Free tool | UK locum GPs
Locum GP pay check: how does your session rate compare?
Divide your session fee by its length to get your hourly rate, then compare it with Sessional's reference rate of £100 an hour (£400 for a four-hour session) and the typical rate for your region, which runs from £99.00 an hour in North East, Wales and Northern Ireland to £126.50 in London. Enter your numbers below to see where you sit. Free, no signup, no email capture.
Sessional's reference rate, September 2026, from the rates our users record and the regional benchmark; not a BMA figure. The regional figures are Sessional's benchmarks too: there is no official rate for self-employed locum GPs. The BMA's competition law guidance says it cannot advise the rates at which locums who are not employed provide their services. Checked on .
Interactive worksheet | Rate comparison
Result
Fill in the form. Result is shown here.
Sessional's reference rate, September 2026, from the rates our users record and the regional benchmark; not a BMA figure.
Source note | 2026 benchmarks
Where the numbers come from
Sessional's reference rate, September 2026, from the rates our users record and the regional benchmark; not a BMA figure. Sessional is not affiliated with or endorsed by the BMA. The BMA does not recommend rates for self-employed locums. The UK figure and the regional factors are Sessional's own estimate from advertised locum GP rates and rate surveys we have read. They are not an official statistic and we have not published the data behind them, so treat them as a rough guide.
Figures are indicative. Your individual rate depends on negotiation, the specific booking, urgency, OOH or weekend uplifts, and the organisation. This tool exists to anchor the conversation, not to dictate it.
Method note | Three steps
How does the pay check work?
1. Your hourly rate. The tool divides your session fee by the session length you pick (3, 4, 4.5, 5 hours). A £450 fee for a four-hour session is £112.50 an hour. Comparing by the hour keeps a long session and a short one on the same footing.
2. Two comparisons. Your hourly rate is set against Sessional's reference rate of £100 an hour, which is the same everywhere, and against the typical rate for your region: a UK estimate of £110 an hour multiplied by a regional factor.
3. A verdict. Below the reference rate, the result shows the shortfall per session and over a year of 200 sessions, roughly four a week for 50 weeks. Above the reference rate but below your region's typical rate, it shows the gap to the regional figure. At or above both, it says so. The GP pension, indemnity and expenses you pay out of the fee are not deducted: the tool compares gross session fees only.
| Region | Typical per hour | Four-hour session |
|---|---|---|
| London | £126.50 | £506.00 |
| South East | £121.00 | £484.00 |
| South West | £110.00 | £440.00 |
| East of England | £115.50 | £462.00 |
| East Midlands | £104.50 | £418.00 |
| West Midlands | £104.50 | £418.00 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £101.20 | £404.80 |
| North West | £104.50 | £418.00 |
| North East | £99.00 | £396.00 |
| Scotland | £104.50 | £418.00 |
| Wales | £99.00 | £396.00 |
| Northern Ireland | £99.00 | £396.00 |
Reference notes | Pay check questions
Frequently asked questions
What is Sessional's reference rate for locum GP pay in 2026?
£100 per hour, which equates to £400 for a standard four-hour session. Sessional's reference rate, September 2026, from the rates our users record and the regional benchmark; not a BMA figure. The BMA does not recommend rates for self-employed locums.
How does this tool decide what the typical regional rate is?
It starts from a UK figure of £110 an hour and multiplies it by a factor for each region. The UK figure and the regional factors are Sessional's own estimate from advertised locum GP rates and rate surveys we have read. They are not an official statistic and we have not published the data behind them, so treat them as a rough guide. London and the South East sit above the UK figure; Wales and the North East below.
Is this guaranteed?
No. Figures are indicative and your individual rate depends on negotiation, organisation, urgency, and the specific work. The tool exists to anchor the conversation, not to dictate.
Once the rate is agreed, Sessional for locum GPs logs each session, raises the invoice and, on Plus, pre-fills NHS pension Form A and Form B from the same sessions.