According to the new contract for junior doctors, the banding system has changed. This post describes the banding system for the old contracts. To get an idea of “banding” according to the New Contract, please click here.
What is Banding?
Banding is the extra pay we make for working unsocial hours.
What are social and unsocial hours?
9 AM to 5 PM from Monday to Friday are social hours. All other hours are unsocial hours.
Explanation of Banding
Our basic contract includes 40 hours of work per week. This is only for social hours. However, the presence of 12-hour on-call/night duties means that we have to work during unsocial hours as well.
Due to the unsocial hours, we work slightly over 40 hours over per week (on average, it is 44 hours per week). We get paid extra to work these unsocial hours. This extra pay is known as banding.
Types of Banding
There are many different types of bandings as explained here. But most doctors have 1A or 1B banding in their contract.
1A Banding
This is for doctors who are working slightly more hectic shifts (more unsocial hours). It includes 50% extra salary over the basic pay. For example, if your monthly income was £1,900, you will get paid £2,850.
Example: A&E work is mostly busy and thus, includes 1A banding.
1B Banding
This is for doctors who are working slightly less hectic shifts (less unsocial hours). It includes 40% extra salary over the basic pay. For example, if your monthly income was £1,900, you will get paid £2,660.
Example: General Medicine rotations mostly include 1A banding.
Useful Links
- “Banding” According to the New Contract for Junior Doctors
- Pay Scales for Junior Doctors in the UK
- Taxation in the UK
Frequently Asked Questions
1. 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.
You can read more about pay scales for junior doctors in the UK here.
2. 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.
3. How much tax would be deducted from my income?
Depending on their grade, 17% to 27% tax is deducted from a junior doctor’s salary. You can read more about taxation in the UK here.
4. What are the usual working hours for doctors in the UK?
Average working hours for junior doctors in the UK are 40 to 48 hours per week. You can read more about working hours here.