Skip to content

Locum Tax

Locum Tax

11 articles on locum tax for UK dental professionals.

  • Locum Tax

    DFT to DCT and Specialty Training: How a Dentist's Pay and Tax Position Progresses

    An early-career dentist's pay and tax position changes shape at every stage: a salaried DFT first year, then a fork between hospital DCT and specialty training on a PAYE salary or the self-employed associate route. The tax differences are large and the transitions carry traps, above all the payments-on-account shock when you first go self-employed. This guide maps the progression so you see what is coming before it arrives.

    12 min read
  • Locum Tax

    Foundation Dentist (DFT) First Year: Tax, Pay and the Move to Self-Employment

    Dental foundation training is a salaried, PAYE year on a national salary of £42,408 from April 2025, with tax, National Insurance and your NHS pension deducted at source. The real tax change comes when you finish DFT and become a self-employed associate. This guide explains both halves and how to prepare for the switch.

    13 min read
  • Locum Tax

    Locum Dentist: Limited Company vs Sole Trader, the Tax Comparison

    The limited-company-versus-sole-trader question is different for a locum than for a practice owner. A locum moves between engagements, faces IR35 on each one, has no NHS pension through a company, and earns at a level where the company's admin often outweighs a thin tax saving. We compare both at 2026/27 rates and explain when, if ever, the company earns its place.

    12 min read
  • Locum Tax

    Pension Options for a Locum Dentist Outside the NHS Scheme

    Locum dentists often fall outside the NHS Pension Scheme or have only patchy access, leaving a retirement gap the NHS pages do not address. This guide covers private pensions and SIPPs, how tax relief at source and the higher-rate top-up work, the £60,000 annual allowance and the 100%-of-earnings cap for 2025/26, carry-forward, and employer contributions if you trade through a company.

    12 min read
  • Locum Tax

    What Expenses Can a Locum Dentist Claim in the UK for 2026/27?

    Locum dentists can claim a wide range of allowable expenses against their self-employed income for 2026/27. This guide covers travel costs (including locum mileage), professional subscriptions, indemnity, CPD, equipment, and home office expenses. We explain the rules with worked examples and highlight common HMRC traps.

    8 min read
  • Locum Tax

    How Does IR35 Affect Locum Dentists Working for NHS Contractors?

    IR35 rules determine whether a locum dentist working through a limited company is treated as an employee for tax purposes. For NHS engagements, the engaging practice's size determines who decides the status. This article explains the rules, the risks, and how to protect yourself.

    6 min read
  • Locum Tax

    Locum Dentist Day Rate vs Percentage: Which Pays More After Tax?

    How a UK locum dentist's pay structure, a fixed day rate or a percentage of fees generated, affects tax, National Insurance, expense treatment and financial risk in 2026/27. Both are trading income for a self-employed locum, so the structure shapes income volatility and who carries lab and material costs rather than the tax mechanism itself.

    8 min read
  • Locum Tax

    Locum Dentist Ltd Company vs Self-Employed: Which Tax Structure Works Best?

    For locum dentists, the choice between operating through a limited company (PSC) and remaining self-employed as a sole trader turns on IR35 status, the profit-extraction maths, NHS pension access, and admin. This guide leads with the 2026/27 position and shows why the higher 2026/27 dividend rates and employer National Insurance have narrowed the company advantage.

    10 min read
  • Locum Tax

    Are Umbrella Companies a Tax-Efficient Option for Locum Dentists in the UK?

    Umbrella companies can simplify payroll for a locum dentist, but the tax outcome is usually less efficient than a personal service company (PSC) outside IR35 or genuine self-employment. This guide compares the three structures for 2026/27, explains the IR35 interaction, and covers the new umbrella PAYE rules that take effect from 6 April 2026.

    10 min read