What qualifications do I need to become an NHS psychologist?

For clinical psychologist posts: a BPS-accredited psychology degree, relevant clinical experience (usually gained in assistant psychologist or research roles), a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy), and HCPC registration. Counselling and health psychologists have separate doctoral routes.

What is the difference between Band 7 and Band 8 psychologists?

Band 7 psychologists are typically qualified clinical psychologists in their first years of post-qualification practice. Band 8a and above includes principal and consultant psychologists with additional responsibilities such as service leadership, specialist expertise, or significant supervisory roles.

How much do NHS psychologists earn?

Under the 2026/27 pay scale, NHS psychologists typically start at Band 7 (approximately £49,000-£57,000) and can progress to Band 8a-8d roles (£58,000-£109,000). Consultant psychologists and heads of service at Band 8c-8d earn the highest salaries.

Which NHS trusts hire psychologists in London?

Major NHS employers for psychologists in London include Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and more.

Psychology Jobs in London

NHS psychology posts include clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, health psychologists, and assistant psychologist roles. Qualified psychologists typically enter at Band 7 after completing a doctoral programme, with principal and consultant posts at Band 8. Competition for training places and qualified posts is high, so the person specification matters more than usual.

38 live vacancies in London · 10 NHS employers · updated hourly

View all NHS jobs in London

Open Positions

£54k - £86k

Salary Range

NHS Trusts

New This Week

Working in Psychology roles in London

London has more NHS employers than any other UK city. Roles span major teaching hospitals, standalone specialist centres like Great Ormond Street, community trusts, and mental health providers. High-cost area supplements of up to 20% apply to most posts. For psychology candidates, this means roles can appear across acute hospitals, community services, specialist teams, mental health providers, and integrated care settings depending on the local NHS workforce mix.

Job Clerk is currently tracking 38 live psychology vacancies in London from 10 NHS employers. New posts can include permanent, fixed-term, bank, part-time, and rotational opportunities, so it is worth checking both the broad Psychology results and the band-specific pages below.

Recent salary data for these psychology roles ranges from about £53,751 to £86,114 per year, depending on band, specialist experience, and whether high-cost area supplements apply.

Common work areas

Complex case formulation and specialist assessment
Supervising trainees, assistant psychologists, and other staff
Consultation and reflective practice to teams
Service evaluation, audit, and outcome measurement

Typical requirements

HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) or equivalent approved route
Subspecialty experience relevant to the advertised post
Supervision training or qualification (for Band 8a+)

Local employers

West London NHS Trust
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Bands hiring in London

Current psychology pages for London include Band 7, Band 8, and Band 6. Use these band pages when you want salary expectations, seniority, and job descriptions narrowed to a specific level.

Local practical context

Most major NHS sites are reachable by Tube, Overground, or bus. Commuting from outer London or the home counties is common, and journey time should factor into shift-based role decisions.

London is the most expensive UK city for housing. Inner London posts receive a 20% HCAS (capped at roughly £5,800-£8,700 depending on band), outer London 15% (roughly £4,500-£5,800), and fringe areas 5%. The zone is determined by workplace postcode, not home address, so two hospitals a few miles apart can fall in different zones. After tax and NI, the net benefit is roughly 65-72% of the headline figure.