How much do NHS consultants earn?

NHS consultants earn £105,504-£139,882 on the basic pay scale (2025/26). With clinical excellence awards (£3,497-£77,299), on-call supplements, private practice, and waiting list initiatives, total earnings for consultants typically reach £120,000-£250,000+. The most senior consultants with private practices can earn over £300,000.

How much do GPs earn in the UK?

Salaried GPs earn £70,000-£100,000. GP partners earn more — typically £100,000-£150,000+ depending on practice size and profitability, though they bear business costs and responsibilities. Locum GPs earn £600-£1,000+ per day. GP income has been under pressure in recent years due to rising costs.

How long does it take to become a doctor UK?

It takes a minimum of 10-14 years: 5-6 years at medical school, 2 years foundation training, then 3-8 years specialty training depending on the speciality. GPs qualify after 3 years of specialty training (total ~10 years). Hospital consultants typically qualify after 6-8 years of specialty training (total ~13-16 years).

How Much Do Doctors Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide | PocketWise

Q: How much do doctors earn in the UK 2026?

NHS doctors earn between £36,616 (Foundation Year 1) and £139,882 (top of consultant scale). GPs earn £70,000-£150,000+. Consultants earn £105,504-£139,882 on basic pay, plus additional earnings from clinical excellence awards and private practice. Junior doctors earn £36,616-£63,152 depending on training stage.

Medicine is one of the highest-paying professions in the UK, though the path is long. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of what doctors earn at every stage of their career.

NHS Doctor Pay Scales (2025/26)

Junior Doctor Pay

Grade	Basic Salary
Foundation Year 1 (FY1)	£36,616
Foundation Year 2 (FY2)	£42,008
Specialty Trainee Year 1-2 (ST1-2)	£43,923
Specialty Trainee Year 3 (ST3)	£49,339
Specialty Trainee Year 4-5 (ST4-5)	£53,432
Specialty Trainee Year 6-7 (ST6-7)	£58,398
Specialty Trainee Year 8+ (ST8)	£63,152

Basic salary before any enhancements for unsocial hours

Pay Enhancements for Junior Doctors

Enhancement	Details
Weekend frequency supplement	3-12% of basic pay based on rota
Night shift allowance	Enhanced rates for nights
On-call availability	Additional supplement based on frequency
Flexible pay premium	2-8% for flexible rostering patterns
Typical total with enhancements	+15-40% above basic salary

Actual Take-Home for Junior Doctors (with enhancements)

Grade	Basic	Typical Total (with enhancements)
FY1	£36,616	£40,000-£50,000
FY2	£42,008	£48,000-£58,000
ST1-2	£43,923	£50,000-£62,000
ST3-5	£49,339-£53,432	£56,000-£72,000
ST6-8	£58,398-£63,152	£66,000-£85,000

Consultant Pay Scale

NHS consultants are on a separate pay scale with longer progression.

Basic Pay Scale

Pay Threshold	Salary
Threshold 1 (new consultant)	£105,504
Threshold 2	£109,804
Threshold 3	£114,003
Threshold 4	£118,203
Threshold 5	£126,281
Maximum	£139,882

Clinical Excellence Awards (CEAs)

Top-performing consultants can receive additional awards.

Level	Annual Value
Local CEA Level 1	£3,497
Local CEA Level 2	£6,997
Local CEA Level 3	£10,497
Local CEA Level 4	£13,997
National CEA Bronze	£36,192
National CEA Silver	£47,582
National CEA Gold	£58,972
National CEA Platinum	£77,299

National awards are highly competitive and awarded to a small number of consultants

Total Consultant Earnings

Component	Range
Basic salary	£105,504-£139,882
Clinical excellence awards	£0-£77,299
On-call payments	£5,000-£20,000
Waiting list initiatives (extra sessions)	£5,000-£30,000+
Private practice	£0-£200,000+
Typical total	£120,000-£250,000+

GP Earnings

GPs can work as salaried doctors or as partners who share in practice profits.

Salaried GP

Level	Salary
Newly qualified salaried GP	£70,000-£85,000
Experienced salaried GP	£80,000-£100,000
Part-time salaried GP (4 sessions)	£36,000-£50,000

GP Partner

Factor	Details
Average partner income	£100,000-£150,000
Range	£80,000-£200,000+
Business costs deducted	Premises, staff, equipment
NHS pension	Based on earnings
Risk	Bear financial responsibility for practice

Locum GP

Duration	Rate
Per session (half day)	£350-£600
Per day	£600-£1,000+
Annual (full-time equivalent)	£120,000-£200,000+

Locum rates have risen sharply due to GP shortages

Salary by Speciality (Consultant Level)

Some specialities offer higher earnings through private practice opportunities.

Highest-Earning Specialities

Speciality	NHS Basic	Typical Total (with private)
Orthopaedic Surgery	£105,504-£139,882	£200,000-£400,000+
Plastic Surgery	£105,504-£139,882	£180,000-£350,000+
Cardiology	£105,504-£139,882	£180,000-£350,000+
Dermatology	£105,504-£139,882	£160,000-£300,000+
Ophthalmology	£105,504-£139,882	£160,000-£300,000+
Radiology	£105,504-£139,882	£150,000-£280,000+
Gastroenterology	£105,504-£139,882	£150,000-£250,000+

Mid-Range Specialities

Speciality	NHS Basic	Typical Total
General Surgery	£105,504-£139,882	£140,000-£220,000
Anaesthetics	£105,504-£139,882	£130,000-£200,000
Obstetrics & Gynaecology	£105,504-£139,882	£130,000-£200,000
Paediatrics	£105,504-£139,882	£120,000-£180,000
Psychiatry	£105,504-£139,882	£120,000-£180,000

Lower Private Practice Potential

Speciality	NHS Basic	Typical Total
Emergency Medicine	£105,504-£139,882	£120,000-£170,000
Geriatrics	£105,504-£139,882	£110,000-£160,000
Palliative Medicine	£105,504-£139,882	£110,000-£150,000
Public Health	£105,504-£139,882	£110,000-£150,000

NHS basic pay is the same regardless of speciality — differences come from private practice

Academic Doctors

Doctors combining clinical work with university positions.

Role	Salary
Clinical Lecturer	£43,000-£63,000 (+ clinical pay)
Senior Clinical Lecturer	£63,000-£93,000 (+ clinical pay)
Clinical Professor	£85,000-£130,000 (+ clinical pay)

Often earn less overall than purely clinical counterparts

Regional Differences

Region	Impact on Pay
London (Inner)	+20% supplement on basic pay
London (Outer)	+15% supplement
Fringe areas	+5% supplement
Scotland	Separate pay scale — broadly similar
Wales	NHS Wales — broadly similar
Northern Ireland	Broadly similar
Rural / hard to recruit	Recruitment premiums sometimes offered

Private Practice Earnings

Many consultants supplement NHS income with private work.

Setting	Typical Earnings
Private hospitals (Nuffield, Spire, HCA)	£50,000-£250,000+
Medicolegal reports	£500-£3,000 per report
Private clinics	£200-£500 per hour
Telemedicine	£100-£300 per hour

How Private Practice Works

Factor	Details
Eligibility	Consultants can do private work outside NHS hours
Typical split	2-3 NHS sessions reduced, replaced with private
Insurance companies	Need to be on insurer panels (BUPA, AXA, etc.)
Self-pay	Growing market for direct patient payments
Tax	Self-employed income — separate tax return

Career Timeline and Earnings

Stage	Duration	Age (typical)	Earnings
Medical school	5-6 years	18-23/24	Student (debt)
Foundation training	2 years	23-25	£36,616-£42,008
Core/Specialty training	3-8 years	25-33	£43,923-£63,152
GP (from ST3)	From year 10	28+	£70,000-£150,000+
Consultant	From year 12-16	30-37	£105,504-£250,000+

NHS Pension for Doctors

Feature	Details
Type	Defined benefit (guaranteed pension)
Employer contribution	~23%
Employee contribution	5.2%-12.5% (based on salary)
Accrual rate	1/54th of pensionable salary per year
Tax issues	Annual and lifetime allowance can affect high earners
Flexibilities	Can reduce pension growth to reduce tax charge

Annual Allowance Tax Trap

Factor	Details
Annual allowance	£60,000 (2025/26)
Tapered for high earners	Reduces to £10,000 for income over £260,000
Impact	Senior doctors can face unexpected tax bills
Scheme pays	Can ask NHS to pay the charge from future pension
Retirement flexibility	Options to reduce contributions or opt for 50/50 section

Summary

Level	Typical Earnings
Foundation Year 1	£36,616 (+enhancements)
Foundation Year 2	£42,008 (+enhancements)
Specialty Registrar	£43,923-£63,152 (+enhancements)
GP (salaried)	£70,000-£100,000
GP (partner)	£100,000-£150,000+
Consultant (NHS only)	£105,504-£139,882
Consultant (with private)	£150,000-£300,000+