UK GP Salary by Region 2026: Salaried vs Partner Pay, Regional Variation, and Career Earnings
UK GP salary by region in 2026: ONS ASHE data for salaried GPs, partner vs salaried earnings gap, regional variation, and how to maximise GP income.
GP earnings in the UK divide sharply into two tiers: salaried GPs employed by a practice or NHS trust, and GP partners who own a share of their practice and receive income from the NHS primary care contract. The two groups earn very differently, and ONS data captures only one of them. This guide separates the figures, explains the regional picture, and shows what drives GP earnings across UK regions.
What is the average UK GP salary in 2026?
ONS ASHE 2025 Provisional data gives a UK median salary for salaried generalist medical practitioners (SOC 2211) of £51,756 per year, with a mean of £53,163.
This is an important caveat: SOC 2211 covers only salaried GPs and locums who are on PAYE. GP partners are self-employed and excluded from ASHE. NHS England's separate "GP Earnings and Expenses" publication (most recent: 2023/24) estimates average GP partner net income at approximately £110,000–£130,000 per year — more than double the ASHE median for salaried GPs.
In practice, approximately 30% of UK GPs are salaried; 70% are partners or have a hybrid arrangement. The ASHE figure reflects the minority of GPs who are employed, and cannot be taken as representative of typical GP earnings.
UK GP salary by region in 2026
Salaried GP pay does show regional variation in ASHE, but the pattern is counterintuitive: some of the highest salaried-GP medians are in the Midlands and Yorkshire, not London — partly because London's complex employer mix (NHS trust, PCN, GP federation) creates data suppression, and partly because regional practices have had to pay higher rates to attract salaried GPs to areas with historical recruitment difficulties.
| Region | ASHE 2025 Median (£/yr) | ASHE 2025 Mean (£/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | £51,756 | £53,163 |
| London | £51,973 | £56,415 |
| South East | £47,915 | £49,059 |
| East of England | £52,066 | £49,057 |
| South West | ONS data suppressed | — |
| East Midlands | £55,331 | £54,143 |
| West Midlands | £59,169 | £54,517 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £61,026 | £56,196 |
| North West | £50,806 | £53,328 |
| North East | ONS data suppressed | — |
| Wales | ONS data suppressed | — |
| Scotland | £44,511 | £44,138 |
Source: ONS ASHE 2025 Provisional, SOC 2211 "Generalist medical practitioners". Salaried GPs only — GP partners excluded (self-employed, not captured by ASHE).
Regional deep-dives
Yorkshire and the Humber: the unexpected premium. The highest salaried-GP median in our data is Yorkshire and the Humber at £61,026 — 18% above the UK median. This reflects genuine regional pay premiums for areas that have historically struggled to recruit and retain GPs. Isolated rural practices across North Yorkshire and Humberside pay above-average salaried rates to attract and keep doctors.
West Midlands: high demand, high pay. West Midlands (£59,169) similarly reflects areas of deprivation and high GP demand in the Black Country and Birmingham suburbs, where salaried rates have been pushed up by competition for limited GP resource.
Scotland: lower salaried pay, but context matters. Scotland's salaried-GP median of £44,511 is the lowest in the published data. This doesn't necessarily mean Scottish GPs are underpaid — Scotland has a different PAYE pattern for its GP workforce, with more GPs working as partners under Scottish GP contract terms, and the salaried cohort may skew younger/more junior.
London: median deceptively close to UK average. London's median (£51,973) is almost identical to the UK figure, but the mean (£56,415) is higher, suggesting a tail of higher-paid salaried GPs at NHS trust-employed GP roles and NHS England leadership positions.
GP career earnings: the full picture
The ASHE figures capture only salaried GPs. For the full GP earnings landscape:
| GP type | Basis | Indicative annual income |
|---|---|---|
| GP Specialty Training (ST1–ST3) | NHSE pay scales | £41,656–£52,036 |
| Salaried GP (newly appointed) | Local contract / BMA model contract | £68,000–£75,000 |
| Salaried GP (experienced) | Local contract | £80,000–£100,000 |
| GP Partner | NHS contract (capitation + QOF + enhanced) | £80,000–£140,000+ (net) |
| Locum GP | Day rate | £500–£900/day |
| GP with portfolio (CCG work, teaching) | Salaried + sessional | £90,000–£120,000+ |
Source: NHS England GP Specialty Training pay scales 2025/26; BMA salaried GP model contract; NHS England "GP Earnings and Expenses" (2023/24).
How regional GP pay actually compares
Recruitment premium for shortage areas. Practices in rural England, coastal communities, and areas of socioeconomic deprivation consistently offer above-ASHE-median salaried rates to attract GPs. NHS England's Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme (TERS) provides £20,000 incentive payments for GPs willing to train in under-doctored areas. These payments are in addition to salary.
London vs elsewhere — the hidden advantage of partnership. London GP practices typically generate more income per partner than rural practices (higher list sizes, more enhanced service income), but London property costs reduce net partner drawings. The highest partner incomes tend to come from medium-sized practices in prosperous commuter-belt areas (South East, East Midlands market towns) with high QOF attainment and low locum dependency.
ONS data context: what ASHE tells us about GP pay
ASHE's SOC 2211 captures employed medical practitioners including GPs, specialty doctors, and community medical officers. It is structurally unable to capture GP partners, who are the majority of the UK GP workforce. The ASHE data is valuable for understanding the salaried GP market and for benchmarking locum rates, but should always be supplemented with NHS England's GP Earnings publication for a complete picture.
How to earn more as a UK GP
1. Progress from salaried to partnership. The income leap from salaried GP to GP partner can add £30,000–£60,000 net per year, depending on the practice. The trade-off is capital investment in the property/premises and greater financial risk.
2. Take on portfolio work. GP appraisers, CCG/ICB clinical leads, GP tutors, and NHS England advisers all command sessional fees above standard salaried rates. A half-day per week in a portfolio role adds £10,000–£25,000 annually.
3. Work in shortage areas for TERS incentives. The Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme provides £20,000 for completing specialty training in under-doctored areas. Some rural practices supplement this with local retention payments.
4. Negotiate a premium salaried rate using BMA guidance. The BMA model salaried GP contract sets out a pay range of £68,000–£100,100 (England, 2025/26). Many practices start salaried GPs at the bottom of this range. Experienced GPs with strong QOF or care home skills should negotiate toward the top.
FAQ
What is the average GP salary in the UK in 2026?
ONS ASHE 2025 data shows a median of £51,756 for salaried generalist medical practitioners. However, this covers only employed/salaried GPs. GP partners (the majority of UK GPs) earn significantly more — NHS England estimates average GP partner net income at around £110,000–£130,000, based on 2023/24 data.
Do GP salaries vary much by UK region?
Yes, more than expected. Yorkshire and the Humber has the highest salaried-GP median in our data (£61,026), followed by West Midlands (£59,169), reflecting recruitment premiums in areas with GP shortages. Scotland has the lowest median (£44,511) among published regions.
What is the difference between a salaried GP and a GP partner?
A salaried GP is an employee, paid a fixed salary under a contract of employment. A GP partner has an ownership stake in the practice, contributing capital and sharing in the profits and losses of the NHS contract. Partners typically earn more, but carry greater financial risk and responsibility.
How much does a GP earn in London?
The ONS ASHE salaried GP median for London is £51,973 — very close to the national figure. London does not pay a premium for salaried GPs equivalent to its premium for hospital doctors, partly because GP lists are geographically determined and recruitment patterns differ from secondary care.
What is GP specialty training pay?
GP trainees in NHS England earn £41,656–£52,036 in 2025/26, depending on training stage (ST1–ST3). Supplementary pay applies for out-of-hours work and on-call duties. After achieving the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), newly qualified GPs typically move into salaried roles at £68,000–£75,000.
Next steps
See salary data for related medical roles on SalaryScout:
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