Post by Deborah Udy Okusaga Akanne (@deborah_udy_okusaga)

Getting the job offer is not the finish line. The finish line is a contract that accurately reflects your experience, your band, your starting step, and your enhancement entitlements — signed, returned, and ready for your first paycheck.

I want to end today's content with something that most salary conversations never cover — what happens between the verbal offer and the signed contract.

This is where the gaps appear. A verbal offer at Band 6 that arrives as a Band 5 written contract. A starting step agreed in conversation that does not appear correctly in the contract.

An enhancement entitlement that was discussed but is not documented. An offer letter that does not match the Certificate of Sponsorship salary figure.

Under NHS Agenda for Change, Band 5 salaries range from £32,073 to £39,043 and Band 6 from £37,338 to £44,962 — effective from 1 April 2026.

The difference between the entry step and the top step within a single band is between £5,000 and £7,000 per year.

Over a three-year visa period, an incorrect starting step costs between £15,000 and £21,000 in salary that was rightfully yours.

This is not about conflict with your employer. It is about accuracy. NHS contracts are formal documents and every figure in them can and should be verified before signing.

The questions worth asking before you return that contract are:

*Does the salary match the offer discussed?

*Does the starting step reflect the experience recognition agreed?

*Is the London weighting or HCAS supplement included if applicable?

*Does the band on the contract match the band on the CoS?

One careful read before you sign protects years of financial foundation.

💬 Ready to build a salary strategy that starts before your first application and holds through your first contract? Comment SALARY to join our June cohort.

(All content published are for general educational awareness only and does not constitute regulated immigration or legal advice. For advice specific to your visa or employment circumstances, please consult an OISC-registered adviser, qualified solicitor, or employment law specialist)

See you in the Morning by 7am for another very important topic you don't want to miss.

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