Foundation doctor salary 2026/27
What FY1 and FY2 doctors in England earn and take home from April 2026, with and without rota pay.
FY1 and FY2 take-home
| Example | Gross | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| FY1, basic only | £41,226 | £2,498 |
| FY1, 48 hours with nights and 1 in 3 weekends | £56,645 | £3,315 |
| FY1, same rota with Plan 5 loan | £56,645 | £3,077 |
| FY2, basic only | £47,610 | £2,839 |
| FY2, 48 hours with nights and 1 in 3 weekends | £65,416 | £3,692 |
England, NHS Pension member, tax code 1257L, no student loan unless stated. The rota examples assume an average of 8 night hours a week. Your own rota will differ, so add it in the calculator above.
Both years rose by more than other grades in 2026: FY1 by 6.2% and FY2 by 7.1%, under the nodal point reform agreed with the BMA.
What foundation doctors do
The foundation programme is the two years of paid training straight after medical school. FY1 doctors are provisionally registered with the GMC and gain full registration at the end of the year. Most rotate through three placements a year, such as general medicine, surgery, psychiatry or general practice.
A typical day
- Joining ward rounds and following up the plans made for each patient.
- Clerking new admissions, taking histories and examining patients.
- Prescribing, taking bloods and putting in cannulas.
- Reviewing patients who become unwell, and escalating to seniors.
- Writing discharge summaries and talking to families.
- Night and weekend shifts covering wards across the hospital.
Supervision and progress
Each foundation doctor has an educational supervisor and a clinical supervisor in each post. You record your learning in an e-portfolio, and the Annual Review of Competence Progression decides whether you move on.
After FY2
Most doctors apply for core or specialty training, moving to the ST1 pay rate of £55,355. Others take a year out or work as locally employed doctors first.
Common questions
How much does an FY1 doctor earn in 2026?
£41,226 basic in England from April 2026, which is about £2,498 a month after tax, NI and pension. Most FY1s earn more because of nights, weekends and extra hours.
How much does an FY2 doctor earn?
£47,610 basic in England from April 2026, about £2,839 a month after deductions before rota pay.