Who employs you matters most
Porters employed directly by an NHS trust are usually on Agenda for Change Band 2 (£25,272 a year in England in 2026/27), with unsocial hours enhancements and NHS sick pay and pension.
Porters employed by a facilities company on a hospital contract are paid under that company's terms, which may be lower, with fewer enhancements. Some trusts have brought these services back in-house in recent years.
If the contract changes hands
When a portering contract moves from one company to another, or back to the trust, the TUPE rules usually transfer you with your existing pay and terms. Your new employer can't simply cut your rate because of the transfer. Keep copies of your contract and recent payslips before any change.
Shift patterns
Portering runs 24/7, typically on early, late and night shifts (for example 7am to 3pm, 3pm to 11pm and 11pm to 7am) or long days and nights. A rotating pattern means your enhancements change week to week, so your pay will too.
A worked example
A contractor porter on £12.71 works five 8-hour shifts with a 30-minute unpaid break: 37.5 paid hours, £476.63 a week. A Band 2 porter employed by the trust on about £12.92 an hour gets £484.50 for the same basic hours, before any enhancements for nights or weekends.
Track it shift by shift
Paste the rota message you were sent and Shiftaan fills in the shift for you. Give it a go.
Common questions
What band is a hospital porter?
Usually Band 2 if employed by the NHS. Senior or supervisory porters may be on Band 3.
What happens to my pay if a new company takes over the contract?
Under TUPE you normally transfer on your existing terms, including your pay rate.
Do porters get paid more for nights?
NHS porters get unsocial hours enhancements. Contractor porters get whatever their contract says. There's no legal night premium.