F1 Doctor Salary 2026/27: What Foundation Year 1 Doctors Earn in the UK

F1 Doctor Salary 2026/27: A Practical Guide for Medical Graduates

If you are about to start your foundation training or are considering a medical career, understanding the f1 doctor salary is essential. This page explains the basic pay, typical take-home amounts, and how the salary compares to statutory minimum wage rates. All figures are for England under the 2016 contract unless stated otherwise.

Basic Pay for Foundation Year 1 Doctors

For the 2026/27 financial year, the basic f1 doctor salary is set at £41,226 per year. This applies to nodal point 1 under the restructured pay system that came into effect on 1 April 2026. The figure reflects a 3.5% uplift recommended by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) and accepted by the government, as confirmed by NHS Employers.

The basic salary is for a 40-hour working week. Most full-time NHS rotas schedule 48 hours, so additional hours are paid separately at the standard hourly rate. The pay scale for foundation training is:

• FY1 (F1): £41,226
• FY2 (F2): £47,610

These rates are national and do not vary by employer. Doctors training less than full time receive a pro-rata salary plus an annual allowance of £1,000.

What Affects Your Actual Earnings?

While the basic f1 doctor salary is fixed, total NHS earnings can be significantly higher due to contractual supplements. The main additions are:

• Unsocial hours premium: Hours worked between 21:00 and 07:00 are paid at 37% above the basic hourly rate.
• Weekend allowance: Doctors rostered for weekend work at a frequency of at least 1 in 8 receive an allowance worth 3% to 15% of basic pay, depending on the rota.
• On-call availability supplement: Non-resident on-call duties add 8% of basic pay.
• Additional hours: Any hours above 40 per week are paid at the basic rate.
• London Weighting: Doctors working in Greater London receive a High Cost Area Supplement of up to £5,461.

According to the Health Service Navigator, standard rotas typically boost total gross earnings by 20% to 40% above the basic salary. For an F1 doctor, that could mean a gross income of £49,000 to £58,000 before deductions.

Take-Home Pay: What You Actually Receive

Your payslip will show deductions for the NHS pension, Income Tax, and National Insurance. The NHS pension contribution for F1 doctors is 9.8% of pensionable pay (the 2026/27 tier for earnings between £35,156 and £52,778). Using the basic salary of £41,226, the estimated annual take-home pay is:

• Pension: £4,040
• Income Tax: £4,923
• National Insurance: £2,292
• Net pay: £29,970 (about £2,498 per month)

This calculation is from SalaryTax.uk and assumes no other deductions. Rota supplements are taxed at the marginal rate, so they add less to net pay than the gross amount suggests.

How the F1 Salary Compares to Minimum Wage

The National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 per hour (2026/27 rate). An F1 doctor’s basic hourly rate is about £19.82, well above the minimum. However, when you consider the average 48-hour week and the fact that some hours are unpaid (e.g., training or admin), the effective hourly rate can be lower. Still, the f1 doctor salary places you in the top half of UK earners from the start of your career.

For comparison, the UK median full-time salary is around £39,039, so an F1 doctor earns about 6% above that. As you progress through training, pay rises significantly: ST3 doctors earn £67,325, and consultants start at £113,565.

Eligibility and Age Bands

The f1 doctor salary is not determined by age but by training grade. To become an F1 doctor, you must have completed a medical degree and be provisionally registered with the General Medical Council. Most F1 doctors are in their mid-20s, so they are eligible for the National Living Wage (21+), but their professional salary far exceeds that floor.

If you are a medical graduate considering foundation training, remember that the salary is just one part of the package. The NHS offers a generous pension, annual leave, and sick pay. For more on how pay scales work across different roles, see our pay guides and pay data pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the basic f1 doctor salary for 2026/27? For the 2026/27 financial year, an F1 doctor in England earns a basic salary of £41,226 per year. This is at nodal point 1 under the restructured 2016 contract, which applies from 1 April 2026. The figure includes the 3.5% pay uplift recommended by the DDRB and accepted by the government.

How much take-home pay does an F1 doctor receive? On the basic salary of £41,226, after deducting the 9.8% NHS pension contribution (£4,040), Income Tax (£4,923), and National Insurance (£2,292), the estimated annual take-home pay is around £29,970. That works out to about £2,498 per month. Rota supplements for nights, weekends, and on-call are paid on top and are taxed at the marginal rate, so they add less than the headline percentage suggests.

How does the f1 doctor salary compare to the National Living Wage? The National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 per hour (2026/27 rate). An F1 doctor working a 40-hour week earns an hourly basic rate of approximately £19.82 (£41,226 / 52 weeks / 40 hours). This is well above the minimum wage. However, when factoring in the 48-hour average rota and unpaid additional hours, the effective hourly rate can be lower. Still, F1 doctors are among the higher-paid early-career professionals, with median earnings about 6% above the UK full-time median.

For more detailed information on NHS pay structures, visit the UK Minimum Wage homepage or explore our topics section.