What does a specialist grade doctor take home 2026/27?

At the £104,401 entry point with the 12.5% pension tier, take-home is about £63,280 a year or £5,273 a month, after £13,050 pension, £23,972 Income Tax and £4,099 National Insurance. At the £115,341 top of the scale it is about £68,620.

Does the specialist grade pay more than a consultant?

At the bottom, no: a consultant starts at £113,565 against £104,401 for a specialist. At the top of the specialist scale, £115,341, it is £1,776 above a newly appointed consultant - but the consultant scale continues to £150,569 and the specialist scale stops.

Does the personal allowance taper affect specialist grade pay?

Only just, and only at the top. The NHS scheme is a net pay arrangement, so the 12.5% contribution comes off before adjusted net income is measured: £115,341 leaves about £100,923, so roughly £923 sits above the £100,000 threshold. Additional pensionable work would push more into the 60% band.

Specialist Grade Doctor Salary 2026/27

Specialist is the senior SAS grade, created by the 2021 reform alongside the specialty doctor. Basic pay in England runs from £104,401 to £115,341 across three pay points reached at 0, 3 and 6 years in the grade. The scale carries the 3.5% DDRB award effective 1 April 2026.

Typical pay & take-home

Specialist grade pay point for 3 to 5 years (MC70-04 to MC70-06): £108,484
Specialist grade 2021 contract, lowest to highest pay point: £104,401–£115,341
Take-home on that salary: £65,342 England, after the 12.5% NHS pension contribution, Income Tax and NI.

At £108,484, you earn about 178% above the UK full-time median (£39,039), which is above the 90th percentile of UK full-time earnings (£76,903), the highest point ONS publishes.

See exact take-home for £108,484 →

Nodal points, SAS scales, the five consultant thresholds and the salaried GP range, each with take-home after the banded NHS pension: Doctors' pay scales 2026/27, every grade →

What influences specialist grade doctor (sas) pay

The scale has only three points: £104,401 at entry, £108,484 after three years and £115,341 after six. There is no pay threshold, so progression through all three is automatic with time in grade.

Entry requires a minimum of twelve years of medical work since primary qualification, at least six of them in a relevant specialty in the specialty doctor or a closed SAS grade, plus the specialist generic capabilities framework. It is not a training-route grade.

The whole scale sits on the 12.5% NHS pension tier, which covers pensionable pay from £67,669 upwards. Unlike the specialty doctor scale, there is no tier change to watch for.

The top of the scale brings the personal allowance taper into view. £115,341 gross less the 12.5% contribution leaves about £100,923 of adjusted net income, so a little under £1,000 sits above the £100,000 threshold and is taxed at the 60% effective rate.

Basic pay excludes additional programmed activities, on-call and enhanced-rate work, which are paid separately.

Career progression

Specialty doctor: £63,696 to £102,689.
Specialist grade entry: £104,401.
Specialist grade top (6 years): £115,341.
Consultant (2003 contract): £113,565 to £150,569.

Frequently asked questions

What does a specialist grade doctor take home 2026/27?: At the £104,401 entry point with the 12.5% pension tier, take-home is about £63,280 a year or £5,273 a month, after £13,050 pension, £23,972 Income Tax and £4,099 National Insurance. At the £115,341 top of the scale it is about £68,620.
Does the specialist grade pay more than a consultant?: At the bottom, no: a consultant starts at £113,565 against £104,401 for a specialist. At the top of the specialist scale, £115,341, it is £1,776 above a newly appointed consultant - but the consultant scale continues to £150,569 and the specialist scale stops.
Does the personal allowance taper affect specialist grade pay?: Only just, and only at the top. The NHS scheme is a net pay arrangement, so the 12.5% contribution comes off before adjusted net income is measured: £115,341 leaves about £100,923, so roughly £923 sits above the £100,000 threshold. Additional pensionable work would push more into the 60% band.

All UK professions →

Sources

NHS Employers - Pay and Conditions Circular (M&D) 1/2026 R2
NHS Employers - NHS Pension Scheme member contribution rates
ONS - ASHE 2025 Table 14.7a, annual pay by SOC 2020 occupation (occupational pay)
ONS — Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (UK full-time median and percentiles)
HMRC — Rates and thresholds 2026/27
Our full methodology & calculation sources →