NHS pension calculator
The NHS 2015 pension scheme builds an annual pension worth 1/54 of pensionable pay each year, revalued to retirement, under rules published by the NHS Business Services Authority and NHS Employers. On £35,000 of pay over 30 years, the estimated annual pension is £19,444, or £1,620 a month.
How does the NHS 2015 pension scheme work?
The 2015 scheme is a career average revalued earnings, or CARE, pension, as set out by the NHS Business Services Authority.
It does not use final salary.
Each year a member earns a pension slice worth 1/54 of that year's pensionable pay.
That slice is added to a running pot and revalued every year until retirement, at a rate set by HM Treasury plus 1.5% for active members, under NHS Employers' scheme rules.
Because each year is banked and grown separately, pay across a whole career matters, not only pay at the end.
This tool keeps the arithmetic simple by assuming pay roughly keeps pace with revaluation, so every year stays worth about a fifty-fourth of current pay in today's money.
The estimate divides pay by 54, then multiplies by years of service.
It is a guide, not a promise, since the official annual benefit statement from the NHS Business Services Authority, or a Total Reward Statement, is the definitive figure.
How much pension would an example NHS worker build?
Take pensionable pay of £35,000 and 30 years in the 2015 scheme.
Each year builds an estimated £648 of pension, because £35,000 divided by 54 is £648.15.
Over 30 years that adds up to an estimated £19,444 a year, or £1,620 a month, roughly 55.6% of the pay used here.
Service before 2015 in the older final-salary sections would come on top of this estimate.
Common questions
How does the NHS 2015 pension build up?
The 2015 scheme is career average, not final salary. Each year you add a slice worth 1/54 of that year’s pensionable pay to your pension. Every slice is then revalued each year until you retire, so early years keep their value. At retirement all the slices are added together.
Is this the same as my old 1995 or 2008 NHS pension?
No. Service before 2015 sits in the older final-salary sections and is worked out separately, using a different accrual rate and your pay near retirement. This tool only estimates the 2015 CARE part, so add any older benefits on top.
How accurate is this estimate?
It is a rough guide only. It assumes your pensionable pay keeps pace with the scheme revaluation, so each year stays worth about £648 of pension in today’s money. Your official annual benefit statement from NHS Pensions, or the Total Reward Statement, is the definitive figure.
Can I take a tax-free lump sum from the 2015 scheme?
The 2015 scheme pays a pension with no automatic lump sum, but you can give up some annual pension to take a tax-free lump sum at retirement, known as commutation. Doing that lowers the yearly pension this tool shows.
How does the NHS 2015 pension scheme work?
The NHS 2015 scheme is a career average pension under rules set by the NHS Business Services Authority and NHS Employers. Each year a member earns a slice worth 1/54 of that year's pensionable pay, and the slice is revalued every year until retirement. Because pay across a whole career is banked separately, the final pension depends on earnings throughout service, not only pay near retirement.
How much pension would an example NHS worker build?
On £35,000 of pensionable pay over 30 years in the 2015 scheme, each year builds an estimated £648 of pension. Added together, that gives an estimated annual pension of £19,444, or about £1,620 a month, roughly 55.6% of the pay used in the example. The NHS Business Services Authority's annual benefit statement gives the definitive figure.
Sources & Rate Verification
Rates verified against official statutory guidance on 6 September 2026.