You will always get paid for working as a doctor in the UK. All jobs are paid jobs, including non-training jobs. You will never have to work for free.
Pay Scale:
Regardless of the job being training or non-training, junior doctors earn somewhere between £30,000 to £40,000 annually. This equals to £2,500 to £3,500 per month. You can check the minimum training wages here.
Amount of Tax Deduction:
Depending on their grade, 17% to 27% tax is deducted from a junior doctor’s salary.
Calculation of Tax Deduction:
There are two forms of tax deductions from the pay:
Income tax.
National insurance.
- Income Tax:
Annual Earning Tax Deduction
Up to £11,000 0%
£11,001 to £43,000 20%
£43,001 to £150,000 40%
You can confirm these numbers from the UK Government’s official website.
Since junior doctors earn somewhere between £30,000 to £40,000, the tax deduction for them would be 20%. And this 20% tax deduction is also only on their pay between £11,001 to £43,000. Which means that their first £11,000 will be tax-free.
- National Insurance:
Annual Earning Tax Deduction
Up to £8,160 0%
£8,160 to £45,000 12%
Over £45,000 2%
You can confirm these numbers from the UK Government’s official website.
Since junior doctors earn somewhere between £30,000 to £40,000, the tax deduction for them would be 12%. And this 12% tax deduction is also only on their pay between £8,160 to £45,000. Which means that their first £8,160 will be tax-free.
Take-Home Pay:
After tax deduction, the salary is around £1,900/month without nights and £2,700/month with nights.
(Night shift is a 12-hour shift in the U.K.)
Conclusion:
Finances will not be an issue for you in the U.K. Doctors in the UK earn enough to meet all their needs and live a very comfortable life.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How Much Pay is Enough?
It depends on your lifestyle and it depends on where you are living. For example, big cities like London and Manchester are more expensive than small towns like Blackpool. But the following might give you a general idea:
£1,900/month is more than enough for a single person and just enough for a couple.
£2,700/month would be more than enough for a couple.
- Would I be Able To Save Money?
Again, that depends on your lifestyle and the area where you choose to live. And, of course, it depends on your salary. It also depends on you being single or living with a spouse.
I’ve seen people with £2,700/month, save £1,000/month for a whole year and I have seen people with £1,900/month not save anything for a year. So it depends on each individual and how they live.
- How much tax would I have to pay on annual earning of £30,000?
There will be two components of tax deductions from your salary.
A. Income tax.
B. National insurance.
A. Income Tax on Annual Earning of £30,000:
The initial £11,000 would be free of tax. 20% income tax would be deducted from your pay between £11,001 and £30,000.
Earning Deduction % Deduction £
Up to £11,000 0% £0
£11,001 to £30,000 20% £3,800
Total annual income tax deduction: £3,800
B. National Insurance on Annual Earning of £30,000:
The initial £8,160 would be free of tax. 12% national insurance would be deducted from your pay between £8,160 and £30,000.
Earning Deduction % Deduction £
Up to £8,160 0% £0
£8,160 to £30,000 12% £2,620
Total annual national insurance deduction: £2,620
Total Taxation on Annual Earning of £30,000:
£3,800 + £2,620 = £6,420
£6,420 = 21.4% of £30,000
Therefore, the total annual tax deduction on annual earning of £30,000 will be £6,420. This equal to 21.4% of the total earning.
- How much tax would I have to pay on annual earning of £48,000?
There will be two components of tax deductions from your salary.
A. Income tax.
B. National insurance.
A. Income Tax on Annual Earning of £48,000:
The initial £11,000 would be free of tax. 20% income tax would be deducted from your pay between £11,001 and £43,000. 40% income tax would only be deducted from your pay between £43,001 and £48,000.
Earning Deduction % Deduction £
Up to £11,000 0% £0
£11,001 to £43,000 20% £6,400
£43,001 to £48,000 40% £2,000
Total annual income tax deduction: £8,400
B. National Insurance on Annual Earning of £48,000:
The initial £8,160 would be free of tax. 12% national insurance would be deducted from your pay between £8,160 and £48,000.
Earning Deduction % Deduction £
Up to £8,160 0% £0
£8,160 to £45,000 12% £4,420
£45,001 to £48,000 2% £60
Total annual national insurance deduction: £4,480
Total Taxation on Annual Earning of £48,000:
£8,400 + £4,480 = £12,880
£12,880 = 26.8% of £48,000
Therefore, the total annual tax deduction on annual earning of £48,000 will be £12,880. This equal to 26.8% of the total earning.