GP Pay in 2023/24: Partners Rise, Salaried Stagnate – Two Sides of the Same Coin

The 2023/24 GP pay figures are in, and they tell a story of two very different experiences: partners finally saw a strong uplift, while salaried GPs slipped behind in real terms. Both outcomes make sense when you look closer.

📈 Partners: A Long-Awaited Pay Rise

GP partners saw average income rise by around 13%, jumping from ~£140k to nearly £160k.

For partners, this was the first meaningful boost in years. After over a decade of pay erosion and rising costs, the extra funding streams linked to contract uplifts and pandemic recovery work provided some breathing space. It’s a reminder that partnership still carries financial upside — alongside the pressure of managing a business, keeping the books balanced, and being accountable for everything from premises to payroll.

📉 Salaried GPs: Nominal Rise, Real-Terms Loss

Salaried GPs, on the other hand, saw an average pay increase of about 4.3%, to ~£72k. Unfortunately, with inflation higher than that, it translated into a real-terms cut of around 1%.

It’s a frustrating outcome. Salaried GPs are the workhorses of many practices, taking on the same clinical load as partners but without the upside of rising drawings. Their stability and security come at the cost of being exposed when inflation eats into modest uplifts.

⚖️ Two Roles, Two Realities

The divide isn’t about fairness — it’s about structure.

Partners take on risk and responsibility, and 2023/24 happened to be a year where the rewards came through.

Salaried GPs provide stability and predictability, but saw their pay stagnate as costs climbed faster than uplifts.

Both stories are true: partners deserved some financial relief after years of tightening margins, and salaried colleagues deserved more than to lose ground in real terms.

🩺 Why It Matters for the Profession

For partners, the figures may reignite interest in joining the partnership track — though workload and liability remain barriers.

For salaried GPs, persistent stagnation risks fuelling disillusionment, particularly among younger doctors considering long-term careers in primary care.

For the system, widening pay divergence could strain morale in practices where partners and salaried colleagues already feel the workload pinch.

🔍 The Bottom Line

Partners: up ~13%, finally catching a break after years of erosion.

Salaried GPs: up ~4% nominal, but a real-terms cut.

Neither outcome is “wrong” — they reflect the different roles, risks, and rewards built into the system.

If general practice is to remain sustainable, both models need to feel valued. Partners need to see that the risk is worthwhile, and salaried doctors need pay that doesn’t leave them worse off year on year.