Locum optometrist
Low £350.00Typical £450.00High £700.00
Rate benchmark
Locum optometrist rates in the UK, 2026
£450.00typical per day
Indicative pay ranges for UK locum optometrists in the 2026/27 tax year. What’s typical, what drives variance, and how to benchmark your own rate against the market.
Ledger | Indicative 2026 range
Low, typical, and high.
High-street day rates (Specsavers, Boots Opticians, Vision Express) sit £350 to £500/day. Independent practices pay £380 to £550. Domiciliary (OutsideClinic) £400 to £600 plus mileage. London, weekend, and short-notice premium reaches £500 to £700/day. MECS and glaucoma enhanced services add £60 to £120 per session where accredited; Independent Prescribing (IP) qualification adds £50 to £100/day. Corporate chains have moved many extended bookings to umbrella/PAYE since 2021 private-sector IR35 reform.
| Rangeper day | LowIndicative | TypicalIndicative | HighIndicative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indicative 2026 range (per day) | £350.00 | £450.00 | £700.00 |
Indicative 2026 range (per day)
Every figure on this page, including the ranges in the text above, is Sessional's own estimate and not a survey result. In forming them we looked at: AOP member surveys; OLA (Optometry Locum Alliance) and Optilocum platform data. We do not link to them because several are for members only or change often, so treat the ranges as a guide and check current adverts. Real rates vary by individual contract and market conditions. Sessional doesn't guarantee any specific rate and your individual outcome depends on your negotiation and the organisations you work with. Figures last reviewed .
01 | Market context
05Rate driversWhat drives the variance
For optometrists, enhanced services (MECS, glaucoma) and an Independent Prescribing qualification both add a meaningful uplift on top of the standard high-street day rate.
Geography: London and the South East usually pay above the rest of the country, and rates elsewhere follow local demand.
Urgency: last-minute cover pays more. Organisations covering a sudden gap often pay noticeably above their standard rate.
Specialty: out-of-hours, unplanned care, specialist wards, and complex caseload all uplift the base rate.
Volume: regular weekly bookings are usually offered at a lower rate than ad-hoc shifts in exchange for certainty.
Route to market: direct bookings pay more than agency routes because no one takes a cut.
02 | Your ledger
04Benchmarking stepsHow to benchmark your own rate
Write down the last ten bookings you accepted and the rate you charged or received.
Break them down by region, urgency, and duration.
Compare each against the typical range above. If you are consistently at or below the low end on standard bookings, you are probably underpriced.
Next time you are asked for your rate on a standard booking in a London or South East organisation, quote the typical figure from the headline above and see what happens. A refusal tells you about the booking, not your rate.
03 | Questions
03Short answersLocum optometrist rates: common questions
How much do locum optometrists earn per day in 2026?
Indicative 2026 rates for UK locum optometrists run from £350.00 to £700.00 per day, with £450.00 typical. These are Sessional's own estimates, not survey results. In forming them we looked at: AOP member surveys; OLA (Optometry Locum Alliance) and Optilocum platform data. Real rates vary by contract, region and notice, so check current adverts before you quote.
What makes rates for locum optometrists higher or lower?
For optometrists, enhanced services (MECS, glaucoma) and an Independent Prescribing qualification both add a meaningful uplift on top of the standard high-street day rate.
Does Sessional set or guarantee these rates?
No. The figures are indicative, and your rate depends on your negotiation and the organisations you work with. Sessional records the rates you actually charge so you can compare them with this range.
04 | 34 cities
Look up your city
01Locum optometrist in London02Locum optometrist in Manchester03Locum optometrist in Birmingham04Locum optometrist in Leeds05Locum optometrist in Liverpool06Locum optometrist in Sheffield07Locum optometrist in Bristol08Locum optometrist in Newcastle09Locum optometrist in Nottingham10Locum optometrist in Leicester11Locum optometrist in Coventry12Locum optometrist in Bradford13Locum optometrist in Southampton14Locum optometrist in Portsmouth15Locum optometrist in Brighton16Locum optometrist in Reading17Locum optometrist in Oxford18Locum optometrist in Cambridge19Locum optometrist in Norwich20Locum optometrist in Milton Keynes21Locum optometrist in York22Locum optometrist in Plymouth23Locum optometrist in Derby24Locum optometrist in Stoke-on-Trent25Locum optometrist in Hull26Locum optometrist in Sunderland27Locum optometrist in Glasgow28Locum optometrist in Edinburgh29Locum optometrist in Aberdeen30Locum optometrist in Dundee31Locum optometrist in Cardiff32Locum optometrist in Swansea33Locum optometrist in Newport34Locum optometrist in Belfast
Figures last reviewed 24 April 2026
Run your locum work like a business. Minus the accountant.
Keeps the records, does the sums. Filing and advice stay with you and your accountant.
Log every booking in Sessional and keep the rate you actually agreed against each one. Basic is free with no card; earnings by organisation and by month come with the reporting on Pro.