How much does a junior doctor take home?

A foundation-year junior doctor on ~£36,000–£42,000 takes home roughly £2,400–£2,800 a month after tax, NHS Pension and Plan 2/5 student loan.

How much does an NHS consultant take home?

A consultant on ~£93,000–£126,000 takes home roughly £5,000–£6,500 a month. Above £100,000 the Personal Allowance is withdrawn, creating the 60% trap — pension contributions can reclaim it.

Are locum doctors taxed differently?

Locums are usually self-employed, paying Class 4 NI on profit plus Income Tax. Hourly rates are higher but there's no employer pension or sick pay. See our Locum Doctor calculator for the detail.

2026/27 Tax Year

Doctor Salary After Tax (UK)

See what junior doctors, NHS consultants and locums keep after tax in 2026/27 — including the NHS Pension and student loan. Model your role in our calculator.

Doctor Pay & Take-Home (England, approximate)

After tax, NHS Pension and a typical Plan 2/5 student loan. Confirm with your payslip.

Role	Gross	Take-home / month
FY1 Junior Doctor	≈ £36,000	≈ £2,400
Specialty Doctor	≈ £55,000	≈ £3,400
NHS Consultant	≈ £99,000	≈ £5,500

💡 Consultant trap

🔧Consultants near £100,000 hit the Personal Allowance withdrawal. Salary-sacrificing into the NHS Pension pulls adjusted income below £100k and restores the allowance.

Doctor Pay Tips

NHS Pension: Net Pay arrangement — reduces tax and NI.
Student loan: most doctors are on Plan 2 — repayments bite above £29,385.
Locums: see the Locum Doctor calculator for self-employed treatment.
£100k trap: read our guide if you're a higher-paid consultant.