NHS Pension Calculator 2025/26
Project your NHS pension at retirement, see your contribution tier and monthly deduction, and compare full pension vs early retirement. Covers the 2015 CARE scheme, 1995 and 2008 sections with verified NHSBSA rates.
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How to Use This Calculator
My NHS Pension tab
Enter your current salary, years in the scheme, and select your pension scheme (2015 CARE, 1995 or 2008 section). The calculator projects your annual and monthly pension at your Normal Pension Age (NPA) using the scheme's accrual rate. For the 2015 scheme, pension builds at 1/54th of your pensionable pay each year, revalued by CPI + 1.5%.
Contribution Rates tab
Enter your annual pensionable salary to see which contribution tier you fall into, your monthly deduction, and how much your employer contributes on top. The NHS Pension Scheme uses tiered contribution rates — higher earners pay a higher percentage. Your contribution is deducted before tax, giving automatic tax relief.
Early Retirement tab
Compare your full pension at NPA with a reduced pension if you retire early. Enter your target retirement age to see the approximate actuarial reduction and the trade-off between extra years of freedom and lower annual income. The minimum pension age is currently 55 (rising to 57 from April 2028).
Share your result
Every input is encoded in the URL. Click Share to send your exact scenario to a colleague, union rep, or financial adviser, or save it for later.
The Formula
NHS pension benefits are calculated using the accrual rate for your scheme section, applied to your pensionable earnings:
Annual Pension = Pensionable Pay × 1/54 × Years of Membership
Revaluation: CPI + 1.5% applied each year while in active service
Normal Pension Age: linked to State Pension Age (currently 67)
1995 Section (final salary, closed to new accrual):
Annual Pension = Final Salary × 1/80 × Years of Membership
Automatic lump sum = 3 × Annual Pension
Normal Pension Age: 60
2008 Section (final salary, closed to new accrual):
Annual Pension = Final Salary × 1/60 × Years of Membership
No automatic lump sum (option to commute pension for lump sum)
Normal Pension Age: 65
Employee Contribution Tiers 2025/26:
Up to £13,259: 5.2% | £13,260–£27,797: 6.5%
£27,798–£33,868: 8.3% | £33,869–£50,845: 9.8%
£50,846–£65,190: 10.7% | £65,191+: 12.5%
Employer Contribution: 23.7% of pensionable pay
(14.38% paid by employer + 9.32% funded centrally by NHS England)
The 2015 CARE scheme differs from older final salary schemes because it uses career average earnings rather than your salary at retirement. Each year’s pensionable pay is banked and revalued by CPI + 1.5%, so your pension grows with inflation plus a real return.
Example
Sarah — Band 5 nurse earning £35,000 with 15 years in the 2015 scheme
Sarah is a Band 5 nurse earning £35,000/year. She has been in the NHS Pension Scheme for 15 years and is in the 2015 CARE scheme. She wants to know her projected pension at NPA 67 and what her monthly contributions cost.
Step 1: Projected pension at NPA
15 years at 1/54th: £9,722/year pension at NPA (plus CPI+1.5% revaluation each year).
Step 2: Contribution costs
£35K salary: Tier 4 = 9.8% = £3,430/year (£286/month). Employer pays 23.7% = £8,295 on top.
Step 3: Early retirement comparison
Retire at 60: ~30% reduction. £9,722 → ~£6,805/year. Consider: is 7 extra years of freedom worth £2,917/year less?