Understanding the Average Doctor Salary in the UK

When people search for the "average doctor salary UK", they often expect a single number. In reality, doctor pay in the United Kingdom varies enormously by role, grade, location, and years of experience. The most authoritative sources are the NHS Employers pay scales and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). This guide uses the latest official data to give you a clear picture of what doctors earn, both as an hourly rate and as an annual salary.

What the Official Data Shows

The NHS Employers organisation publishes detailed pay scales for all NHS staff, including medical and dental professionals. For 2026/27, effective from 1 April 2026, the pay circulars confirm a 3.5% increase to basic pay for consultants, specialty and specialist doctors (SAS doctors), and doctors in training. Salaried GPs received a 3.5% increase to their pay range, now set between £78,699 and £118,759. These figures are for England; Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland may have separate arrangements.

Meanwhile, the ONS ASHE 2025 report shows that median gross annual earnings for full-time employees in the UK were £39,039 in April 2025. Median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) were £19.67. Doctors, however, are among the higher-paid professions, so the average doctor salary is well above these national medians.

Salary Ranges for Different Doctor Roles

Consultants

Consultants are the most senior hospital doctors. Their basic pay scales were increased by 3.5% from April 2026. The exact salary points are set out in the Pay and Conditions Circular (M&D) 1/2026. Consultants also receive additional payments for clinical excellence, on-call duties, and London weighting. A consultant's total earnings can exceed £100,000 per year, especially with these supplements.

Specialty and Specialist Doctors (SAS Doctors)

SAS doctors, including those on the 2021 contract and pre-2021 contracts, also received a 3.5% increase to basic pay. Their salaries are typically lower than consultants but still above the national average.

Doctors in Training

Doctors in training (junior doctors) have a new pay structure from April 2026. The government accepted the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body recommendation for a 3.5% increase, and the nodal pay point system was restructured from five points to ten points, aligned with stages of training. Starting pay for foundation year doctors is lower, but it increases as they progress through training. On-call and weekend allowances are recalculated under the new structure.

Salaried GPs

Salaried GPs employed under the national contract have a defined pay range. From 1 April 2026, the minimum is £78,699 and the maximum is £118,759. This is a 3.5% increase on the previous range. Many GPs also receive additional payments for extended hours or rural practice.

Hourly to Annual Conversion for Doctors

To convert an hourly rate to an annual salary, the standard NHS full-time week is 37.5 hours. Multiply the hourly rate by 37.5 and then by 52 weeks to get the annual basic pay. For example:

• £20 per hour × 37.5 × 52 = £39,000 per year
• £30 per hour × 37.5 × 52 = £58,500 per year
• £40 per hour × 37.5 × 52 = £78,000 per year

However, doctors rarely work only basic hours. They receive extra pay for night shifts, weekends, on-call duties, and overtime. London weighting (Higher Cost Area Supplements) also adds to the hourly rate. So the actual annual earnings can be significantly higher than the basic calculation.

Use our Hourly to Salary calculator to see how your hourly rate translates to annual, monthly, and weekly figures. For more UK salary benchmarks, visit our salary data page.

London Weighting and Other Supplements

NHS Employers includes Higher Cost Area Supplements (HCAS) in the pay scales for staff working in London and the surrounding high-cost areas. The 2026/27 pay scales show both annual and hourly rates inclusive of HCAS. For example, a doctor in inner London will have a higher hourly rate than one in a non-HCAS area. The exact supplement depends on the pay band and the specific location (inner London, outer London, or fringe).

How the Average Doctor Salary Compares to National Benchmarks

The ONS ASHE 2025 data shows that median full-time weekly earnings were £766.60, and median hourly earnings were £19.67. The National Living Wage for employees aged 21 and over was £12.21 per hour in April 2025. Even a junior doctor in training earns above the National Living Wage, and consultants earn several times the national median. The average doctor salary is therefore well above the UK average for all employees.

Important Caveats

• The term "average doctor salary" is broad. Actual pay depends on grade, specialty, years of experience, location, and whether the doctor is employed by the NHS or works as a locum.
• ASHE figures are for employee jobs and may not capture self-employed GPs or locum work.
• NHS pay scales are for England; Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland may have separate pay arrangements.
• Hourly-to-annual conversion assumes a steady contracted week with no unpaid overtime. Doctors often work additional hours and receive allowances, so the actual annual earnings may be higher.
• Pay circulars are effective from 1 April 2026; some ONS data is provisional.

For more detailed information, refer to the official NHS Employers pay scales and the ONS ASHE release. Use our salary articles to explore other UK pay topics.