NHS Consultant
Pay Scales 2026/27
Rules last checked
Basic pay, 2003 contract, 2026/27
Annual basic pay for a full-time post of 10 programmed activities a week from 1 April 2026, by years completed as a consultant. Pay moves through five thresholds; the circular prints a point for every year from 0 to 19, and the points from 14 share the top value. A locum consultant post (pay code YC73) uses the same values as a substantive one (YC72).
| Threshold | Years completed | Basic pay against the top threshold | Annual basic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 to 2 | £113,565 | |
| 2a | 3 | £120,249 | |
| 2b | 4 to 7 | £123,672 | |
| 3 | 8 to 13 | £135,645 | |
| 4 | 14 and over | £150,569 |
NHS Employers, circular (M&D) 1/2026, Annex A section 2.
What is paid on top of basic
The 2003 contract pays for the job plan: basic salary covers 10 programmed activities a week of 4 hours each, and the elements below come on top. The consultant terms and conditions at the foot of the page carry the full text.
Additional programmed activities
Each programmed activity above 10 in the job plan is paid at 10% of basic salary a year, where basic salary includes the pay thresholds. Part-time posts are paid pro rata to the programmed activities agreed. Pay for additional programmed activities is not pensionable.
Terms and Conditions, Consultants (England) 2003, Schedule 14 paragraphs 7 and 9; Schedule 17.
On-call availability supplement
A consultant on an on-call rota is paid a supplement for being available, as a percentage of full-time basic salary, set by how often they are on call and by the category of the duties. Category A is where the consultant typically returns to site when called, or undertakes interventions of similar complexity remotely; category B is where telephone advice, or a later return, is the typical response. A part-time consultant on the same rota receives the same percentage of the full-time salary. The supplement is pensionable.
| Frequency of rota commitment | Category A | Category B |
|---|---|---|
| High frequency: 1 in 1 to 1 in 4 | 8% | 3% |
| Medium frequency: 1 in 5 to 1 in 8 | 5% | 2% |
| Low frequency: 1 in 9 or less frequent | 3% | 1% |
Terms and Conditions, Consultants (England) 2003, Schedule 16, Table 1.
London weighting
A consultant whose principal place of work is in the London zone is paid London weighting at the rate the pay circular sets for medical and dental staff, £2,162 a year, the appropriate proportion part time. It is pensionable.
Terms and Conditions, Consultants (England) 2003, Schedule 16 paragraphs 9 to 12; circular (M&D) 1/2026, Annex A section 10.
Clinical impact awards
National Clinical Impact Awards are paid on top of basic salary to consultants who hold one. From the 2025 round an award lasts five years, is paid at its full value whatever your hours, and is not pensionable. The former Local Clinical Excellence Awards are closed to new awards and their values frozen; awards held at 31 March 2018 are pensionable.
| Award | A year |
|---|---|
| National 1 | £21,000 |
| National 2 | £31,500 |
| National 3 | £42,000 |
GOV.UK, Advisory Committee on Clinical Impact Awards, applicants' guide for the 2026 awards round; Circular (M&D) 1/2026, summary paragraph 4; Terms and Conditions, Schedule 17.
Sources
- NHS Employers, pay and conditions circular (M&D) 1/2026, 11 May 2026, the consultant pay thresholds, the pay scale codes and London weighting, as issued to employers.
- NHS Employers, Terms and Conditions, Consultants (England) 2003, version 16, May 2025, programmed activities, the pay for additional ones, the on-call availability supplement, and what is pensionable.
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