Junior Doctor Salary UK: 2026/27 Pay Scales, Take-Home Pay and Comparisons

Understanding the Junior Doctor Salary UK in 2026/27

If you are a doctor in training or considering a medical career, knowing the junior doctor salary UK is essential for negotiating job offers and planning your finances. Junior doctors – also called doctors in training – are paid on national NHS pay scales that are updated each year following recommendations from the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body (DDRB) and agreements with the British Medical Association (BMA). For 2026/27, the government accepted a 3.5% increase to pay points, effective from 1 April 2026, and the nodal point system was restructured from five points to a more granular set of grades.

NHS Pay Scales for Junior Doctors 2026/27

The BMA and NHS Employers have published the new pay scales. Here are the basic full-time annual salaries for each nodal point in England:

Nodal point	Training grade	2026/27 basic salary
1	FY1	£41,226
2	FY2	£47,610
3a	ST1 / CT1	£55,355
3b	ST2 / CT2	£55,355
4a	ST3 / CT3	£67,325
4b	ST4 / CT4	£67,998
4c	ST5	£67,998
5a	ST6	£76,582
5b	ST7	£77,348
5c	ST8	£77,348

These figures are from the NHS Employers pay scales and BMA circulars. They represent the guaranteed basic pay for a full-time (40-hour average week) contract. Most junior doctors also receive additional payments for unsocial hours, weekend work, on-call duties, and London weighting, which can boost total earnings significantly.

How Junior Doctor Pay Compares to UK Averages

To put these numbers in context, the UK median full-time gross annual salary is around £39,039 (based on 2026/27 benchmarks). Even the lowest junior doctor grade (FY1 at £41,226) exceeds the national median. By FY2 (£47,610), a junior doctor earns about 22% more than the median worker. At ST1 (£55,355), that gap widens to 42% above the median.

The mean full-time UK salary is approximately £45,800. FY1 is below that mean, but FY2 and above are above it. However, these comparisons should be treated cautiously: junior doctors typically work a 40-hour week plus additional rostered hours, while the UK average includes many part-time roles. The NHS Digital Staff Earnings Estimates for June 2026 show that mean annual basic pay per full-time equivalent for all NHS staff is £44,457, and for medical staff (including consultants) it is £56,136. Junior doctors on lower grades will be below that medical mean.

Take-Home Pay: What You Actually Receive

Your take-home pay depends on income tax, National Insurance, and your NHS Pension contribution. For 2026/27, the NHS Pension contribution rates are tiered: 9.8% for basic pay up to £55,355 (FY1, FY2, ST1/CT1) and 10.7% for pay between £55,356 and £70,000 (ST3/CT3), and 12.5% for pay above £70,000 (ST6 and above).

Here are illustrative monthly take-home figures for England, assuming basic pay only, standard 1257L tax code, no student loan, and the correct pension tier:

• FY1: £2,498 per month (£29,970 per year)
• FY2: £2,839 per month (£34,066 per year)
• ST1/CT1: £3,245 per month (£38,942 per year)
• ST3/CT3: £3,774 per month (£45,284 per year)
• ST6: £4,103 per month (£49,231 per year)
• ST8: £4,135 per month (£49,618 per year)

These figures come from take-home calculators based on the 2026/27 tax bands. Remember that actual pay is usually higher because of enhancements. For example, a night enhancement of 37% on hours between 21:00 and 07:00, weekend allowances of 3% to 15% of basic salary depending on rota intensity, and on-call availability allowance of 8% of basic salary can add thousands to your annual income. London weighting adds £2,162 per year for those in the London zone.

Scotland’s Different Income Tax Rules

If you work in Scotland, your income tax is calculated using Scottish rates and bands. For 2026/27, the intermediate rate of 21% applies above £29,526, the higher rate of 42% above £43,662, and the advanced rate of 45% above £75,000. This means that at the same gross salary, a junior doctor in Scotland takes home less than one in England. For example, an ST3 on £67,325 basic would net £43,531 in Scotland versus £45,284 in England – a difference of £1,752 per year. Wales and Northern Ireland use the same income tax rates as England for this purpose.

Negotiating Your Offer: What to Look For

When comparing job offers, look beyond the basic salary. Consider:

• Rota intensity: Weekend frequency affects your weekend allowance (1 in 8 weekends gives 3% of basic; 1 in 2 gives 15%).
• On-call commitments: Availability allowance is 8% of basic salary for the grade.
• London weighting: Fixed annual sum of £2,162 in the London zone, £527 for extra-territorial units, £149 in fringe zone.
• Less-than-full-time (LTFT) allowance: £1,000 per year for those training less than full-time.
• Flexible pay premia: Some training programmes offer additional premia; from 2026/27 the GP premium is renamed General Practice Registrar Enhancement.

Also check whether enhancements are pensionable. Basic pay, London weighting, and pay protection are pensionable; additional hours above 40, night enhancements, weekend allowances, on-call allowances, and LTFT allowance are not pensionable under the 2016 NHS Pension Scheme.

Using the UK Average Salary Index

To see how a junior doctor salary stacks up against other professions, visit our salary index which tracks median and mean earnings across the UK. You can also explore our topics page for detailed guides on NHS pay, tax bands, and regional variations.

Summary

The junior doctor salary UK in 2026/27 ranges from £41,226 for FY1 to £77,348 for ST8. Median earnings for junior doctors are around £47,000–£55,000 depending on grade distribution. Take-home pay after pension and tax is lower, but enhancements for unsocial hours can significantly increase total compensation. Scotland’s income tax bands reduce net pay compared to England. When negotiating, consider the full package including allowances and rota commitments. Always check official NHS Employers and BMA sources for the most accurate figures.

For more context on how your salary compares to the national average, see our UK Average Salary page.