Vet Nurse Salary UK 2026/27: What You Need to Know

If you are looking for the latest vet nurse salary information in the UK, the most authoritative source is the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). For April 2025 (provisional), the median full-time gross annual pay for veterinary nurses (Standard Occupational Classification 3240) is £28,893. This is the midpoint: half of full-time veterinary nurses earn more, half earn less.

Hourly Equivalent and Hours Assumptions

To convert an annual salary to an hourly rate, you need to know the typical contracted hours. Most veterinary nurses work a 37.5-hour week, though some practices use 40 hours. Using 37.5 hours × 52 weeks, the median £28,893 equates to roughly £14.82 per hour. If your contracted week is different, adjust accordingly: annual salary ÷ (hours per week × 52).

For comparison, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over from April 2026 is £12.71 per hour, which over 37.5 hours a week gives £24,785 per year. The ONS median vet nurse salary sits about £4,100 above that floor.

How Vet Nurse Pay Compares to NHS Band 5

Many veterinary nurses compare their pay to NHS Agenda for Change Band 5, where newly qualified nurses start. In 2026/27, Band 5 entry point is £32,073 per year – about £3,180 more than the vet nurse median. After tax and National Insurance in England, that gap narrows to roughly £2,290 in take-home pay. However, the ASHE figure is from April 2025 and the NHS figure from April 2026, so part of the difference reflects a year of pay growth.

Regional Variations

Vet nurse pay varies across the UK. According to Salary Scout data (based on ONS ASHE), the highest median is in Scotland at £31,986, followed by the South East at £29,542. London, despite higher living costs, shows a lower median of £25,057 – possibly reflecting a different mix of practice types or part-time work. The West Midlands median is £28,743, while Yorkshire and the Humber is £24,963. These figures are from a different ASHE year than the national median above, so treat them as indicative.

London Weighting and Overtime

ONS ASHE does not separately report London weighting for veterinary nurses. Some practices in London may add a weighting, but there is no standard amount. Overtime is also not separately captured in ASHE for this occupation. If you work overtime, your actual annual earnings will be higher than the base salary. Always check your contract for overtime rates and any location allowances.

Take-Home Pay and Pension

On the median £28,893, an employee in England in 2026/27 (with no pension contribution) takes home about £24,323 per year (£2,027 per month) after £3,265 Income Tax and £1,306 National Insurance. With a typical 5% workplace pension contribution via salary sacrifice, take-home drops to around £23,282. The auto-enrolment minimum requires at least 3% from the employer and 5% from you on qualifying earnings.

Part-Time and Student Vet Nurses

Part-time vet nurses are paid pro-rata. The ONS does not publish a separate median for part-time veterinary nurses in the same detail. Student veterinary nurses and apprentices must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage for their age. From April 2026, the apprentice rate is £8.00 per hour (for apprentices under 19 or in their first year), the 18–20 rate is £10.85, and the National Living Wage of £12.71 applies to those 21 and over. Over a 37.5-hour week, that means a minimum of £15,600 to £24,785 per year depending on age and apprenticeship stage.

Where to Find More Information

For a quick conversion of your own hourly rate to annual salary, use our Hourly to Salary calculator. You can also explore salary data for other occupations or read our salary articles for more UK pay benchmarks.

Key Takeaways

• The official median vet nurse salary is £28,893 per year (ONS ASHE 2025 provisional).
• Hourly equivalent at 37.5 hours/week is about £14.82.
• Pay varies by region, with Scotland and the South East above the national median.
• No national pay scale exists; each practice sets its own rates.
• The National Living Wage floor is £12.71/hour from April 2026.
• Take-home on the median is roughly £24,323 per year (no pension).

Always check your contract and official GOV.UK guidance for the latest tax and minimum wage rates.