How Much Do Therapists Make A Year in the UK? Salaries by Role & Location

Are you looking for an answer to: how much do therapists make a year? The truth is: it depends on where you work and how you build your career.

On the NHS, most therapists earn somewhere between £31,000 and £55,000 a year. If you’re based in London, you’ll also get London weighting—a bonus of 5%–20% to help cover the city’s higher living costs.

Step into private practice, and things look a little different. Therapists usually charge £40–£150 per session—sometimes even more if you’re in London or offering a specialist type of therapy. Of course, the flip side is you’ll need to factor in costs like room hire, insurance, and self-employment taxes.

Plenty of therapists mix the two worlds—working part-time in the NHS for stability, while running private sessions on the side. It’s a way to boost income, gain flexibility, and build a practice that fits your lifestyle.

Who is a “Therapist” in the UK?

When we say therapist, we’re talking about people who support mental health—not physios or OTs. Think counsellors, psychotherapists, CBT or high-intensity therapists in NHS Talking Therapies, and PWPs (Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners). Clinical and counselling psychologists are slightly different—they follow separate registration routes, so their roles and pay don’t line up in the same way. But if you’re helping people manage anxiety, depression, stress, or trauma, you’re very much part of the mental health therapist world.

NHS Therapist Salaries (2025/26): Pay Bands at a Glance

Pay Bands & Typical Roles

• Band 4 (Trainee PWP): Just starting out, mostly shadowing and learning.
  
• Band 5 (Newly Qualified Counsellor/PWP): £31k–£38k. First proper role, seeing clients with supervision.
  
• Band 6 (Early CBT/High-Intensity Therapist): £38k–£46k. Running your own sessions and handling more complex cases.
  
• Band 7 (Qualified Psychotherapist/High-Intensity Therapist): £48k–£55k. Senior level—supervising juniors and leading projects.
  
• Bands 8a–8b (Senior/Lead Roles): Top of the scale. Team leaders, managers, or specialists shaping services.

London Weighting (HCAS) 2025

If you’re based in London, you’ll also get extra pay to cover higher living costs:

• Inner London: +20% (up to £8,466)
• Outer London: +15% (up to £5,941)
• Fringe areas: +5% (up to £2,198)

Which jobs sit in each band?

1. Band 4 – Trainee PWP: Entry point. You’re learning the ropes, shadowing senior staff, and starting basic client work.
2. Band 5 – Newly Qualified PWP/Counsellor: Your first full role. You see clients under supervision while building confidence and experience.
3. Band 6 – Early CBT or High-Intensity Therapist: Running your own sessions, taking on more complex cases, and working with less oversight.
4. Band 7 – Qualified Psychotherapist/High-Intensity Therapist: Senior level. You supervise junior staff, take on leadership tasks, and often lead service projects.
5. Bands 8a–8b – Senior Specialist/Team Leader: Management or advanced specialist roles. Overseeing whole teams, shaping services, and guiding strategy.

Private Practice Income: What UK Therapists Charge in 2025

If you’re asking how much do therapists make a year, private practice plays a big role. In 2025, most therapists in the UK charge between £40 and £150 per session, with London rates typically higher at £70–£138 and top specialists charging up to £288. Outside the capital, cities like Manchester, Leeds, and Cardiff tend to have lower fees, though demand can push prices up. What you earn depends on your experience, accreditation, therapy type, and whether you work online or in a clinic—plus a long waiting list can often justify higher rates.

Realistic “Take-Home” Maths: Employed vs Self-Employed

It’s one thing to ask how much do therapists make a year, but what really matters is what lands in your bank account. Let’s look at three examples.

NHS Band 6 Outside London

A Band 6 therapist earns £38,682–£46,580 gross. Since London weighting doesn’t apply, tax is the main deduction. Exact take-home varies across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—so the simplest way is to run your salary through an online tax calculator.

NHS Band 7 in London

For Band 7, gross pay is £47,810–£54,710, plus the London weighting (HCAS). Inner London weighting is advertised as +20%, but it’s capped at £8,466—so higher earners don’t see the full 20% uplift. Still, the extra pay helps balance London’s higher living costs.

Private Practice Example

Suppose you see 12–18 clients per week at £70–£90 per session, working 46–48 weeks a year. That makes for a strong turnover. But take-home is trimmed by costs:

• Room hire: £8–£20 per hour
• Supervision: £55–£95 per hour (BACP minimum = 1.5 hrs per month, usually 1 hr per 8 client hrs)
• Other costs: insurance, CPD, marketing, admin, and tax

Your final income depends on how many clients you see, your session fee, and your business overheads.

Pro tip: Always check BACP’s latest rules on supervision—currently 1.5 hours a month, or one hour for every eight client hours.

How Much Do Therapists Make a Year (Salary by Role)

• Counsellors: A newly qualified counsellor usually earns around £25,000, while experienced counsellors can reach £47,000.
• CBT/High-Intensity Therapists: Often start as Band 6 trainees. Once qualified, they usually progress to Band 7, with higher pay and more complex cases.
• Psychotherapists: NHS roles usually begin at Band 7, moving into Band 8a–8b for leadership or specialist positions.
• Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs): Start at Band 4 while training, then move to Band 5 when qualified.
• Clinical & Counselling Psychologists: Typically enter at Band 7, with pay increasing through specialisation and senior roles.

How Therapists Boost Their Earning Power

Your income isn’t decided by banding alone. A few key factors can make a big difference to your take-home pay:

• Qualifications and registration: Being accredited with bodies like BACP, UKCP, or HCPC often boosts credibility—and pay. Adding niche skills (like trauma therapy, EMDR, or couples work) can set you apart and allow you to charge more.
• Mix of work: Many therapists combine NHS hours with private clients, workplace wellbeing contracts, or group sessions. This mix usually pushes earnings higher than sticking to one setting.
• Business decisions: If you’re in private practice, things like cancellation policies, marketing, whether you work online or face-to-face, referral networks, and service contracts all directly shape your income.
• Location: Geography matters. London and other high-cost areas usually pay more (with NHS “London weighting” on top), while smaller cities and rural areas often sit lower on the scale.

Costs & Tax Basics for Private Therapists

Running your own therapy practice isn’t just about client sessions—it comes with regular costs. Room hire typically ranges from £7–£20 per hour outside London and £19–£70 in premium London spaces. Supervision is another major expense, usually £55–£95 per hour, and higher for senior or consultant psychologists. On top of that, private therapists need to budget for professional insurance, directory listings, CPD training, and bookkeeping. 

The good news is that many of these expenses—such as training or work-related costs—can be offset against tax, but it’s important to always check the latest guidance on GOV.UK to stay compliant.

Career Progression & Pay Uplifts

Want to boost your earnings as a therapist? The secret lies in climbing the NHS Agenda for Change bands—and each step up comes with new skills, responsibilities, and yes, a healthier payslip.

Band 5 → Band 6

Most therapists start life at Band 5. Think of it as your launchpad. Once you complete extra training—like the all-important High-Intensity CBT course—you can step up to Band 6. Here, the work gets more complex, your caseload grows, and you might even mentor newer colleagues.

Band 6 → Band 7

After proving yourself, Band 7 is the natural next stop. This is where you’re trusted with advanced cases, shaping services, and often guiding others through supervision. It’s the stage where you shift from being “just a therapist” to a senior clinician.

Band 8a–8b: Leadership & Specialist Roles

Beyond Band 7, the doors open to leadership and specialist positions.

• Band 8a: You might lead a team, oversee service delivery, or specialise in a clinical area.
• Band 8b: Now you’re talking high-level leadership—managing entire teams, handling budgets, and shaping how services are run. Less client-facing, more big-picture impact.

And yes—the jump in responsibility comes with a serious uplift in pay.

FAQs

• How much does a therapist make in the UK?
  Usually £31k–£55k in the NHS; private work can pay more.
• Which type of therapist makes the most money?
  Senior psychotherapists and busy private therapists.
• What is the highest paying job?
  Running a private practice or leading a team.
• Is psychology a good career?
  Yes! Perfect if you love helping people.
• Is psychology a hard major?
  A bit tricky, but doable if you’re interested.
• What is the top salary for a therapist?
  Senior or private specialists can earn £70k+ a year.

Final Thoughts

So, how much a therapist makes in a year depends on three main things: your role, your experience, and where you work. In the NHS, salaries usually range from £31,000 to £55,000, with London-based therapists getting extra through the High Cost Area Supplement. Private practice has the potential to bring in more—sometimes much more—but costs like room hire, supervision, insurance, marketing, and tax quickly reduce the final take-home.

Your skills and specialisms also shape your income. Therapists who mix NHS work with private clients, workplace wellbeing contracts, or group sessions usually boost their earnings. Climbing the NHS pay bands or moving into leadership roles brings further increases.

But therapy isn’t just about the numbers. It’s about making a difference, developing as a professional, and building a career that feels meaningful. With the right planning, experience, and balance, you can create a path that is both financially rewarding and personally fulfilling.

Your Next Step

The Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Training Online programme is designed for people who want more than theory. It’s about learning real strategies you can use to support others, improve wellbeing, and make a difference. Start today and take the first step towards a more rewarding future.