How much does a junior (resident) doctor earn in the UK?

A first-year foundation doctor (FY1) starts at £40,190 in basic pay for 2026/27, and FY2 reaches £45,994 (source: NHS Health Careers). Resident doctors in core and specialty training then earn £54,499 to £76,582 in basic pay by nodal point. Actual pay is higher once out-of-hours and additional-activity enhancements are added.

How much does a consultant earn in the UK?

An NHS consultant in England earns £113,565 to £150,569 in basic pay for 2026/27, rising with years of service. This excludes clinical excellence or local awards, additional programmed activities and any private practice, so many consultants earn above the basic scale.

How much do GPs earn in the UK?

A salaried GP earns £78,699 to £118,759 (the DDRB range) for 2026/27. Many GPs are partners rather than salaried, and their income is a share of practice profit that varies by practice, so it is not a fixed salary.

Is this basic pay or total earnings?

The figures on this page are BASIC pay only. Doctors' actual earnings are typically higher because of additional NHS activity, on-call availability, unsocial-hours enhancements and, for some, awards or private work. Basic pay is the comparable, published starting point.

What do internationally trained doctors earn?

Once registered with the GMC and in an NHS post, internationally trained doctors are paid on the same grade scales as UK graduates for the same role. Getting to that point via PLAB has its own cost — see our PLAB cost breakdown.

How much do doctors earn in the UK?

NHS doctor pay in England is set by grade, from foundation doctor through resident training, SAS grades and consultant, plus salaried GPs. Here is the 2026/27 basic pay for each grade from NHS Health Careers — with the important caveat that basic pay is only part of what most doctors actually earn.

Reference period: July 2026. Figures are drawn directly from the official sources named on this page.

NHS medical & dental pay 2026/27, effective 1 April 2026 (3.5% award) · NHS Health Careers · England · BASIC pay only

How much do doctors earn in the UK?

In the NHS in England, basic pay for 2026/27 runs from £40,190 for a first-year foundation doctor to £113,565 to £150,569 for a consultant, per NHS Health Careers. Resident doctors in training earn £54,499 to £76,582, and salaried GPs £78,699 to £118,759. These are basic figures — actual earnings are higher with additional activity, on-call and enhancements.

Source:NHS Health Careers — Pay for doctors (2026/27)·as of April 2026 (2026/27 pay year)updated annually, on the 1 April pay award (last: 3 July 2026)

Doctor pay by NHS grade

A doctor's NHS pay follows their grade, and progresses as they move from foundation training into specialty training, then into a career grade (SAS) or a consultant post. The figures below are basic pay — the published, comparable number. Most doctors earn more than basic once out-of-hours work, additional activity and on-call are included.

NHS doctor basic pay by grade, 2026/27 (England)
Grade	Basic pay (2026/27)	What it covers
Foundation doctor (FY1–FY2)	£40,190 to £45,994	The first two years after medical school. FY1 starts at £40,190; FY2 reaches £45,994.
Resident doctor in training (core & specialty)	£54,499 to £76,582	Core and specialty training grades (formerly "junior doctor" / registrar), by nodal point.
Specialty doctor (SAS)	£63,696 to £102,689	An experienced non-training career grade under the 2021 SAS contract.
Specialist grade (SAS)	£104,401 to £115,341	The senior SAS grade introduced under the 2021 contract.
Consultant	£113,565 to £150,569	Basic pay rises with years of service; excludes clinical excellence / local awards.
Salaried GP	£78,699 to £118,759	The DDRB salaried GP range; many GPs are partners with different profit-share pay.

UK doctor salary: frequently asked questions

How much does a junior (resident) doctor earn in the UK?: A first-year foundation doctor (FY1) starts at £40,190 in basic pay for 2026/27, and FY2 reaches £45,994 (source: NHS Health Careers). Resident doctors in core and specialty training then earn £54,499 to £76,582 in basic pay by nodal point. Actual pay is higher once out-of-hours and additional-activity enhancements are added.
How much does a consultant earn in the UK?: An NHS consultant in England earns £113,565 to £150,569 in basic pay for 2026/27, rising with years of service. This excludes clinical excellence or local awards, additional programmed activities and any private practice, so many consultants earn above the basic scale.
How much do GPs earn in the UK?: A salaried GP earns £78,699 to £118,759 (the DDRB range) for 2026/27. Many GPs are partners rather than salaried, and their income is a share of practice profit that varies by practice, so it is not a fixed salary.
Is this basic pay or total earnings?: The figures on this page are BASIC pay only. Doctors' actual earnings are typically higher because of additional NHS activity, on-call availability, unsocial-hours enhancements and, for some, awards or private work. Basic pay is the comparable, published starting point.
What do internationally trained doctors earn?: Once registered with the GMC and in an NHS post, internationally trained doctors are paid on the same grade scales as UK graduates for the same role. Getting to that point via PLAB has its own cost — see our PLAB cost breakdown.

Consult online, around your NHS role

GeraClinic is a separate remote telemedicine platform where UK-registered doctors set their own hours and fee for online consultations — a flexible way to add to NHS income.

See remote work for doctors Cost of PLAB for IMG doctors

Source: NHS Health Careers — Pay for doctors (2026/27) (April 2026 (2026/27 pay year)).

This page is independent educational information for people researching UK healthcare qualification, registration and pay of their own accord. It is not legal, immigration, financial or careers advice, and it is not a job offer. Gera Systems Ltd is not a medical regulator and is not a recruitment agency — it does not register clinicians and does not place anyone into NHS or other UK jobs. Fees, pay scales and immigration rules change periodically — always confirm the current figure with the named source (NHS Employers, GMC, NMC and GOV.UK) before making any decision.

More cost & salary answers

Internationally trained? See the full cost of PLAB and GMC registration.