Civil service pay after tax
UK median salaries as at 31 March 2026 · tax year 2026/27
Take-home pay at the median salary for each civil service grade, after income tax, National Insurance and the alpha pension.
Pay scales effective from 31 March 2026. Source: Civil Service Statistics 2026, table 25: median salary by responsibility level (as at 31 March 2026). Checked 5 October 2026.
Pension: Civil Service Pension Scheme (alpha) member contribution rates from 1 April 2026 (Civil Service Pension Scheme: contribution rates 2026/27).
Median pay by grade
| Grade | Salary | Take-home a month (with pension) | Take-home a month (no pension) | Pension a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant / Administrative Officer (AA/AO) | £28,020 | £1,888.57 | £1,974.50 | £107.41 (4.6%) |
| Executive Officer (EO) | £32,140 | £2,123.14 | £2,221.70 | £123.20 (4.6%) |
| Higher / Senior Executive Officer (HEO/SEO) | £43,930 | £2,769.49 | £2,929.10 | £199.52 (5.45%) |
| Grade 6 and Grade 7 | £65,830 | £3,819.64 | £4,061.57 | £403.21 (7.35%) |
| Senior Civil Service level (SCS) | £95,540 | £5,146.44 | £5,497.55 | £585.18 (7.35%) |
2026/27 tax rates, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, standard tax code, no student loan. Pension contributions are taken before tax (net pay arrangement). Select a take-home figure to open it in the calculator.
Civil service pay explained
Civil servants are paid by their department, and each department sets its own pay range for each grade. Salaries in London are usually higher. The figures here are the medians published in the official Civil Service Statistics, so half of civil servants at each grade earn more and half earn less.
alpha pension contributions
- £0 to £36,199: 4.6%
- £36,200 to £56,000: 5.45%
- £56,001 to £150,000: 7.35%
- £150,001 and above: 8.05%
Frequently asked questions
What is the median civil service salary?
The median salary across the Civil Service was £37,820 on 31 March 2026, according to Civil Service Statistics.
How much does an Executive Officer take home?
At the EO median of £32,140 you take home £2,123.14 a month after tax, National Insurance and a 4.6% alpha pension contribution.
Why medians rather than pay scales?
Each department sets its own pay ranges for each grade, so there is no single national scale. The official statistics give the median salary for each responsibility level across the Civil Service.
Figures for 2026/27, verified against HMRC on 5 October 2026.
Sources:HMRC rates and thresholds for employers, Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances, Income Tax in Scotland. Methodology →