursing
children’s nursing
learning disability nursing
mental health nursing
Some of the universities might even allow you to choose 2 courses and pursue a dual degree. After finishing your studies, you can register yourself with the NMC or Nursing and Midwifery Council.
After this, you can apply for jobs either through the NHS or at private hospitals. The salary for a registered nurse in the UK depends on the years of experience.
There is a band system in the UK for nurses which decides your salary. Within each band, the years of experience you have as a nurse will also increase your registered nurse pay in UK.
Band
Minimum years of experience
Pay
1
0-1+
£23,614
2
0-1
£23,614
1-2
£23,614
2-3
£23,614
3-4
£23,614
4-5
£23,614
5-6
£23,614
6+
£23,614
3
0-1
£24,071
1-2
£24,071
2-3
£25,674
3-4
£25,674
4-5
£25,674
5-6
£25,674
6+
£25,674
4
0-1
£26,530
1-2
£26,530
2-3
£26,530
3-4
£29,114
4-5
£29,114
5-6
£29,114
6+
£29,114
5
0-1
£29,969
1-2
£29,969
2-3
£32,324
3-4
£32,324
4-5
£36,483
5-6
£36,483
6-7
£36,483
7+
£36,483
6
0-1
£37,339
1-2
£37,339
2-3
£39,404
3-4
£39,404
4-5
£39,404
5-6
£44,962
6-7
£44,962
7-8
£44,962
8+
£44,962
7
0-1
£46,148
1-2
£46,148
2-3
£48,526
3-4
£48,526
4-5
£48,526
5-6
£52,809
6-7
£52,809
7-8
£52,809
8+
£52,809
8a
0-1
£53,754
1-2
£53,754
2-3
£56,454
3-4
£56,454
4-5
£56,454
5+
£60,503
8b
0-1
£62,215
1-2
£62,215
2-3
£66,247
3-4
£66,247
4-5
£66,247
5+
£72,294
8c
0-1
£74,290
1-2
£74,290
2-3
£78,814
3-4
£78,814
4-5
£78,814
5+
£85,601
8d
0-1
£88,167
1-2
£88,167
2-3
£93,571
3-4
£93,571
4-5
£93,571
5+
£101,677
9
0-1
£105,385
1-2
£105,385
2-3
£111,739
3-4
£111,739
4-5
£111,739
5+
£121,271
Factors that Influence your Salary as a Nurse
There are some factors which highly influence what your nurse salary in UK. The average salary of nurse in UK is higher for children or pediatric nurses. Private hospitals too end up getting paid slightly higher.
Moreover, the South West of England and cities like London, Northampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Huddersfield, and York tend to pay nurses well. The sickness rates and job vacancies are also higher in these regions, making it easier to land a good paying job as a nurse.
You might also be able to earn more if you’re working night shifts, or overtime. Nurses who work night shifts are paid 18.31 GBP per hour, which is significantly higher than daytime nurses.
Entry-level nurse salary in the UK for night shifts is about 31,200 GBP. With experience, you can easily make up to 50,000 GBP per annum as a night shift nurse in the UK.
We hope you could get a rough idea on what the nurse salary in UK is. We tried to cover topics such as the average salary of nurse in UK, nurse salary in UK per month, nurse salary in UK in Indian Rupees, salary of nurse in UK, entry-level nurse salary in UK, and registered nurse salary in UK. For any more questions you might have, please feel free to reach out to D-Vivid. We can further guide you on how to practice as a nurse in the UK and gain a work visa to move abroad.
On an average, nurses are able to make between 29,000 to 89,000 GBP per annum working in the UK.
Is nurse a high paying job UK?
While entry-level positions as a nurse in NHS don’t pay that much, with experience and expertise it is quite possible to make nearly 89,000 GBP as a nurse in the UK by choosing the right opportunities.
What country pays nurses the most?
Switzerland and Luxembourg pay nurses the most.
Are nurses in high demand in UK?
The UK is currently experiencing a shortage for nurses. This makes the demand for nurses in the UK ever increasing than before.
Can I go to UK after BSc Nursing?
Yes! It is not that expensive to practice nursing in the UK after you have finished your BSc Nursing in India. You will only need the right pathway. D-Vivid can help you to make your dreams of working in the UK as a nurse come true. Contact us today and gain the correct guidance.