Locum radiographer
Low £25.00Typical £40.00High £70.00
Rate benchmark
Locum radiographer rates in the UK, 2026
£40.00typical per hour
Indicative pay ranges for UK locum radiographers 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.
Modality matters: Band 6 diagnostic agency sits £32 to £42/hr; Band 7 CT or MRI runs £40 to £52/hr; Band 7 reporting radiographers earn £50 to £70/hr with a scope-of-practice sign-off. Insourcing weekend MRI reporting blitz can reach £600 to £1,200/day. Therapeutic radiography has a thin, NHS-dominated locum market. Teleradiography reporting contracts (Medica, 4Ways, Everlight) price per report.
| Rangeper hour | LowIndicative | TypicalIndicative | HighIndicative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indicative 2026 range (per hour) | £25.00 | £40.00 | £70.00 |
Indicative 2026 range (per hour)
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: Society of Radiographers published guidance; NHS England agency rate caps; Teleradiography provider published reporting rates. 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 radiographers, modality is the biggest single factor: reporting and CT/MRI work pays well above general diagnostic cover.
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 radiographer rates: common questions
How much do locum radiographers earn per hour in 2026?
Indicative 2026 rates for UK locum radiographers run from £25.00 to £70.00 per hour, with £40.00 typical. These are Sessional's own estimates, not survey results. In forming them we looked at: Society of Radiographers published guidance; NHS England agency rate caps; Teleradiography provider published reporting rates. Real rates vary by contract, region and notice, so check current adverts before you quote.
What makes rates for locum radiographers higher or lower?
For radiographers, modality is the biggest single factor: reporting and CT/MRI work pays well above general diagnostic cover.
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 radiographer in London02Locum radiographer in Manchester03Locum radiographer in Birmingham04Locum radiographer in Leeds05Locum radiographer in Liverpool06Locum radiographer in Sheffield07Locum radiographer in Bristol08Locum radiographer in Newcastle09Locum radiographer in Nottingham10Locum radiographer in Leicester11Locum radiographer in Coventry12Locum radiographer in Bradford13Locum radiographer in Southampton14Locum radiographer in Portsmouth15Locum radiographer in Brighton16Locum radiographer in Reading17Locum radiographer in Oxford18Locum radiographer in Cambridge19Locum radiographer in Norwich20Locum radiographer in Milton Keynes21Locum radiographer in York22Locum radiographer in Plymouth23Locum radiographer in Derby24Locum radiographer in Stoke-on-Trent25Locum radiographer in Hull26Locum radiographer in Sunderland27Locum radiographer in Glasgow28Locum radiographer in Edinburgh29Locum radiographer in Aberdeen30Locum radiographer in Dundee31Locum radiographer in Cardiff32Locum radiographer in Swansea33Locum radiographer in Newport34Locum radiographer 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.