NHS Consultant
Pay Scales 2025/26
Rules last checked
Basic pay, 2004 contract, 2025/26
Annual basic pay for a full-time consultant post from 1 April 2025, on pay code M400. The scale has twenty points in five thresholds, counted from point 1; you move up a point each year and the salary changes when you cross a threshold.
| Threshold | Pay points | Basic pay against the top threshold | Annual basic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 to 3 | £110,681 | |
| 2 | 4 | £116,193 | |
| 3 | 5 to 8 | £119,501 | |
| 4 | 9 to 14 | £131,076 | |
| 5 | 15 to 20 | £145,517 |
Department of Health, circular HSC (TC8) 05/2025, Annex A section 4.
What is paid on top of basic
The 2004 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. There is no London weighting in Northern Ireland.
Additional programmed activities
Each programmed activity above 10 in the job plan is paid at 10% of basic salary a year. Part-time posts are paid pro rata. Pay for additional programmed activities is not pensionable.
Terms and Conditions, Consultants (Northern Ireland) 2004, Schedule 14 paragraphs 8 and 10; 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 where the consultant typically returns to site when called, or undertakes interventions of similar complexity remotely; category B where telephone advice, or a later return, is the typical response. 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 (Northern Ireland) 2004, Schedule 16, Table 1.
Clinical Excellence Awards
Twelve steps, the first eight a lower award and the last four a higher award, paid on top of basic salary to a consultant who holds one. Discretionary points and distinction awards remain for consultants on the pre-2004 contract only.
| Step | Award | A year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lower award | £2,957 |
| 2 | Lower award | £5,914 |
| 3 | Lower award | £8,871 |
| 4 | Lower award | £11,828 |
| 5 | Lower award | £14,785 |
| 6 | Lower award | £17,742 |
| 7 | Lower award | £23,656 |
| 8 | Lower award | £29,570 |
| 9 | Higher award | £35,484 |
| 10 | Higher award | £46,644 |
| 11 | Higher award | £58,305 |
| 12 | Higher award | £75,796 |
Department of Health, circular HSC (TC8) 05/2025, Clinical Excellence Awards Scheme.
Sources
- Department of Health, pay and conditions circular HSC (TC8) 05/2025, 2 December 2025, the consultant pay points and thresholds, and the Clinical Excellence Awards scheme, as issued to HSC employers.
- Department of Health, Terms and Conditions of Service, Consultants (Northern Ireland) 2004, revised May 2013, programmed activities, the pay for additional ones, the on-call availability supplement, and what is pensionable.
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