Doctors' Pay Scales 2026/27: Every Grade and Take-Home
NHS doctors' pay in England for 2026/27: resident doctor nodal points, specialty doctor and specialist grade scales, the five consultant thresholds and the salaried GP range, each with take-home after tax, NI and the NHS pension.
What changed for 2026/27
Two things happened at once, which is why no single percentage describes this year for resident doctors. The Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration recommended 3.5% and it was accepted, from 1 April 2026. Separately, the nodal point structure was reformed, which moved some points by more than the award and left others on it. The result is a range of 3.5% to 7.14% depending on where a doctor sits.
Everyone else on this page - consultants, specialty doctors, specialist grades and salaried GPs - received the 3.5% award without a structural change on top.
Resident doctors
Resident doctors, formerly junior doctors, are paid on nodal points rather than annual increments: pay moves when you reach a new stage of training, not every year. Take-home below is on basic pay only.
| Point | Grades | 2026/27 | Rise | Pension | Take-home | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FY1 | £41,226 | 6.17% | 9.8% | £29,970 | £2,498 |
| 2 | FY2 | £47,610 | 7.14% | 9.8% | £34,066 | £2,839 |
| 3a | ST1 / CT1 | £55,355 | 5.13% | 10.7% | £38,942 | £3,245 |
| 3b | ST2 / CT2 | £55,355 | 5.13% | 10.7% | £38,942 | £3,245 |
| 4a | ST3 / CT3 | £67,325 | 3.5% | 10.7% | £45,284 | £3,774 |
| 4b | ST4 / CT4 | £67,998 | 4.54% | 12.5% | £44,896 | £3,741 |
| 4c | ST5 | £67,998 | 4.54% | 12.5% | £44,896 | £3,741 |
| 5a | ST6 | £76,582 | 3.5% | 12.5% | £49,231 | £4,103 |
| 5b | ST7 | £77,348 | 4.54% | 12.5% | £49,618 | £4,135 |
| 5c | ST8 | £77,348 | 4.54% | 12.5% | £49,618 | £4,135 |
From FY1 to ST8 basic pay rises by 88%, £41,226 to £77,348, while take-home rises by less because the pension contribution rate steps up with pay and the higher-rate band bites along the way.
One row in the table goes the wrong way and it is not an error. Moving from nodal point 4a to 4b adds £673 of gross and takes away take-home, because the higher salary crosses an NHS pension contribution tier and the new rate applies to the whole salary rather than to the part above the boundary. The higher rate buys no extra accrual - the scheme builds a fixed share of pensionable pay whatever tier you are in - so what the doctor gains is the pension on the extra £673 of earnings, and what they lose is take-home now. The payslip drops either way, and it is worth knowing before a promotion rather than after.
Specialty doctors and specialist grades
The SAS grades are two separate scales, not one ladder. Specialty doctor is the entry SAS grade; the specialist grade requires more post-registration experience and carries autonomous practice, and starts above where the specialty doctor scale ends.
| Grade | Years | Basic | Pension | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialty doctor | 0 to 2 | £63,696 | 10.7% | £43,412 |
| Specialty doctor | 3 to 5 | £73,383 | 12.5% | £47,616 |
| Specialty doctor | 6 to 8 | £81,804 | 12.5% | £51,868 |
| Specialty doctor (after threshold) | 9 to 11 | £90,548 | 12.5% | £56,284 |
| Specialty doctor | 12 to 17 | £102,689 | 12.5% | £62,415 |
| Specialist grade | 0 to 2 | £104,401 | 12.5% | £63,280 |
| Specialist grade | 3 to 5 | £108,484 | 12.5% | £65,342 |
| Specialist grade | 6 | £115,341 | 12.5% | £68,620 |
Both scales took the 3.5% award from 1 April 2026.
Consultants
Five pay thresholds on the 2003 contract, reached by years of consultant service. Thresholds 2a and 2b are separate points, which is where sources that count four thresholds go wrong.
| Threshold | Years as consultant | Basic | Pension | Take-home | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 to 2 | £113,565 | 12.5% | £67,908 | £5,659 |
| 2a | 3 | £120,249 | 12.5% | £70,240 | £5,853 |
| 2b | 4 to 7 | £123,672 | 12.5% | £71,369 | £5,947 |
| 3 | 8 to 13 | £135,645 | 12.5% | £75,321 | £6,277 |
| 4 | 14 to 19 | £150,569 | 12.5% | £81,236 | £6,770 |
Clinical excellence awards, additional programmed activities and private practice all sit outside this table and are the main reason consultant earnings vary far more than the scale does.
Salaried GPs
The salaried GP range is a floor and a ceiling rather than a scale with points: practices set pay within it. Both ends rose 3.5% from 1 April 2026, to £78,699 and £118,759.
| Point | Basic | Pension | Take-home | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range minimum | £78,699 | 12.5% | £50,300 | £4,192 |
| Range maximum | £118,759 | 12.5% | £69,748 | £5,812 |
GP partners are not salaried and are not on this range at all: partner income is a share of practice profit, taxed through Self Assessment.
NHS pension contributions
Contributions are banded on pensionable pay, and doctors span nearly the whole table over a career.
| Pensionable pay up to | Contribution |
|---|---|
| £13,259 | 5.2% |
| £28,854 | 6.5% |
| £35,155 | 8.3% |
| £52,778 | 9.8% |
| £67,668 | 10.7% |
| Above the top band | 12.5% |
The scheme is a net pay arrangement: the contribution reduces taxable pay, so it attracts full Income Tax relief at the marginal rate, but National Insurance is charged on the whole gross. That is why the take-home columns above fall by less than the contribution itself.
What these figures exclude
Everything here is basic pay in England. Excluded, and material for most doctors: additional hours above 40 a week, night and weekend enhancements, on-call availability allowances, flexible pay premia for shortage specialties, London weighting, clinical excellence awards for consultants, and any private practice. A resident doctor on a heavy rota can earn substantially more than the nodal point suggests.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland negotiate separately and their scales differ. This page is the England circular.
Related
- By grade: FY1, FY2, specialty doctor, specialist grade, consultant, GP
- NHS Agenda for Change pay scales, which cover every other NHS profession
- NHS take-home calculator and NHS pension calculator
- Salary calculator for any figure not on this page
Frequently asked questions
What is the doctors pay rise for 2026/27?
There is no single percentage for resident doctors. The DDRB award was 3.5%, but nodal point reform sits on top of it, so the actual increase runs from 3.5% to 7.14% depending on which point you are on. Consultants, specialty doctors, specialist grades and salaried GPs all received 3.5% from 1 April 2026.
What does an FY1 doctor earn?
Basic pay at nodal point 1 is £41,226 from 1 April 2026. After Income Tax, National Insurance and a 9.8% NHS pension contribution that is about £29,970 a year, or £2,498 a month. Basic pay excludes the additional-hours, night, weekend and on-call supplements that most rotas attract.
How many consultant pay thresholds are there?
Five on the 2003 contract: thresholds 1, 2a, 2b, 3 and 4. Sources that count four have collapsed 2a and 2b, which are separate points with different values and different years of service attached.
What is the difference between a specialty doctor and a specialist grade?
They are separate SAS grades with separate scales. Specialty doctor runs £63,696 to £102,689; the specialist grade, which requires more experience and carries autonomous practice, starts higher at £104,401 and runs to £115,341.
Do these figures include London weighting or on-call pay?
No. These are basic salary scales for England. London weighting, additional hours, night and weekend enhancements, on-call availability and flexible pay premia are all separate and sit on top, and they vary by rota and employer.
How much NHS pension do doctors pay?
The contribution is banded on pensionable pay, and doctors span most of the bands: an FY1 pays 9.8% and a consultant at the top threshold pays 12.5%. It is a net pay arrangement, so it comes off before Income Tax but National Insurance is still charged on the full gross.