How would the offer impact my pay to the end of 31 March 2027?

We have prepared the following tables setting out pay journeys of resident doctors over the two years. This includes a flat percentage uplift each year, the pay point increases each year, and the standard progression that normally occurs each year in August. Please keep in mind that if resident doctors accept a new contract in 2026/27, this will almost certainly include a revised pay scale, which would supersede the second pay point increase in December 2026. You will be fully informed and can vote on whether to accept a new contract.

If I’m not on a standard pay journey (and it's not reflected by the tables provided), what would this mean for me?

Your normal progression dates will be as normal. The flat percentage uplifts each year, and additional pay point increases will apply as above.

How do the pay uplifts and pay point increases impact on banding?

Banding supplements are applied as a multiple of resident doctor basic pay. The pay uplifts, pay point increases and consolidated payments would increase your basic pay. Banding supplements would be calculated on your new basic pay.

I am in specialty training and am reaching the top of the pay scale quickly. Will new pay points be added to the top of the payscale, or will I stay at the top point for longer?

This offer does not change the number of pay points on, or add new pay points to, the pay scale.

The Scottish Government offer says that any doctor at the top of their respective pay scale who cannot benefit from a pay point increase will receive the equivalent value of a consolidated payment to enable further progression and ensure that all doctors are treated equitably.

Protection is in place for doctors already at the top of the pay scale. Where accelerated progression would otherwise have no effect, doctors at the top point will receive a consolidated, proportional increase, ensuring they receive the same percentage uplift as those immediately below them on the pay scale.

How are the average end-of-year pay increase figures of 9.9% and 9.4% calculated?

These figures describe the total average increase in pay by the end of each financial year, not a single headline uplift. This offer is a combination of:

• the 4.25% uplift in April 2025, and an additional pay point progression from 1 December 2025
• a 3.75% uplift in April 2026, and a further additional pay point progression from 1 December 2026.

The 9.9% and 9.4% figures are workforce averages: individual outcomes will vary depending on grade, starting point on the scale, and timing of pay progressions. Please refer to the table to find out specific increases for each pay point. This means that different grades will receive different percentage uplifts in each year covered by the terms of this offer because the existing pay scale does not have linear progression as you move up pay points. Unfortunately, a pay offer that only included improved flat uplifts could not be agreed with the Scottish Government despite this being SRDC’s preference.

The Scottish Government has described lower headline figures (8.16%) because it focuses only on the cumulative value of the flat percentage uplifts and does not include accelerated pay point progression. Pay point increases are investment into contract reform but are being applied in the form of increased pay, which therefore results in a higher total increase in take-home pay.

What are the most up-to-date pay erosion figures? How far are we from full pay restoration?

When compared to "junior doctor” pay in 2008, resident doctor wages from 1 December 2026 would remain 6.2% below the historic baseline after taking Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation into account. Pay erosion peaked at 28.2% in 2022/23, after 15 years of real terms pay cuts.

Since 2023/24 SRDC has negotiated an average 50.0% pay increase for Scottish resident doctors, reversing nearly 80% of the pay erosion resident doctors have endured. The offer would return real terms pay to 2010 levels.

Please note that the pay erosion figures for 2025/26 and 2026/27 are based on predicted RPI inflation, which the BMA assesses after the fact at the end of the financial pay year. Also, this graph relates to FY doctor pay, pay erosion for STs is marginally worse because of a differential pay uplift in 2010/11. Pay erosion for STs under the offer in 2026/27 would be -6.6%.

Will I get any back pay if this offer is accepted?

The following backpay will apply:

• backpay of 4.25% from April 2025 (or the earliest date on or after April 2025 by which you were employed on a relevant resident doctor contract with NHS Scotland). This uplift has already been actioned, and back pay should be imminent.
• additional backpay of one pay point progression to December 2025, if the offer is accepted. SRDC is clear that this should be paid as quickly as is reasonably possible, which is normally no more than 2 months from acceptance of the offer.

Why are people receiving pay point increases instead of the pay points being permanently changed?

Permanent change to the pay scale will be subject to full contractual negotiations, which have been ongoing since 2023. The aim is that pay points will be changed in future as part of ongoing contract reform. If a revised contract is successfully negotiated the proposed new contract (including pay scale reform) will be put to a vote of resident doctor members in Scotland, with the aim being that this will take place in time for implementation by 1 December 2026. 

Until this process concludes, the current pay scale remains in place. With this offer, SRDC has negotiated additional investment into the overall pay envelope now, to be distributed immediately via accelerated progression through the existing pay scales.
 

Does this change or replace the date I am already scheduled to move up the payscale as part of annual pay progression?

No, your existing pay progression dates remain the same. The additional pay point progressions are on top of your normal progression, not instead of it.

What happens to the pay scales from the financial year 2027/28? Is this a temporary investment that will be removed? Is this a one-off investment to avoid strikes?

The pay you would reach under this offer is consolidated, meaning that it remains in your salary throughout your career. It is not temporary and cannot be taken away. Once you move up a pay point, the higher salary becomes your new baseline, which will always persist for you. FY1s entering in August 2026 are protected via starting on one pay point higher than previously.

Regarding doctors entering from August 2027: this deal sets August 2026 as the date for the new contract to be agreed, and December 2026 for the new contract to be implemented. Our expectation is that the current investment into resident doctor pay will transfer over to new pay scales in this new contract. BMA Scotland would not countenance a contract which does not include the continuation of the benefits from this offer for new doctors from August 2027 as a minimum. This does not preclude further additional investment through the new contract.

Any proposed changes to pay scales will be subject to a vote by Scottish resident doctors (who are BMA members) before they are implemented and can be rejected if they are deemed insufficient. This is not a one-off payment or a short-term fix. It is permanent, recurring investment into resident doctor pay.

As part of the 2023 agreement, it was agreed that a new a pay review mechanism must be implemented to prevent pay erosion ever recurring in the future. The new 2026 offer also puts a deadline on this – 1 December 2026. This would mean pay erosion must never recur from 2027/28 and that future awards would never fall below inflation, giving due regard to RPI as well as CPI.

What does “contract reform” mean in the context of this offer?

Contract reform refers to structural changes to the resident doctor contract, including:

• the design of pay scales
• mechanisms to prevent pay erosion in future
• how progression works over time
• working hours, training delivery, rota rules, leave provision, breaks, and much more.

Comprehensive contract reform has been ongoing since 2023, as per the terms of the 2023 pay and contract agreement, and will resume shortly now that a credible pay offer has been reached. This offer does not replace contract reform; instead, this offer delivers immediate pay improvement while reform negotiations continue in parallel. These negotiations should conclude by August 2026, for implementation by December 2026.

What happens if a new contract is not agreed by August 2026?

If no new contract is agreed by that point:

• the current contract remains in place; and,
• the pay increases delivered under this offer remain in place.

There is no automatic loss of pay and no reversal of progression if contract reform takes longer. However, pay for new resident doctors from August 2027 could be disadvantaged compared to existing doctors as they would enter the pay scales at lower points than at those secured by this offer. This is an untenable situation, as the 2023 agreement ensures there is no further pay erosion. BMA SRDC would immediately consider formal dispute and a ballot of members to protect future doctors.

I’m in core training nearing the 5th pay point on the StR (CT) scale quickly. Will I move up the StR/SpR pay scale like those in specialty training, or get a proportional increase?

You will not lose out.

Where doctors reach the top of a shorter scale, the value of accelerated progression is carried forward proportionally, rather than disappearing. Core trainees are not penalised for being on a shorter pay scale. As above, the Scottish Government's offer says that any doctor at the top of their respective pay scale who cannot benefit from a pay point increase will receive the equivalent value of a consolidated payment to enable further progression and ensure that all doctors are treated equitably.

I am a Less-Than-Full-Time (LTFT) foundation trainee, and this offer would mean my current pay is higher than my next increment point. Will I be taking a pay cut?

No. Pay progression cannot result in a reduction in salary. If a move up the pay scale would otherwise cause this, pay is protected at the higher level. There is no scenario under this offer in which an LTFT trainee takes a pay cut.

For example, if you are an LTFT FY2-1 and your next regularly scheduled increment point is RD-0, you will instead progress to RD-1. This is the same mechanism that exists currently, regardless of whether the offer is accepted or not.

I am a medical student who will join the workforce in 2026 or 2027. Does this leave behind the future doctors who will start working after this offer?

No. Future starters will receive higher pay baselines than would otherwise have existed, because this offer raises pay positions on the scale. FY1s starting in August 2026 are specifically included in this offer so that they do not miss the benefits of the December 2026 pay point increase – those doctors will start on £39,648.

For FY1s starting in August 2027 the aim is that these doctors (and all future FY1s) will receive the full benefit of this uplift when the pay system is re-designed during contract reform, using the significant additional investment this offer would secure. If a new contract cannot be agreed the BMA will take action to ensure future doctors do not suffer from pay erosion.

I was not employed in December 2025 – will I miss out on the first incremental uplift if I join the workforce now?

No. Eligibility is based on being employed when the relevant pay progression is applied, not on employment on a particular reference date. Doctors joining the workforce after December 2025 are not excluded from accelerated progression or future protections.

There are future pay elements to this offer. What happens if the Scottish Government tries to break a deal once agreed?

If the Scottish Government fails to honour this agreement, SRDC reserves the right to enter industrial dispute, including to ballot for industrial action. We have shown – twice – that a strike mandate can be delivered by Scottish resident doctors, and we will stand up for our rights and for full pay restoration if we feel progress is insufficient. Should the Scottish Government renege on any of the terms of an accepted offer, we would not hesitate to use all avenues available to us to hold them to account and to stop any deals being broken.  

Why are there no additional jobs or training places as part of this offer?

Jobs and an increase in training places were not part of this dispute and are separate issues to full pay restoration and linked contractual form. SRDC went into formal dispute on the basis that the Scottish Government broke our 2023 pay deal, by failing to negotiate a credible pay uplift in 2025/26 or 2026/27. Our 2023 deal did not include any commitments on jobs, meaning we are using other avenues to increase jobs and training numbers.

This is a crucially important issue and SRDC are working in several ways, for example by looking to secure a workforce expansion through engaging with the Scottish Government’s Future Medical Workforce project, and other bodies such as NHS Education for Scotland. The Scottish GP Committee has just secured progress towards full funding restoration, including a recurring investment to increase the workforce. Jobs matter to BMA Scotland, and we are already winning on them in other areas.

Lastly, as most recruitment is done on a four-nation basis, most of the work on this issue is being done at a UK level, rather than just in Scotland. Though the Scottish Government does have some power and scope to increase numbers, full reform is likely only achievable on a whole-UK basis. Work is ongoing including collaboration between UK RDC and SRDC to stand up for Scottish doctors. In England, an increase in job numbers and training places ARE a goal from their ongoing, dual-issue dispute. This is a different strategy, but one that SRDC completely supports.

Would we get a better offer if we went on strike?

The Scottish Government say that this is their final offer, and the negotiating team believes that this offer is the best available at the current time, after significant compromises by both sides. There is no guarantee that strike action would mean a better offer being tabled. In England, there have been instances in their dispute where the UK Government has removed some aspects of previous offers in response to rounds of strike action. 

What happens if this offer is accepted?

If this offer is accepted, the current dispute between the Scottish Government and SRDC will end and contract negotiations will resume. Everyone employed at time of acceptance will immediately move up a pay point, and corresponding back pay for this uplift should be coordinated by payroll departments, payable on wages since 1 December 2025. 

A further uplift of 3.75% will take effect from 1 April 2026. Employed doctors will move up a further increment point on 1 December 2026, unless these arrangements have been superseded by new contractual arrangements.

What happens if this offer is rejected?

If this offer is rejected, the Scottish Government and SRDC will remain in dispute. SRDC will seek to re-enter negotiations, and we retain a mandate for strike action until June 2026. There is no guarantee that further progress will be made. This offer was framed as the “final offer”. The imposed uplifts of 4.25% for 2025/26, and 3.75% for 2026/27, will be applied as currently scheduled.

My only current contract of employment is with the staff bank / as a locum, does this offer benefit me?

This offer does not apply to locum rates, although staff bank rates have historically risen in line with the national pay scale. You will therefore benefit from the 8.16% uplift over two years. The pay point progression component applies to those who have a substantive resident doctor contract at the time the pay point progression is applied. You will receive immediate benefit from this if you have substantive employment at the time the promotion is applied. You will not receive this if your only contract of employment is as a locum.

The intention is that this investment will be built into the new pay system as part of resident doctor contract reforms, meaning no resident doctor will miss out on the benefits of this investment now, or in the future.

I am employed by a university. Does this offer apply to me?

During negotiations, in written exchanges with the Scottish Government we made it clear we expected the offer to apply to resident doctors employed as clinical academics. 

We expect that the precedent for commensurate uplifts being awarded will continue if this offer is accepted. Indeed, when the Scottish Government’s initial pay award was imposed, the University and Colleges Employer Association issued a pay circular reflecting this change. It would not be consistent or equitable if the additional benefits of the current improved offer did not apply to resident doctors employed by universities.

Why is SRDC recommending this offer?

Resident doctors have won a significant increase in investment as a result of their strong support for industrial action. We entered this dispute as we believed the Scottish Government’s original pay offer, after many months of negotiations, did not meet the terms of our 2023 agreement, particularly around making credible progress to pay restoration in each financial year until 2027. By showing such strong support for industrial action, resident doctors have won a pot of investment that is 2.5x larger than the original investment.  We are recommending this offer because we believe this meets the terms of the 2023 agreement, represents substantial progress, and is the best path forward to achieving full pay restoration.  

Consultative vote FAQs

What are opening and closing dates of the consultative vote?

The vote will open on Monday 26th January 2026 and will close 12 noon Tuesday 10th February 2026.

Will the consultative vote be postal or online? 

The consultative vote will be conducted online.  You will receive a specific voting link via email to cast your vote.

What is the last date to be a member to be included in the consultative vote?

You must be a BMA member on or before 2 February to be able to participate in the consultative vote.

When will the BMA share the results of the consultative vote with members?

We will announce next steps as quickly as possible after the result of the vote is known. The vote closes at 12 noon on 10 February, and it is likely to be early on 11 February before we will have results fully verified and ready to announce.

I’ve not received my voting link what should I do?

If you are eligible (see above) to participate in the referendum, by now you should have received your link to vote in the referendum. If not check the following: 

• Try finding the email by searching by sender: the Civica emails have been sent by ‘[email protected]’ and you should be able to search and find emails by sender from that address.
• Try finding the email by searching by subject: you should also be able to find emails by subject, searching for ‘BMA Scotland: Consultative vote for Resident doctor pay - your voting link

It is worth searching in your inbox, spam or junk folders and your deleted or bin folders.