High Court Judge
Each judicial office sits in a salary group with one full-time salary, set each year in the Ministry of Justice judicial salaries schedule. The High Court Judge salary is £242,289 (rates from 1/4/2026).
All figures are illustrative. Use your contract, payslip or employer for definitive amounts.
Sector context
High Court Judge roles within Courts & Judiciary sit in the Justice & Legal part of the UK public sector. Pay, leave and family leave terms are usually shaped by national or sector frameworks, then applied by your employer. The calculators below use illustrative data for this role; your contract and local policies always take precedence.
How judicial pay works
Judges are not on a pay scale with spine points or annual increments. Each judicial office sits in a salary group with one full-time salary, set each year in the Ministry of Justice judicial salaries schedule. Pay rises come from the annual pay award or appointment to a higher salary group, not from years in post. Use the calculators on this page for illustrative figures, then check the current schedule on GOV.UK or with the Ministry of Justice.
For High Court Judge, our dataset typically maps this role to High Court Judge on Courts & Judiciary pay. Your actual grade may differ; check your contract.
About this role
Find out more about the High Court Judge role within Courts & Judiciary and whether it would be the right role for you.
What is a High Court Judge?
A High Court Judge hears serious cases in the High Court. Pay is one salary for their judicial salary group (group 4).
Typical demands, progression and balance
High Court judging offers high impact. Pay and satisfaction depend on division and role. Progression to Court of Appeal or Supreme Court is possible.
Progression and pay
High Court Judge → Court of Appeal. Each step is an appointment to a higher salary group; pay does not rise with years in post.
Calculators for this role
Browse our career-focused calculators for those who work as a High Court Judge, covering pay progression, promotion paths, take-home pay, working patterns, leave, allowances and more. Click the calculators below to get started.
Common questions
Which calculators should I use first for High Court Judge?
Start with pay progression to see how High Court Judge pay could move over time. If you are weighing promotion, try career decisions. For part-time or reduced hours, use work patterns. Take-home pay, annual leave, sick pay and maternity calculators help with day-to-day planning.
Does Courts & Judiciary pay exactly like the national framework?
Often yes for base pay and leave, but employers can have local agreements, spot salaries, market supplements or academy freedoms. Use these tools to understand typical structures, then confirm anything material with your employer.
Can I plan part-time working as High Court Judge?
Yes. Use the part-time or reduced hours calculator for your role, then follow the part-time planning journey to link allowances, leave and take-home pay with the same band and FTE saved in your browser.
Where can I read longer guides on pay and leave?
Open Guides in the site menu for in-depth articles on AfC, teachers' pay, FTE, sick pay, maternity and more, with links back to role calculators like this page.
In-depth guides
Longer articles on pay frameworks, FTE, leave and career planning for your sector.