UK General Practitioners Earn Over £300,000 Annually Amid Funding Disputes

Hundreds of general practitioners in the UK are earning at least £300,000 annually, with their pay increasing by approximately 20% over the past decade, according to a report from The Health Foundation. The findings emerge amidst an ongoing dispute between GP partners and the government concerning the underfunding of family doctor services.

The report reveals that one in ten self-employed GP partners in England now earn over £250,000 per year, with about one in twenty exceeding £300,000. This income level surpasses that of most NHS chief executives and is around a third higher than the top salary for hospital consultants.

GP partners, who are self-employed but hold NHS contracts, constitute 43% of GPs in England, a decrease from 67% in 2015. In contrast, salaried GPs, directly employed by practices, earn significantly less. The Health Foundation estimates that the average income for a GP partner in 2023-24 was £164,000, an inflation-adjusted increase of about 20% from 2013-14. Salaried GPs, during the same period, earned approximately £75,000.

Per session, contracted GPs earn an estimated £409, compared to £216 for salaried GPs. Over 80% of salaried GPs earn less than £100,000 annually, while only about a fifth of contracted GPs fall into this income bracket. The report also highlighted gender pay disparities, with male GPs consistently earning more than their female counterparts in both contracted and salaried roles.

Despite pledges to increase funding, the overall share of the NHS budget allocated to general practice has reportedly fallen from 8.8% in 2015-16 to an projected 8.3% in 2025-26. Dr. Luisa Pettigrew, a senior policy fellow at The Health Foundation, stated that general practice funding has not kept pace with its expanding role. She emphasized the need for a multi-year commitment to increased investment and a review of funding allocations to ensure fairness and efficiency.

Medical unions, such as the British Medical Association (BMA), have advocated for GPs to reduce workloads and are demanding an additional £3.5 billion for family doctor services. An NHS England spokesman countered that record investment has led to increased activity, with appointment numbers in June 2026 up almost 50% compared to June 2019, and patient satisfaction showing an upward trend.