NHS Pension Calculator: What You Will Actually Get
Quick answer
The NHS 2015 scheme builds a pension of 1/54 (about 1.85%) of your pensionable pay each year, revalued by CPI plus 1.5% while you work. So 30 years on GBP 35,000 average pay builds roughly GBP 19,400 a year, payable from your State Pension age. It is a defined benefit promise, not a pot.
What the NHS 2015 scheme pays (annual pension, today money)
| Average pensionable pay | After 20 years | After 30 years |
|---|---|---|
| GBP 27,000 | GBP 10,000/yr | GBP 15,000/yr |
| GBP 35,000 | GBP 12,963/yr | GBP 19,444/yr |
| GBP 45,000 | GBP 16,667/yr | GBP 25,000/yr |
| GBP 60,000 | GBP 22,222/yr | GBP 33,333/yr |
Step by step
- 1
Take your pensionable pay
Use your actual NHS pensionable pay for each year (most of your salary, before the pension contribution is deducted).
- 2
Build 1/54 each year
Each year you add 1/54 - about 1.85% - of that year pay to your pension. On GBP 35,000 that is about GBP 648 of annual pension for the year.
- 3
Revalue each year while active
Every year you stay in the scheme, the pension you have already built is revalued by CPI plus 1.5%, so it keeps pace with prices and a bit more.
- 4
Add up your career
Sum the revalued amounts across your career. That total is your annual pension, payable in full from your normal pension age.
- 5
Choose your options at retirement
You can swap some pension for a tax-free lump sum (GBP 12 of lump sum for every GBP 1 of annual pension given up), or take it early with a reduction.
The official NHS calculators sit behind a Total Reward Statement login, and the maths underneath is simpler than they make it look. The NHS 2015 scheme is a career average (CARE) defined benefit scheme: it does not build a pot you draw down, it builds a guaranteed annual income for life. The table above shows roughly what that income comes to; scale it to your own pay, because the pension moves in a straight line with both pay and years.
The rule is one line. Each year you build 1/54 (about 1.85%) of that year pensionable pay as annual pension, and everything you have already built is revalued by CPI plus 1.5% while you stay in the scheme. That revaluation is why a career average scheme is not the poor relation it sounds - the plus 1.5% each year does a lot of the work. Your pension is then payable in full from your normal pension age, which in the 2015 scheme equals your State Pension age (66, rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028).
For the contribution side of the same scheme, see our guide to NHS pension contributions. To put the number in context, read how pensions work and how much you need to retire, and compare the other big public schemes in our Teachers' Pension and Local Government Pension Scheme guides. This is general information, not financial advice; the figures are illustrative and your own NHSBSA estimate is the authoritative one.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate what my NHS pension will be?
In the 2015 scheme, multiply each year pensionable pay by 1/54 (1.85%), add CPI plus 1.5% revaluation for every year you stay in, and total it across your career. As a rough guide, your annual pension is about your average revalued pay times your years of service divided by 54.
How much is a typical NHS pension?
It depends on pay and years. A nurse on around GBP 35,000 with 30 years builds roughly GBP 19,400 a year; a member on GBP 45,000 with 30 years builds about GBP 25,000. The full new State Pension of GBP 12,548 is paid on top from State Pension age.
Is a 20 year NHS pension good?
Twenty years on GBP 35,000 average pay builds about GBP 12,963 a year for life, index-linked, plus the option of a tax-free lump sum. To buy that income privately you would need a pot of well over GBP 250,000, which is why the NHS scheme is considered one of the best workplace pensions in the UK.
How much will I lose if I take my NHS pension at 55?
Taking it before your normal pension age means an actuarial reduction for early payment, which can cut the annual pension by roughly a third if you go many years early. The exact reduction depends on how far ahead of your normal pension age you retire, so check an official NHSBSA estimate before deciding.
How much will the NHS pension go up in April 2026?
Pensions in payment rise each April by the previous September CPI figure. Active members get more: the pension you are still building is revalued by CPI plus 1.5%. Check the current year Treasury revaluation order and Pensions Increase figure on NHSBSA for the exact percentage.
Sources
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General information, not financial advice. Tax rules and figures can change; check the current position on gov.uk before acting.