An anaesthetist in the NHS in England earns £113,565 to £150,569 as a consultant in 2026/27, after specialty training that the Royal College of Anaesthetists puts at seven years. Pay is national. This guide covers every grade, the route in and the costs.
Anaesthetist salary UK 2026/27 by grade
Anaesthetists are paid on national NHS doctor scales.
| Grade or point | Salary 2026/27 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Year 1 (FY1) | £41,226 | Year after medical school |
| Foundation Year 2 (FY2) | £47,610 | |
| ST1/ST2 or CT1/CT2 | £55,355 | First two years of specialty or core training |
| ST3/CT3 | £67,325 | |
| ST4 to ST5 | £67,998 | |
| ST6 | £76,582 | |
| ST7 to ST8 | £77,348 | Check the BMA scale for your exact nodal point |
| Consultant, thresholds 0 to 2 | £113,565 | Starting salary |
| Consultant, threshold 3 | £120,249 | |
| Consultant, thresholds 4 to 7 | £123,672 | |
| Consultant, thresholds 8 to 13 | £135,645 | |
| Consultant, thresholds 14 to 19 | £150,569 | Top of the scale |
Source: NHS Employers pay circular M&D 1/2026 R2 and the BMA scales. Basic pay only; excludes Clinical Impact Awards and on-call pay.
Anaesthetist pay point picker
How to become an anaesthetist in the UK
The Royal College of Anaesthetists sets the training pathway.
- Medical degree: 5 years, or 4 years for graduate entry.
- Foundation programme: 2 years.
- Specialty training: indicative length 7 years: CT1 to CT3, then ST4 to ST5, then ST6 to ST7, with entry at CT1 or ST4 (RCoA 2021 curriculum). NHS Health Careers quotes a minimum of 7 or 8 years.
- Consultant post: after the certificate of completion of training; consultant pay starts at £113,565.
What anaesthetists say about the job
Seeing patients wake up safely “always makes my job worthwhile.”
Dr Sarah Plummer, consultant anaesthetist, on NHS Health Careers. One person’s view. Source
Costs and what affects pay
Registration: the annual GMC fee with a licence to practise is £481 from 1 April 2026, up from £463. Recent graduates can pay a discounted £184 fee.
Hours: a full-time consultant job plan is 10 programmed activities of four hours. We found no official figure for typical weekly hours of trainees, so we do not quote one.
What moves your pay: time served, on-call and out-of-hours work, locum shifts and additional programmed activities.
Anaesthetist salary FAQ
How much does an anaesthetist earn in the UK?
An NHS consultant in England earns £113,565 to £150,569 basic pay in 2026/27 depending on years served.
How long does it take to become an anaesthetist?
Medical school 5 years (4 if graduate entry), foundation 2 years and about 7 years of specialty training, per the Royal College of Anaesthetists.
Is anaesthetist pay the same across the UK?
The figures here are for England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland publish their own scales.
What is the GMC fee?
£481 a year with a licence to practise from 1 April 2026.
Sources and further reading
- NHS Employers pay circular for doctors, M&D 1/2026 R2 (July 2026)
- BMA pay scales for resident doctors in England
- BMA pay scales for consultants in England
- GMC fees for doctors
- NHS Health Careers: anaesthesia
- RCoA training pathway and duration
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Updated November 2026. Figures are England 2026/27 basic pay; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland publish their own scales.
