Band 6Wales
- Biomedical science
- Locum
- Starts 21 Oct
£26 to £32per hour
Salary guide
Biomedical scientist salary in the UK (2026/27)
What biomedical scientists earn in the NHS at each band, what that comes to an hour, how London weighting and the other UK nations change it, and the rates Pure advertises for locum biomedical scientists.
By Joe Carter, Sales Director, AHP & HSS · LinkedIn
Updated 20 October 2026 · 3 min read
Quick answers
- How much does a newly qualified biomedical scientist earn?
- In England, newly qualified biomedical scientists usually start on NHS Band 5: £32,073 to £39,043 a year in 2026/27, about £16.45 to £20.02 an hour on a 37.5-hour week.
- How much do locum biomedical scientists earn?
- Pure's locum biomedical scientist jobs advertise £24 to £44 an hour (Band 6: £24 to £44 an hour; Band 7: £24 to £38 an hour), paid weekly for the hours worked.
- Do biomedical scientists in London earn more?
- Yes. NHS staff in London get a high cost area supplement on top of basic pay: 20% in inner London, 15% in outer London and 5% in the fringe areas around it, each with a minimum and maximum set every year.
- How much does a Band 6 biomedical scientist earn?
- A specialist biomedical scientist is usually on Band 6: £39,959 to £48,117 a year in England in 2026/27, about £20.49 to £24.68 an hour. Pure's Band 6 locum jobs advertise £24 to £44 an hour.
Biomedical scientist pay by NHS band (2026/27)
NHS biomedical scientists are paid on the Agenda for Change scale. Each band has a starting point and a top point, and you move up with experience. Figures are the 2026/27 England scale, before tax; "an hour" is the salary over 37.5 hours a week.
| Band | Typical role | NHS salary | An hour | Pure locum rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 5 | Biomedical scientist (newly qualified, HCPC registered) | £32,073 to £39,043 | £16.45 to £20.02 | No recent jobs |
| Band 6 | Specialist biomedical scientist | £39,959 to £48,117 | £20.49 to £24.68 | £24 to £44 an hour |
| Band 7 | Senior or advanced biomedical scientist, section lead | £49,387 to £56,515 | £25.33 to £28.98 | £24 to £38 an hour |
| Band 8a | Laboratory manager or advanced practitioner | £57,528 to £64,750 | £29.50 to £33.21 | No recent jobs |
Band 5
Biomedical scientist (newly qualified, HCPC registered)
NHS salary: £32,073 to £39,043
£16.45 to £20.02 an hour
Pure locum rate: no recent jobs
Band 6
Specialist biomedical scientist
NHS salary: £39,959 to £48,117
£20.49 to £24.68 an hour
Pure locum rate: £24 to £44 an hour
Band 7
Senior or advanced biomedical scientist, section lead
NHS salary: £49,387 to £56,515
£25.33 to £28.98 an hour
Pure locum rate: £24 to £38 an hour
Band 8a
Laboratory manager or advanced practitioner
NHS salary: £57,528 to £64,750
£29.50 to £33.21 an hour
Pure locum rate: no recent jobs
NHS figures: NHS Employers, Agenda for Change pay scales 2026/27. Pure rates: advertised on live jobs and past jobs from the last 12 months, as of 20 October 2026. See every band on our NHS pay bands vs locum rates page.
What locum biomedical scientists earn
Pure's locum biomedical scientist jobs advertise £24 to £44 an hour, paid weekly for the hours you work.
- Band 6: £24 to £44 an hour, about £46,800 to £85,800 a year if worked full time
- Band 7: £24 to £38 an hour, about £46,800 to £74,100 a year if worked full time
Biomedical scientist is a protected title: to work as one in the UK you must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and every Pure locum is checked against the register before they start.
London and high-cost areas
NHS staff in and around London get a high cost area supplement on top of basic pay: 20% in inner London, 15% in outer London and 5% in the fringe (the areas just outside London). Each has a minimum and a maximum that NHS Employers sets every year.
Locum rates in London are usually higher too, because trusts compete for the same staff.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The figures above are the England scale. NHS Scotland, NHS Wales and Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland use the same bands but set their own pay each year, so the amounts differ slightly. Pure recruits biomedical scientists in all four nations and in Ireland.
Locum vs permanent
An NHS salary comes with paid annual leave (27 days plus bank holidays to start, rising with service), sick pay and the NHS Pension. Locum work pays a higher hourly rate, paid weekly, but only for the hours you work, with more choice over where and when.
Many biomedical scientists mix the two: a permanent post with extra locum shifts, or locum contracts between permanent roles. Pure handles your compliance and is on call 24/7 while you're on placement.
What moves you up a band
Most biomedical scientists start at Band 5 once they are registered with the HCPC, which needs an IBMS-accredited degree and a completed registration training portfolio.
Moving to Band 6 usually follows the IBMS Specialist Diploma in a discipline such as haematology, biochemistry, microbiology or cellular pathology, along with a few years of experience in it.
Band 7 roles lead a section or a specialist service and usually ask for the IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma or a relevant MSc. Band 8a and above are laboratory management and advanced practice roles.
Specialist experience in high-demand areas (blood transfusion, histopathology and microbiology among them) also lifts what locums can command.
Biomedical science jobs open now
See all 18Band 7Wales
- Biomedical science
- Locum
- Starts 26 Oct
£24 to £28per hour
Band 3Scotland
- Biomedical science
- Locum contract
- Starts 26 Oct
£16 to £18per hour
Biomedical scientist pay: common questions
How much does a newly qualified biomedical scientist earn?
In England, newly qualified biomedical scientists usually start on NHS Band 5: £32,073 to £39,043 a year in 2026/27, about £16.45 to £20.02 an hour on a 37.5-hour week.
How much do locum biomedical scientists earn?
Pure's locum biomedical scientist jobs advertise £24 to £44 an hour (Band 6: £24 to £44 an hour; Band 7: £24 to £38 an hour), paid weekly for the hours worked.
Do biomedical scientists in London earn more?
Yes. NHS staff in London get a high cost area supplement on top of basic pay: 20% in inner London, 15% in outer London and 5% in the fringe areas around it, each with a minimum and maximum set every year.
How much does a Band 6 biomedical scientist earn?
A specialist biomedical scientist is usually on Band 6: £39,959 to £48,117 a year in England in 2026/27, about £20.49 to £24.68 an hour. Pure's Band 6 locum jobs advertise £24 to £44 an hour.
How much does a Band 7 biomedical scientist earn?
A senior or advanced biomedical scientist, section lead is usually on Band 7: £49,387 to £56,515 a year in England in 2026/27, about £25.33 to £28.98 an hour. Pure's Band 7 locum jobs advertise £24 to £38 an hour.
How much does a Band 8a biomedical scientist earn?
A laboratory manager or advanced practitioner is usually on Band 8a: £57,528 to £64,750 a year in England in 2026/27, about £29.50 to £33.21 an hour.
Sources
- NHS Employers: Agenda for Change pay scales 2026/27
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)
- Pure Healthcare Group: pay advertised on live jobs and past jobs from the last 12 months
Looking for locum or permanent biomedical science work?
Register in 30 seconds and a specialist will call you with jobs that match your band, specialism and location.