Resident doctor pay 2026/27
Resident (formerly junior) doctors in England moved to a new ten-point pay scale from 1 April 2026, with rises of 3.5% to 7.1%. Here's the basic pay for every grade, what it means per hour and after tax, and the locum rate that matches it.
- Updated for 2026/27
- Official NHS and HMRC figures
- Checked 20 October 2026
| Grade | Nodal point | Basic salary | Hourly (40 hrs) | Take-home / month | Locum break-even | Inc. pension |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY1 | 1 | £41,226 | £19.77 | £2,498 | £20.41 | £29.84 |
| FY2 | 2 | £47,610 | £22.83 | £2,839 | £23.57 | £35.51 |
| CT1 / ST1 | 3a | £55,355 | £26.54 | £3,245 | £27.34 | £42.70 |
| CT2 / ST2 | 3b | £55,355 | £26.54 | £3,245 | £27.34 | £42.70 |
| CT3 / ST3 | 4a | £67,325 | £32.28 | £3,774 | £33.27 | £52.12 |
| CT4 / ST4 | 4b | £67,998 | £32.60 | £3,741 | £32.90 | £52.94 |
| ST5 | 4c | £67,998 | £32.60 | £3,741 | £32.90 | £52.94 |
| ST6 | 5a | £76,582 | £36.72 | £4,103 | £37.05 | £61.76 |
| ST7 | 5b | £77,348 | £37.08 | £4,135 | £37.42 | £62.67 |
| ST8 | 5c | £77,348 | £37.08 | £4,135 | £37.42 | £62.67 |
Basic pay only, for a 40-hour week under the 2016 terms and conditions. Take-home assumes England tax and NHS pension with no student loan. Locum break-even is the PAYE hourly rate that gives the same yearly take-home over the same hours actually worked (27 days' leave plus 8 bank holidays).
Pay on top of basic salary
- Additional hours: rostered hours above 40 a week are paid at the basic hourly rate.
- Night enhancement: 37% for hours worked between 9pm and 7am on qualifying night shifts.
- Weekend allowance: 3% to 15% of basic salary, depending on how often you work weekends.
- On-call availability allowance: 8% of basic salary, from £3,299 (FY1) to £6,188 (ST8).
- Flexible pay premia for GP training, psychiatry, histopathology and academic training, and a £1,000 allowance for less than full-time trainees.
Weekend allowance
| Weekend frequency | % of basic salary |
|---|---|
| 1 in 2 | 15% |
| Less than 1 in 2 to 1 in 3 | 10% |
| Less than 1 in 3 to 1 in 4 | 7.5% |
| Less than 1 in 4 to 1 in 5 | 6% |
| Less than 1 in 5 to 1 in 6 | 5% |
| Less than 1 in 6 to 1 in 7 | 4% |
| Less than 1 in 7 to 1 in 8 | 3% |
Locum rates for resident doctors
Resident doctors can do extra shifts through their trust's staff bank, or locum work through an agency. NHS England sets a maximum hourly charge for agency locums, the agency price cap. The cap covers the agency's fee as well as the doctor's pay, and trusts can exceed it with senior sign-off. In practice many shifts are paid above the cap, especially at short notice.
| Grade | Cap: core hours | Cap: unsocial hours |
|---|---|---|
| FY1 | £21.43 | £25.90 |
| FY2 | £26.59 | £32.12 |
| ST1 to ST2 / core training | £30.15 | £36.43 |
| ST3 and above | £37.59 | £45.41 |
Core hours are 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. Caps are based on 2016 basic pay plus 55% and are not uprated with pay awards. See the locum doctor rates guide for consultant and SAS rates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an FY1 doctor earn in 2026/27?
- An FY1 doctor in England earns a basic salary of £41,226 from 1 April 2026. Most FY1s earn more because of additional hours, night and weekend allowances, and on-call availability allowance.
- What changed in resident doctor pay in 2026?
- Resident doctors in England received a 3.5% pay award and, after a deal between the government and the BMA accepted in June 2026, moved from five nodal points to ten. Uplifts range from 3.5% to 7.1% depending on grade.
- What is the agency price cap for locum resident doctors?
- NHS England's 2026/27 price caps are the maximum total hourly charge a trust should pay an agency, including the agency's fee: £21.43 for FY1, £26.59 for FY2, £30.15 for ST1 to ST2 and £37.59 for ST3 and above (core hours). Caps are frequently exceeded with trust sign-off, so they aren't a guide to the rate a locum actually receives.
- Is there a BMA locum rate card for resident doctors in England?
- Not currently. The BMA's previous England rate card for resident doctors expired in April 2025 and hasn't been replaced. The BMA publishes rate cards for consultants and SAS doctors.
Sources
- Pay and Conditions Circular (M&D) 1/2026, NHS Employers. Checked 20 October 2026.
- Resident doctor pay offer breakdown 2026, BMA. Checked 20 October 2026.
- Agency rules, NHS England. Checked 20 October 2026.
- Agency price card, NHS England. Checked 20 October 2026.
- Pay and rate cards, BMA. Checked 20 October 2026.
Last updated .