All members of the NHS Pension Scheme pay a percentage of their pensionable pay to the scheme each month, known as a contribution rate.
From 1 October, the amount you pay for your pension will be changing. On this page you can find more information on your current contribution rate and what the changes from 1 October 2022 mean for you.
You can also watch our video.
You can read the transcript for our NHS Pension member contributions video (Word: 275KB).
Your contributions up to 1 October 2022
The amount you contribute to the Scheme is based on your pensionable earnings. If you work part time, we currently use your whole time equivalent pay to work out your contribution rate.
This table tells you your contribution rate up to 1 October 2022:
|
Tier |
Pensionable pay (whole time equivalent) / earnings used to assess contributions rate |
Contribution rate from 1 April 2015 |
|
1 |
Up to £15,431.99 |
5.0% |
|
2 |
£15,432.00 to £21,477.99 |
5.6% |
|
3 |
£21,478.00 to £26,823.99 |
7.1% |
|
4 |
£26,824.00 to £47,845.99 |
9.3% |
|
5 |
£47,846.00 to £70,630.99 |
12.5% |
|
6 |
£70,631.00 to £111,376.99 |
13.5% |
|
7 |
£111,377.00 and over |
14.5% |
Your contributions from 1 October 2022
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced it will be introducing changes to the amount members pay towards their NHS pension.
The DHSC has updated the pensionable pay ranges used to decide how much you contribute to your pension, and the percentage of your pay you’ll pay to be a member of the Scheme.
The amount you pay will be based on your actual annual rate of pay, instead of your whole-time equivalent. This means if you’re part-time, you may pay less as your contribution rate will be based on how much you’re paid each year, instead of how much you would earn if you worked full time.
The changes help to reduce the gap between the different tiers of contribution rates.
To give members time to adjust the DHSC is phasing in the new contribution rates in two stages, starting on 1 October 2022 with further changes planned in 2023:
| Pensionable salary range from 1 October 2022 (the new salary ranges have been consulted on and will be published shortly on www.gov.uk): | Contribution rates from 1 October 2022 (based on actual annual pensionable pay): | Future planned contribution rates (based on actual annual pensionable pay): |
| Up to £13,246 | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| £13,247 to £16,831 | 5.7% | 6.5% |
| £16,832 to £22,878 | 6.1% | 6.5% |
| £22,879 to £23,948 | 6.8% | 6.5% |
| £23,949 to £28,223 | 7.7% | 8.3% |
| £28,224 to £29,179 | 8.8% | 8.3% |
| £29,180 to £43,805 | 9.8% | 9.8% |
| £43,806 to £49,245 | 10% | 10.7% |
| £49,246 to £56,163 | 11.6% | 10.7% |
| £56,164 to £72,030 | 12.5% | 12.5% |
| £72,031 and above | 13.5% | 12.5% |
The pensionable salary ranges have been amended to reflect the outcome of the DHSC's recent consultation on uplifting the contribution tier boundaries to reflect the Agenda for Change pay increase for 2022/23. This includes increasing the upper boundary of tier 1 from £13,231 to £13,246 and the lower boundary of tier 2 from £13,232 to £13,247 as announced in the consultation outcome.
These salary ranges will change each year in line with any annual increase to Agenda for Change pay scales. The means that members will be less likely to move into a higher contribution tier as a result of a national pay award.
We will soon be writing to all members to explain the changes. We expect to write to all active members by 1 October 2022 and all deferred members from 1 October 2022 onwards. Read a copy of our member contributions letter for active members (PDF: 245KB)
You’ll be able to see your new contribution rate and amount on your first payslip after 1 October 2022.
If you're a practitioner or non-GP provider
If you’re a practitioner, you already pay contributions based on your total annual practitioner pensionable pay. This won’t change, but now all members are members of the 2015 Scheme your practitioner pay may be annualised and the updated salary ranges will apply to you.
If you also work in an officer post, for example as a salaried hospital doctor, your contribution rates will be calculated separately and may be different for your officer and practitioner pensionable pay.
If you're a non-GP provider, you already pay contributions on your profits from one contract. This won't change, but as a member of the 2015 Scheme your profits may be annualised and the updated salary ranges will apply to you.
You can find out more about annualising pay on our Information for practitioners and non-GP providers webpage.
Understanding what the changes mean for you
The NHS Pension Scheme remains one of the best ways to save towards retirement, and you can find more information on the benefits of the Scheme on our Understanding your benefits in the 2015 Scheme webpage.
Find out more about the government's consultation on member contributions:
Find out more about the cost of being in the Scheme:
Cost and contributions from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2021 (officer) (PDF: 266KB)Cost and contributions from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2021 (practitioner) (PDF: 257KB)