Junior Doctor Salary Calculator UK 2025/26

Junior doctor salary calculator UK 2025/26 — F1 £36,616 to ST8 £71,830. Includes NHS pension, tax, NI, banding supplemen

Quick answer: Junior doctor 2025/26 base pay: F1 £36,616, F2 £42,008, IMT/CT1 £46,294, ST3+ £55,754, ST8 £71,830. After NHS pension 9.8% + PAYE, F1 take-home ≈ £25,800/year (£2,150/month).
Mustafa Bilgic
Reviewed by Mustafa Bilgic · UK Calculator Editor ·

Calculator

Junior doctor pay 2025/26 follows the BMA/NHS contract. Base pay scales by training year. Banding supplements (typically 30-50%) add for non-resident on-call, antisocial hours, and intensity of work. This calculator computes your exact take-home including NHS Pension Scheme 2015 contributions.

How junior doctor salary calculator works in 2025/26

Junior doctor 2025/26 base pay scale (England, post-2016 contract):

StageBase salary
F1 (Foundation Year 1)£36,616
F2 (Foundation Year 2)£42,008
IMT/CT1 (Internal Medicine Year 1)£46,294
IMT2/CT2£52,656
ST3 / SpR Year 1£55,754
ST4-7£59,508-£71,830
Consultant (post-CCT)£108,853-£146,895

Banding supplements (added to base for unsocial/intensive work):

  • 1A: 50% supplement (heavy on-call, full shift, intensity)
  • 1B: 40% supplement (regular on-call, frequent night/weekend)
  • 1C: 20% supplement (lighter on-call)
  • 2A: 80% supplement (legacy, mostly phased out)
  • 2B: 50% supplement (legacy)

Most F1 jobs in 2025 are 1A (50% supplement) — total pay ≈£54,924. Specialty trainees often 1A or 1B.

Worked example: F1 1A banding (50% supplement)

Base £36,616 × 1.5 = £54,924. Pension 12.5% (Band 6 of NHS pension table) = £6,866 (real cost £4,945 after 28% relief). Taxable £48,058. Tax £7,098. NI £3,007. Take-home £37,953/year (£3,163/month).

Gross: £54,924 → Take-home: £37,953.00/year (£3,162.75/month)

Worked example: IMT/CT1 1A banding

Base £46,294 × 1.5 = £69,441. Pension 12.5% = £8,680 (real cost £6,250). Taxable £60,761. Tax £14,194 (incl higher rate). NI £3,500. Take-home £43,068/year (£3,589/month).

Gross: £69,441 → Take-home: £43,068.00/year (£3,589.00/month)

Worked example: ST5 with 1A banding (£62k base × 1.5)

Total £93,000. Pension 12.5% = £11,625 (real cost £6,975). Taxable £81,375. Tax £21,977 (incl higher rate). NI £4,065. Take-home £55,333/year (£4,611/month).

Gross: £93,000 → Take-home: £55,333.00/year (£4,611.08/month)

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between F1, F2 and ST?
F1/F2 = Foundation Year 1/2 (years 1-2 post-graduation, generic training). IMT/CT1 onwards = specialty training (3-8 years). ST = Specialty Trainee. Final stage post-CCT (Certificate of Completion of Training) = consultant.
How does banding work post-2016?
The 2016 contract replaced banding with a "rate per hour" system that values weekends, nights, and on-call separately. Many trusts still use the term "banding" loosely. Total pay typically 1.4-1.5× base for F1/F2 due to enhanced rates for unsocial work.
Do junior doctors pay London Weighting?
Inner London HCAS = 20% (max £8,172). Outer London = 15% (max £5,478). Fringe = 5% (max £2,086). Added on top of base before banding/enhanced rate calculations.
Are NHS pension contributions worth it for junior doctors?
Yes — NHS Pension Scheme 2015 has 23.7% employer contribution PLUS your contribution. Total ~32-36% of pay going to pension. Even if you leave NHS, contributions are preserved (deferred benefit). Hard to find this anywhere else.
What happens to my pay during annual leave?
Full pay (base + banding) continues during paid annual leave. Junior doctors entitled to 27-32 days annual leave (depending on year + length of service) plus 8 bank holidays. Sickness absence: full pay first 6 months, half pay next 6 months (per NHS sickness policy).
Can I salary sacrifice into the NHS pension?
No — NHS Pension is a contractual scheme, not salary sacrifice. Employee contributions are deducted before tax (giving same effective tax saving as salary sacrifice). For ADDITIONAL contributions, you can use NHS Money Purchase AVCs or a separate SIPP.
What about night shifts and weekends?
Post-2016 contract: enhanced rates apply per shift. Saturdays 8am-9pm: 33% extra. Sunday all day: 33%. Nights 9pm-7am: 37%. Bank holidays: 67%. These are paid on top of base for hours worked in those windows.

Official UK Sources

Last reviewed: May 2026 against HMRC 2025/26 rates.

Related Calculators

Salary Calculator | Tax Calculator | National Insurance Calculator | Pension Calculator | Vat Calculator