Please Note
- An estimate based on public data for similar roles. Not provided by the employer.
Relief Pharmacist
Role summary
Written by MyIslandJob from the job title and employer. See the employer's page for the full description.
The Relief Pharmacist provides professional pharmacy services across Boots stores, supporting different branches according to business needs. Requirements typically include registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), a UK-recognised pharmacy qualification, and the legal right to practise in the UK. Candidates should have strong clinical knowledge, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to patient safety. The role involves dispensing medicines, offering healthcare advice, conducting consultations, supporting NHS services, managing controlled drugs, and meeting regulatory standards. Flexibility to travel between stores, work varied shifts, and adapt quickly to different teams is expected. Customer focus, commercial awareness, sound judgement, and the ability to work independently are also important.
Can I work in the UK?
Never pay anyone for a visa or a job offer. A real employer pays the permit costs and never asks you for money.
How it works
How it works: Shop-floor, till and stock jobs are below degree level and on no list read, so they cannot be sponsored; only youth schemes remain.
Before you apply: Shop-floor jobs need no professional licence. Pharmacists do: they must register with the local regulator, and one qualified abroad often has to pass local exams first. Selling alcohol can need a short course and certificate, for example in Australia.
Watch for: Only degree-level head-office roles (finance, IT, data) can be sponsored. Youth schemes are the usual way in for Canadians, Australians and Indians under the age limits.
Official source: GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa, your job. Checked November 2026.
What the job usually comes with in the UK
Usual for Retail & Consumer jobs in the UK, varies by employer. Checked November 2026.
| Housing | Not usually provided; you rent privately |
|---|---|
| Relocation | Shop jobs cannot be sponsored; for head-office hires the visa fee is yours unless the employer pays |
| Flights | Not standard; varies by employer and seniority |
| Pay and discount | Minimum GBP 12.71 an hour from age 21 (April 2026, by law); Boots gives seasonal staff a discount |
| Contract | Christmas seasonal jobs exist: Boots is recruiting about 6,000 seasonal workers (7 October 2026) |
| Leave | At least 28 days for a 5-day week (by law); employers may count bank holidays in it |
| Income tax | 0% to GBP 12,570, 20% to GBP 50,270, then 40%; plus 8% National Insurance (Scotland differs) |
Senior staff often get more than line staff, for example a single room or a yearly home flight. Ask the employer what the job includes before you accept.
Guidance, not legal advice. Rules change; your employer confirms the details for your case.
Working in the UK
Who can work there by passport, what a job usually includes, and island life.
About Boots
Boots is one of the United Kingdom’s best-known pharmacy, health, beauty, and wellbeing retailers. Established in Nottingham in 1849, the company operates a large network of community pharmacies, retail stores, and digital services across the UK. Boots provides prescription dispensing, NHS and private healthcare services, pharmacy consultations, vaccinations, beauty products, toiletries, and everyday health goods. Its pharmacists and healthcare teams support local communities while working within a major national retail organisation. Boots is part of Walgreens Boots Alliance and employs colleagues in stores, pharmacies, corporate functions, supply chain, and technology. The company offers career opportunities for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, healthcare professionals, retail colleagues, and support teams. Roles may include structured training, professional development, employee discounts, and benefits that vary according to position and location.