NHS Podiatrist Salary 2026/27: From Band 5 to Consultant

Podiatrists diagnose and treat problems with the feet and lower limbs. In the NHS much of the work involves people with diabetes, circulation problems, wounds, arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. "Podiatrist" and "chiropodist" are both protected titles, so you must be registered with the HCPC to use them.

Podiatrist pay for 2026/27

Take-home pay at each stage

Full time, with the NHS Pension and tax code 1257L, no student loan:

Where NHS podiatrists work

Most NHS podiatry is in the community, in health centres, clinics, people's homes and care homes, with some hospital-based roles in diabetes foot clinics and vascular services. Community posts usually work weekday hours, so unsocial hours payments are uncommon, but staff who drive between clinics can claim mileage. The mileage calculator shows what that is worth.

Specialist routes

Podiatry has several distinctive specialist paths:

• Diabetes and high-risk foot care, a major area in the NHS, often reaching Band 6 or 7
• Musculoskeletal podiatry, including gait analysis and orthotics
• Wound care and vascular podiatry
• Podiatric surgery, a long postgraduate training route leading to consultant roles that carry out foot surgery
• Independent prescribing, which podiatrists can train for, supporting advanced roles

Becoming a podiatrist

You need an HCPC-approved degree in podiatry. Students in England can usually apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund, and podiatry degree apprenticeships are offered in some areas, often for existing assistants.

Podiatry has had workforce shortages in many parts of the country, so newly qualified podiatrists often have a good choice of posts.

NHS or private practice?

Many podiatrists work privately or combine an NHS post with private clinics. Private work can pay well per appointment, but self-employed podiatrists pay for their own premises, insurance, equipment and pension. An NHS post includes the employer pension contribution of 23.7% of salary, NHS sick pay and up to 33 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.

Professional fees

Your HCPC registration fee and membership of the Royal College of Podiatry are on HMRC's approved list for tax relief. Uniformed podiatrists can also claim the flat rate for laundering. See our tax rebate guide.

Common questions

Is a podiatrist the same as a chiropodist? Yes. Both titles are protected and mean the same profession.

Do podiatrists get London weighting? Yes, at 15% or 20% of basic pay within limits, depending on the zone.

How long does podiatric surgery training take? It is a long route after qualification, typically several years of postgraduate training and supervised practice.

A podiatrist's career in numbers

A simplified example at 2026/27 rates, for a podiatrist who specialises in diabetes foot care at Band 6 after two years and moves to a Band 7 highly specialist post after seven:

The pay progression calculator shows exactly when your next step on your current band is due.

Work out your pay

Use the take-home pay calculator for your band and hours.