Doctor salary UK 2026 — The average doctor salary UK is approximately £71,000–£120,000 per year depending on grade and specialty. Foundation Year 1 doctor salary UK starts at £32,398, rising to £63,152 for specialty registrars and £105,000+ for consultants. This complete doctor salary UK guide covers every NHS grade, specialty pay, take-home pay after tax, and salaries by region. All doctor salary UK figures use official NHS medical and dental pay scales 2025/26 and HMRC 2026–27 tax rates.
Doctor Salary UK 2026 — Complete Pay Guide by Grade, Specialty and Take-Home Pay
The doctor salary UK is one of the most searched professional salary topics in the UK, and for good reason — NHS pay for doctors is complex, grade-dependent, and significantly affected by tax. In 2026, a Foundation Year 1 doctor salary UK starts at £32,398, while a consultant doctor salary UK can exceed £120,000 before additional programmed activities (APAs) and private practice. This guide covers every grade, every specialty, and exactly what each doctor salary UK means after Income Tax, National Insurance, and NHS pension contributions.
Doctor Salary UK — NHS Pay Scales 2025/26 by Grade
NHS doctors in the UK are paid on nationally agreed medical pay scales, separate from the Agenda for Change system used for nurses and pharmacists. The current junior doctor pay scales follow the 2023 pay award with further uplifts in 2025/26. Here is the complete doctor salary UK breakdown by grade:
| Grade | Training level | Basic gross salary | Est. monthly net* |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY1 | Foundation Year 1 (first year after medical school) | £32,398 | ~£2,100 |
| FY2 | Foundation Year 2 | £39,467 | ~£2,520 |
| ST1–ST2 / CT1–CT2 | Core/Specialty Training Years 1–2 | £49,909 | ~£2,960 |
| ST3–ST4 | Specialty Training Years 3–4 | £58,398 | ~£3,380 |
| ST5–ST6 | Specialty Training Years 5–6 | £63,152 | ~£3,620 |
| ST7–ST8 | Senior Specialty Training / SpR | £72,840 | ~£4,100 |
| SAS Doctor | Specialist / Associate Specialist | £52,530 – £91,722 | ~£3,100 – £5,150 |
| Consultant | Consultant (entry to full scale) | £99,532 – £131,964 | ~£5,200 – £6,500 |
*Monthly net estimates based on HMRC 2026–27 standard tax code, NHS pension contributions included at grade-appropriate rates. Source: NHS Employers — Junior Doctor Pay Scales 2025/26 and NHS Consultant Pay Scales.
Calculate Your Doctor Salary UK Take-Home Pay
🩺 Doctor salary UK — net take-home calculator (2026–27)
Based on HMRC 2026–27 tax rates. NHS pension is salary sacrifice — reduces taxable income. Does not include supplements or out-of-hours pay. Results are estimates.
Doctor Salary UK — Take-Home Pay After Tax by Grade (2026)
Understanding what a doctor salary UK actually means in monthly take-home pay requires accounting for Income Tax, National Insurance, NHS pension contributions, and for many doctors, student loan repayments. Here is the real monthly take-home for each grade after all deductions:
| Grade | Basic gross | Income Tax | NI | NHS pension | Student loan (Plan 1) | Monthly net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY1 | £32,398 | £3,966 | £1,586 | £1,685 (5.2%) | £671 | ~£2,044 |
| FY2 | £39,467 | £5,379 | £2,152 | £2,055 (5.2%) | £1,308 | ~£2,381 |
| ST1–ST2 | £49,909 | £7,468 | £2,987 | £3,244 (6.5%) | £2,248 | ~£2,830 |
| ST5–ST6 | £63,152 | £10,661 | £3,593 | £4,105 (6.5%) | £3,454 | ~£3,445 |
| ST7–ST8 | £72,840 | £13,556 | £3,842 | £6,046 (8.3%) | £4,327 | ~£3,756 |
| Consultant entry | £99,532 | £22,613 | £4,428 | £9,754 (9.8%) | — | ~£5,228 |
| Consultant mid | £115,000 | £27,286 | £4,746 | £11,270 (9.8%) | — | ~£5,975 |
Sources: HMRC Income Tax 2026–27, NHS Employers pension contribution rates. Student loan Plan 1 threshold: £24,990 (9% above threshold).
Doctor Salary UK by Specialty (2026)
At consultant level, the doctor salary UK varies by specialty based on demand, private practice opportunities, and additional programmed activities (APAs). Here is the doctor salary UK breakdown by some of the highest and lowest earning specialties:
💉 Surgery (General, Orthopaedic, Neurosurgery)
Top-earning specialty. Consultants with private practice can earn £200,000–£400,000. Long training path (8–10 years post-medical school). High demand, significant out-of-hours commitment.
❤️ Cardiology
One of the highest-demand specialties. Interventional cardiologists with private practice earn significantly more. Strong job market across NHS and private sector in 2026.
🧠 Psychiatry
NHS consultant salary with limited private practice opportunity compared to surgical specialties. However, strong demand and good work-life balance. Community psychiatry posts increasingly available.
🩻 Radiology
Highly sought-after specialty. Teleradiology allows significant additional earnings. Short on-call commitment. Very competitive entry but well-rewarded at consultant level.
🏥 Emergency Medicine
Standard consultant salary scale. High out-of-hours supplements due to rota requirements. Significant NHS demand with consultant shortage in many regions. Limited private practice.
👶 Paediatrics
Standard consultant scale. Limited private practice compared to adult specialties. Strong job satisfaction. Increasing subspecialty opportunities (neonatology, paediatric cardiology) command higher pay.
Doctor Salary UK — GP (General Practitioner) Pay 2026
GP pay in the UK is structured differently from hospital doctors. Most GPs are either partners in a GP practice or salaried GPs, with very different pay outcomes between the two routes.
- Salaried GP: Typically £65,000–£90,000 per year depending on sessions worked and location. Monthly net take-home approximately £3,600–£4,800 after tax and pension.
- GP partner: Income varies significantly based on practice performance and NHS funding. Average GP partner earnings in 2025/26 were approximately £110,000–£130,000. However, partners have business costs and responsibilities that reduce effective take-home.
- Locum GP: Approximately £90–£120 per session (4 hours). A GP working 8 sessions per week as a locum can earn £90,000–£130,000 before tax. Self-employed tax applies.
Doctor Salary UK by Region and City (2026)
Unlike Agenda for Change staff, hospital doctors receive a standardised London weighting of approximately £3,000 per year rather than a percentage supplement. GP pay varies more significantly by region due to differences in practice funding.
| Region | ST6 Registrar gross | Consultant gross | GP salaried |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | ~£66,152 (+£3k weighting) | ~£102,532+ | £75,000 – £95,000 |
| South East | £63,152 | £99,532 – £131,964 | £70,000 – £85,000 |
| North West (Manchester) | £63,152 | £99,532 – £131,964 | £65,000 – £80,000 |
| Yorkshire (Leeds) | £63,152 | £99,532 – £131,964 | £65,000 – £78,000 |
| West Midlands (Birmingham) | £63,152 | £99,532 – £131,964 | £65,000 – £78,000 |
| Scotland (Edinburgh) | £63,152 (NHS Scotland scale) | £101,000 – £135,000 | £70,000 – £85,000 |
| Wales (Cardiff) | £63,152 (NHS Wales scale) | £99,532 – £131,964 | £65,000 – £80,000 |
How NHS Pension Affects Doctor Salary UK Take-Home Pay
The NHS pension scheme makes a substantial dent in a doctor's monthly take-home pay but is widely considered one of the best pension schemes in the UK. Doctors contribute between 5.2% and 12.5% of their salary depending on their earnings, and benefit from a defined benefit scheme that pays a guaranteed income in retirement.
A key issue for consultants is the annual allowance tax charge. Consultants whose pension growth exceeds the HMRC annual allowance of £60,000 per year may receive a tax bill on top of their income tax. This is a significant reason why some high-earning consultants opt out of the NHS pension scheme or reduce their participation.
Doctor Salary UK vs European Countries
How does the doctor salary UK compare internationally? At consultant level, the UK is competitive but not at the top of the European range:
| Country | Consultant/specialist gross salary | Approx. net monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | £99,532 – £131,964/yr | ~£5,200 – £6,500 |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | €80,000 – €150,000/yr | ~€4,100 – €7,200 |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | CHF 150,000 – 250,000/yr | ~CHF 8,500 – 13,000 |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | €80,000 – €120,000/yr | ~€3,900 – €5,600 |
| 🇫🇷 France | €60,000 – €100,000/yr | ~€3,500 – €5,500 |