Changes to the financial support package for GPs approved to join the Return to Practice (RtP) Programme and International Induction Programme (IIP)

These changes will apply to new applicants only and there will be no changes for GPs that applied to join the programmes before 1 June 2025.
The following changes have been agreed:
  • NHS England will no longer reimburse GPs for most expenses. The current expenses package covering personal indemnity, visa costs, DBS and GMC registration fees, occupational health assessment fees and childcare costs will no longer be offered to new applicants from 1 June 2025. GPs will instead be required to fund these costs from within their monthly bursaries/salaries. NHS England will however continue to reimburse GPs and/or practices for any reasonable adjustments identified as part of an occupational health assessment.
  • High Cost Area Supplements (i.e. London Weighting) will no longer be applied to bursaries or salaries for new applicants.
  • NHS England will reimburse practices employing GPs on the programmes for a maximum fixed gross salary amount of £73,113 per annum WTE (plus employer pension and on-costs). There will no longer be a requirement for practices to calculate gross salaries individually to guarantee a net income equivalent to the bursary. This amount is based on the 24/25 ARRS rate for GPs. This is lower than the 25/26 ARRS rate on the basis that RtP/IIP GPs are practising under supervision so are not equivalent to the newly qualified GPs funded through ARRS. For salaried RtP/IIP GPs that join the pension scheme this will result in a net monthly income below the standard bursary rate.