Band 6South West England
- Radiography
- Locum contract
- Starts 26 Oct
£28 to £34per hour
Salary guide
Radiographer salary in the UK (2026/27)
What diagnostic radiographers 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 radiographers.
By Joe Carter, Sales Director, AHP & HSS · LinkedIn
Updated 20 October 2026 · 3 min read
Quick answers
- How much does a newly qualified radiographer earn?
- In England, newly qualified radiographers 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 radiographers earn?
- Pure's locum radiographer jobs advertise £28 to £36 an hour (Band 6), paid weekly for the hours worked.
- Do radiographers 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 radiographer earn?
- A specialist radiographer (CT, MRI or mammography) 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 £28 to £36 an hour.
Radiographer pay by NHS band (2026/27)
NHS radiographers 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 | Diagnostic radiographer (newly qualified, HCPC registered) | £32,073 to £39,043 | £16.45 to £20.02 | No recent jobs |
| Band 6 | Specialist radiographer (CT, MRI or mammography) | £39,959 to £48,117 | £20.49 to £24.68 | £28 to £36 an hour |
| Band 7 | Advanced practitioner, reporting radiographer or modality lead | £49,387 to £56,515 | £25.33 to £28.98 | No recent jobs |
| Band 8a | Consultant radiographer or imaging services manager | £57,528 to £64,750 | £29.50 to £33.21 | No recent jobs |
Band 5
Diagnostic radiographer (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 radiographer (CT, MRI or mammography)
NHS salary: £39,959 to £48,117
£20.49 to £24.68 an hour
Pure locum rate: £28 to £36 an hour
Band 7
Advanced practitioner, reporting radiographer or modality lead
NHS salary: £49,387 to £56,515
£25.33 to £28.98 an hour
Pure locum rate: no recent jobs
Band 8a
Consultant radiographer or imaging services manager
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 radiographers earn
Pure's locum radiographer jobs advertise £28 to £36 an hour, paid weekly for the hours you work.
- Band 6: £28 to £36 an hour, about £54,600 to £70,200 a year if worked full time
Radiographer 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 radiographers 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 radiographers 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
Radiographers start at Band 5 once they are registered with the HCPC, which needs an HCPC-approved degree in diagnostic radiography (or a pre-registration MSc or degree apprenticeship).
Band 6 usually follows training and experience in a specialist area: CT, MRI, mammography, interventional or fluoroscopy.
Band 7 roles include reporting radiographers (with a postgraduate qualification in image reporting), advanced practitioners and modality leads. Band 8a and above are consultant radiographer and imaging management roles.
NHS radiographers who cover evenings, nights, weekends or on-call also earn unsocial hours and on-call payments on top of their band. Therapeutic radiographers, who deliver radiotherapy, are paid on the same bands.
Radiography jobs open now
See all 2Band 6Scotland
- Radiography
- Locum
- Starts 26 Oct
£30 to £36per hour
Radiographer pay: common questions
How much does a newly qualified radiographer earn?
In England, newly qualified radiographers 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 radiographers earn?
Pure's locum radiographer jobs advertise £28 to £36 an hour (Band 6), paid weekly for the hours worked.
Do radiographers 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 radiographer earn?
A specialist radiographer (CT, MRI or mammography) 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 £28 to £36 an hour.
How much does a Band 7 radiographer earn?
A advanced practitioner, reporting radiographer or modality 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.
How much does a Band 8a radiographer earn?
A consultant radiographer or imaging services manager 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)
- Society of Radiographers
- Pure Healthcare Group: pay advertised on live jobs and past jobs from the last 12 months
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