Latest updates about support staff pay negotiations
June 2022
The recognised trade unions have submitted the pay claim for 2022/23 (operative from April 1st 2022):
- A substantial increase with a minimum of £2,000 per annum or the current rate of RPI - whichever is greater - on all spinal column points
- A COVID-19 recognition payment
- A national minimum agreement on homeworking policies and the introduction of a home working allowance
- An urgent review of all mileage rates currently applying
- A review and update of Green Book terms for family leave and pay
- A review of term time only contracts and consideration of retainers
- A reduction in the working week (without loss of pay) to 35 hours (34 in London)
- One additional day of annual leave
The Employers Side of the National Joint Council (NJC) are in the process of conducting pay consultations with employers throughout the country to get their views on affordability and aim to respond to the NJC union side by mid-July with their response.
March 2022
Agreement has been reached on pay for 2021/22.
The settlement means that eligible support staff on pay spine points 2 and above will receive a 1.75% per annum rise, payable from April 2021, with staff on point 1 receiving a 2.75% rise.
This is the offer first made by the employers on July 27 2021.
Employers have been encouraged to implement the award, including backdated monies, as swiftly as possible.
The employers have also agreed to recommence the review of Term-Time Only working arrangements, which was paused at the outbreak of the pandemic.
Finally, if requested by an ex-employee to do so, employers have been asked to pay any monies due to that employee from 1 April 2021 to the employee’s last day of employment.
Previous updates
In November, NEU support staff members in the state sector are currently being consulted on this years pay offer.
The recognised trade unions - Unison, GMB and Unite - have already rejected the employers' final offer of 1.75%, payable from April 1st 2021, and are moving towards conducting strike ballots to continue the fight against the below-inflation offer. Now NEU is asking support staff members their view and whether they would be willing to lend support including potentially by taking part in strike action if any other unions which do so.
State Sector support staff members are asked to complete the short survey circulated by email by no later than Monday November 22nd.
In August, Unions rejected the latest pay offer for state sector education support staff and are considering balloting for industrial action.
The National Employers side of the National Joint Council (NJC) has made what it described as its “final” offer on July 27.
It included a 1.75 per cent rise for the vast majority of staff, but with a 2.75 per cent increase in pay for anyone earning less than £18,198 (Full Time Equivalent – FTE) a year.
An earlier offer of 1.5 per cent across the board was rejected by the trade unions represented on the NJC. The unions’ original pay claim in February was for a minimum of ten per cent and a 35-hour working week.
Any final agreement on pay will be backdated to April 1st.
The employers have made the following one-year offer to the unions representing the main local government NJC workforce:
- With effect from 1 April 2021, an increase of 1.50 per cent on all NJC pay points 1 and above
- Completion of the outstanding work of the joint Term-Time Only review group.
The employers have also proposed that the NJC begins immediate exploratory discussions on three other elements of the claim, as follows:
- A national minimum agreement on homeworking policies for all councils
- An agreement on a best practice national programme of mental health support for all local authorities and school staff
- A joint review of the provisions in the Green Book for maternity/paternity/shared parental/adoption leave
The trade unions have written to the National Employers to reject the 1.50% pay offer and have asked for urgent talks.
The employers will consider the unions’ letter and respond in due course.
The trade unions lodged the following pay claim for ‘Green Book’ staff, to be payable from April 1 2021:
- A substantial increase with a minimum of 10% on all spinal column points
- Introduction of a homeworking allowance for all staff who are working from home
- A national minimum agreement on homeworking policies for all councils
- A reduction of the working week to 35 hours with no loss of pay, and a reduction to 34 hours a week in London. Part-time staff to be given a choice of a pro rata reduction, or retaining the same hours and being paid a higher percentage of FTE
- A minimum of 25 days annual leave, plus public holidays and statutory days, for all starting employees, plus an extra day holiday on all other holiday rates that depend on service
- An agreement on a best practice national programme of mental health support for all local authorities and school staff
- A joint review of job descriptions, routes for career developments and pay banding for school support staff, and completion of the outstanding work of the joint term-time only review group
- A joint review of the provisions in the Green Book for maternity/paternity/shared parental/adoption leave
Maintained sector
Most LA schools use the local government pay rates to pay their support staff in conjunction with National Joint Council (NJC) terms and conditions.
However, this can vary between local authorities, which means it is not possible to be prescriptive about the rate of pay support staff will receive. An employee's contract should state their rate of pay, the point on the local government pay scale that refers to, and how the rate will increase on an incremental basis to a certain point.
Academies and Free Schools
Whilst academies have the freedom to establish their own policies for pay and conditions, nearly all stand-alone academies and all Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) have maintained the link to the Local Government pay arrangements, which means that they adhere to the pay agreements reached periodically, and also use the Local Government pay spine and the National Agreement on Pay and Conditions of Service – otherwise known as the Green Book.
Free schools have the ability to set their own pay, terms and conditions, without reference to the maintained sector.
Independent schools
Support staff in most independent schools are employed on a range of terms and conditions that are determined by their individual contracts Details of support staff pay should be included in a written school pay policy, and school policies on employment-related matters should be published in a staff handbook or on the school’s intranet.
In more than 100 independent schools, the NEU is recognised by the employer for collective bargaining purposes, and in most instances, the Recognition Agreement covers teachers and support staff. This means that NEU members at the school negotiate with management on their pay, hours, holidays and other matters.
Local government pay scale for support staff
SCP |
01-Apr-21 |
01-Apr-20 |
||
per annum |
per hour |
per annum |
per hour |
|
1 |
£18.333 |
£9.50 |
£17,842 |
£9.25 |
2 | £18516 | £9.60 | £18.198 | £9.43 |
3 |
£18,887 |
£9.79 |
£18,198 |
£9.43 |
4 |
£19,264 |
£9.99 |
£18,562 |
£9.62 |
5 |
£19,650 |
£10.19 |
£18,933 |
£9.81 |
6 |
£20,043 |
£10.39 |
£19,312 |
£10.01 |
7 |
£20,043 |
£10.39 |
£19,698 |
£10.21 |
8 |
£20,444 |
£10.60 |
£20,092 |
£10.41 |
9 |
£20,852 |
£10.81 |
£20,493 |
£10.62 |
10 |
£21,269 |
£11.02 |
£20,903 |
£10.83 |
11 |
£21,695 |
£11.25 |
£21,322 |
£11.05 |
12 |
£22,129 |
£11.47 |
£21,748 |
£11.27 |
13 |
£22,571 |
£11.70 |
£22,183 |
£11.50 |
14 |
£23,023 |
£11.93 |
£22,627 |
£11.73 |
15 |
£23,484 |
£12.17 |
£23,080 |
£11.96 |
16 |
£23,953 |
£12.42 |
£23,541 |
£12.20 |
17 |
£24,432 |
£12.66 |
£24,012 |
£12.45 |
18 |
£24,920 |
£12.92 |
£24,491 |
£12.69 |
19 |
£25,419 |
£13.18 |
£24,982 |
£12.95 |
20 |
£25,927 |
£13.44 |
£25,481 |
£13.21 |
21 |
£26,446 |
£13.71 |
£25,991 |
£13.47 |
22 |
£26,975 |
£13.98 |
£26,511 |
£13.74 |
23 |
£27,514 |
£14.26 |
£27,041 |
£14.02 |
24 |
£28,226 |
£14.63 |
£27,741 |
£14.38 |
25 |
£29,174 |
£15.12 |
£28,672 |
£14.86 |
26 |
£30,095 |
£15.60 |
£29,577 |
£15.33 |
27 |
£30,984 |
£16.06 |
£30,451 |
£15.78 |
28 |
£31,895 |
£16.53 |
£31,346 |
£16.25 |
28 |
£32,798 |
£17.00 |
£32,234 |
£16.71 |
30 |
£33,486 |
£17.36 |
£32,910 |
£17.06 |
31 |
£34,373 |
£17.82 |
£33,782 |
£17.51 |
32 |
£35,336 |
£18.32 |
£34,728 |
£18.00 |
33 |
£36,371 |
£18.85 |
£35,745 |
£18.53 |
34 |
£37,568 |
£19.47 |
£36,922 |
£19.14 |
35 |
£38,553 |
£19.98 |
£37,890 |
£19.64 |
36 |
£39,571 |
£20.51 |
£38,890 |
£20.16 |
37 |
£40,578 |
£21.03 |
£39,880 |
£20.67 |
38 |
£41,591 |
£21.56 |
£40,876 |
£21.19 |
39 |
£42,614 |
£21.56 |
£41,881 |
£21.71 |
40 |
£43,570 |
£21.60 |
£42,821 |
£22.20 |
41 |
£44,624 |
£22.58 |
£43,857 |
£22.73 |
42 |
£45,648 |
£23.66 |
£44,863 |
£23.25 |
43 |
£46,662 |
£24.19 |
£45,859 |
£23.77 |
44 |
£47,665 |
£24.71 |
£46,845 |
£24.28 |
Special educational needs
April 2021 | April 2020 |
£1,347 |
£1,324 |
Outer London Pay Spines
From 1 April 2021 an increase of 2.75% on point 1 and 1.75% on all other points rounded up to the multiple of £3.
Outer London 2019 Spine |
Outer London 2019 Rate |
Outer London Apr 2020 Rate |
Outer London Apr 2021 New Rate |
||
1 |
£20,103 |
£20,658 |
£21,228 |
||
2 |
£20,466 |
£21,030 |
£21,399 |
||
3 |
£20,835 |
£21,408 |
£21,783 |
||
4 |
£21,210 |
£21,795 |
£22,179 |
||
5 |
£21,591 |
£22,185 |
£22,575 |
||
6 |
£21,981 |
£22,587 |
£22,983 |
||
7 |
£22,377 |
£22,995 |
£23,400 |
||
8 |
£22,779 |
£23,406 |
£23,817 |
||
9 |
£23,187 |
£23,826 |
£24,243 |
||
10 |
£23,607 |
£24,258 |
£24,684 |
||
11 |
£24,030 |
£24,693 |
£25,128 |
||
12 |
£24,462 |
£25,137 |
£25,578 |
||
13 |
£24,903 |
£25,590 |
£26,040 |
||
14 |
£25,353 |
£26,052 |
£26,508 |
||
15 |
£25,809 |
£26,520 |
£26,985 |
||
16 |
£26,274 |
£26,997 |
£27,471 |
||
17 |
£26,745 |
£27,483 |
£27,966 |
||
18 |
£27,228 |
£27,978 |
£28,470 |
||
19 |
£27,717 |
£28,482 |
£28,983 |
||
20 |
£28,215 |
£28,992 |
£29,502 |
||
21 |
£28,725 |
£29,517 |
£30,036 |
||
22 |
£29,241 |
£30,048 |
£30,576 |
||
23 |
£29,766 |
£30,585 |
£31,122 |
||
24 |
£30,213 |
£31,044 |
£31,590 |
||
25 |
£30,711 |
£31,557 |
£32,112 |
||
26 |
£31,548 |
£32,418 |
£32,988 |
||
27 |
£32,430 |
£33,324 |
£33,909 |
||
28 |
£33,291 |
£34,209 |
£34,809 |
||
29 |
£33,948 |
£34,884 |
£35,496 |
||
30 |
£34,794 |
£35,751 |
£36,378 |
||
31 |
£35,724 |
£36,708 |
£37,353 |
||
32 |
£36,711 |
£37,722 |
£38,385 |
||
33 |
£37,842 |
£38,883 |
£39,564 |
||
34 |
£38,799 |
£39,867 |
£40,566 |
||
35 |
£39,774 |
£40,869 |
£41,586 |
||
36 |
£40,728 |
£41,850 |
£42,585 |
||
37 |
£41,706 |
£42,855 |
£43,605 |
||
38 |
£42,684 |
£43,860 |
£44,628 |
||
39 |
£43,590 |
£44,790 |
£45,576 |
||
40 |
£44,607 |
£45,834 |
£46,638 |
||
41 |
£45,585 |
£46,839 |
£47,661 |
||
42 |
£46,560 |
£47,841 |
£48,681 |
||
43 |
£47,511 |
£48,819 |
£49,674 |
||
44 |
£48,492 |
£49,827 |
£50,700 |
||
45 |
£49,464 |
£50,826 |
£51,717 |
||
46 |
£50,448 |
£51,837 |
£52,746 |
||
47 |
£51,450 |
£52,866 |
£53,793 |
||
48 |
£52,482 |
£53,928 |
£54,873 |
||
49 |
£53,544 |
£55,017 |
£55,980 |
||
50 |
£54,597 |
£56,100 |
£57,084 |
||
51 |
£55,638 |
£57,171 |
£58,173 |
||
52 |
£56,682 |
£58,242 |
£59,262 |
||
53 |
£57,735 |
£59,325 |
£60,366 |
||
54 |
£58,779 |
£60,396 |
£61,455 |
||
55 |
£59,823 |
£61,470 |
£62,547 |
||
56 |
£60,879 |
£62,556 |
£63,651 |
||
57 |
£61,929 |
£63,633 |
£64,749 |
||
58 |
£62,970 |
£64,704 |
£65,838 |
||
59 |
£64,023 |
£65,784 |
£66,936 |
||
60 |
£65,367 |
£67,167 |
£68,343 |
||
61 |
£66,732 |
£68,568 |
£69,768 |
||
62 |
£68,127 |
£70,002 |
£71,229 |
||
63 |
£69,561 |
£71,475 |
£72,726 |
||
64 |
£71,016 |
£72,969 |
£74,247 |
||
65 |
£72,438 |
£74,433 |
£75,738 |
Inner London Pay Spine
From 1 April 2021 an increase of 2.75% on point 1 and 1.75% on all other points rounded up to the multiple of £3.
Inner London 2019 Spine |
Inner London 2019 Rate |
Inner London Apr New Rate |
Inner London Apr 2021 New Rate |
||
1 |
£21,231 |
£21,816 |
£22,416 |
||
2 |
£21,612 |
£22,209 |
£22,599 |
||
3 |
£22,002 |
£22,608 |
£23,004 |
||
4 |
£22,398 |
£23,016 |
£23,421 |
||
5 |
£22,800 |
£23,427 |
£23,838 |
||
6 |
£23,211 |
£23,850 |
£24,270 |
||
7 |
£23,628 |
£24,279 |
£24,705 |
||
8 |
£24,054 |
£24,717 |
£25,152 |
||
9 |
£24,486 |
£25,161 |
£25,602 |
||
10 |
£24,927 |
£25,614 |
£26,064 |
||
11 |
£25,377 |
£26,076 |
£26,535 |
||
12 |
£25,833 |
£26,544 |
£27,009 |
||
13 |
£26,298 |
£27,024 |
£27,498 |
||
14 |
£26,772 |
£27,510 |
£27,993 |
||
15 |
£27,255 |
£28,005 |
£28,497 |
||
16 |
£27,744 |
£28,509 |
£29,010 |
||
17 |
£28,245 |
£29,022 |
£29,532 |
||
18 |
£28,752 |
£29,544 |
£30,063 |
||
19 |
£29,271 |
£30,078 |
£30,606 |
||
20 |
£29,796 |
£30,618 |
£31,155 |
||
21 |
£30,333 |
£31,170 |
£31,716 |
||
22 |
£30,879 |
£31,731 |
£32,289 |
||
23 |
£31,434 |
£32,301 |
£32,868 |
||
24 |
£32,001 |
£32,883 |
£33,459 |
||
25 |
£32,577 |
£33,474 |
£34,062 |
||
26 |
£33,162 |
£34,074 |
£34,671 |
||
27 |
£33,759 |
£34,689 |
£35,298 |
||
28 |
£34,128 |
£35,067 |
£35,682 |
||
29 |
£34,986 |
£35,949 |
£36,579 |
||
30 |
£35,637 |
£36,618 |
£37,260 |
||
31 |
£36,486 |
£37,491 |
£38,148 |
||
32 |
£37,413 |
£38,442 |
£39,117 |
||
33 |
£38,403 |
£39,462 |
£40,155 |
||
34 |
£39,543 |
£40,632 |
£41,346 |
||
35 |
£40,491 |
£41,607 |
£42,336 |
||
36 |
£41,466 |
£42,609 |
£43,356 |
||
37 |
£42,432 |
£43,599 |
£44,364 |
||
38 |
£43,404 |
£44,598 |
£45,381 |
||
39 |
£44,373 |
£45,594 |
£46,392 |
||
40 |
£45,288 |
£46,536 |
£47,352 |
||
41 |
£46,293 |
£47,568 |
£48,402 |
||
42 |
£47,274 |
£48,576 |
£49,428 |
||
43 |
£48,252 |
£49,581 |
£50,451 |
||
44 |
£49,203 |
£50,559 |
£51,444 |
||
45 |
£50,184 |
£51,567 |
£52,470 |
||
46 |
£51,162 |
£52,569 |
£53,490 |
||
47 |
£52,140 |
£53,574 |
£54,513 |
||
48 |
£53,133 |
£54,597 |
£55,554 |
||
49 |
£54,174 |
£55,665 |
£56,640 |
||
50 |
£55,233 |
£56,754 |
£57,750 |
||
51 |
£56,289 |
£57,837 |
£58,851 |
||
52 |
£57,333 |
£58,911 |
£59,943 |
||
53 |
£58,380 |
£59,988 |
£61,038 |
||
54 |
£59,421 |
£61,056 |
£62,127 |
||
55 |
£60,480 |
£62,145 |
£63,234 |
||
56 |
£61,515 |
£63,207 |
£64,314 |
||
57 |
£62,565 |
£64,287 |
£65,415 |
||
58 |
£63,630 |
£65,382 |
£66,528 |
||
59 |
£64,656 |
£66,435 |
£67,599 |
||
60 |
£65,712 |
£67,521 |
£68,703 |
||
61 |
£67,053 |
£68,898 |
£70,104 |
||
62 |
£68,427 |
£70,311 |
£71,544 |
||
63 |
£69,813 |
£71,733 |
£72,990 |
||
64 |
£71,256 |
£73,218 |
£74,502 |
||
65 |
£72,705 |
£74,706 |
£76,014 |
Sixth Form Colleges NJC support staff salary spine
Current Pay Points |
2018/19 |
New NJC Support Staff Pay Spine 1st September 2019 |
NJC Pay Point |
1st April 2020 |
NJC Pay Point |
1st January 2021 |
|
13 |
Deleted |
||||||
14 |
£16,000 |
1 |
£16,240 |
1 |
£16,825 |
1 |
£17,246 |
15 |
£16,500 |
1+ |
£16,748 |
£17,471 |
£17,907 |
||
16 |
Deleted |
||||||
17 |
£17,000 |
2 |
£17,255 |
2 |
£17,471 |
2 |
£17,907 |
18 |
£17,350 |
3 |
£17,610 |
3 |
£17,830 |
3 |
£18,276 |
19 |
£17,700 |
4 |
£17,966 |
4 |
£18,190 |
4 |
£18,645 |
20 |
£18,000 |
5 |
£18,270 |
5 |
£18,535 |
5 |
£18,998 |
21 |
£18,400 |
6 |
£18,676 |
6 |
£18,909 |
6 |
£19,382 |
22 |
£18,780 |
7 |
£19,062 |
7 |
£19,300 |
7 |
£19,782 |
23 |
£19,381 |
8 |
£19,672 |
8 |
£19,918 |
8 |
£20,416 |
24 |
£20,070 |
9 |
£20,371 |
9 |
£20,626 |
9 |
£21,141 |
25 |
£20,765 |
10 |
£21,076 |
10 |
£21,340 |
10 |
£21,873 |
26 |
£21,451 |
11 |
£21,773 |
11 |
£22,045 |
11 |
£22,596 |
27 |
£22,142 |
12 |
£22,474 |
12 |
£22,755 |
12 |
£23,324 |
28 |
£22,828 |
13 |
£23,170 |
13 |
£23,460 |
13 |
£24,047 |
29 |
£23,496 |
14 |
£23,848 |
14 |
£24,147 |
14 |
£24,750 |
30 |
£24,162 |
15 |
£24,524 |
15 |
£24,831 |
15 |
£25,452 |
31 |
£24,947 |
16 |
£25,321 |
16 |
£25,638 |
16 |
£26,279 |
32 |
£25,725 |
17 |
£26,111 |
17 |
£26,437 |
17 |
£27,098 |
33 |
£26,593 |
18 |
£26,992 |
18 |
£27,329 |
18 |
£28,013 |
34 |
£27,481 |
19 |
£27,893 |
19 |
£28,242 |
19 |
£28,948 |
35 |
£28,371 |
20 |
£28,797 |
20 |
£29,157 |
20 |
£29,885 |
36 |
£29,256 |
21 |
£29,695 |
21 |
£30,066 |
21 |
£30,818 |
37 |
£30,062 |
22 |
£30,513 |
22 |
£30,894 |
22 |
£31,667 |
38 |
£30,869 |
23 |
£31,332 |
23 |
£31,724 |
23 |
£32,517 |
39 |
£31,678 |
24 |
£32,153 |
24 |
£32,555 |
24 |
£33,369 |
40 |
£32,485 |
25 |
£32,972 |
25 |
£33,384 |
25 |
£34,219 |
41 |
£33,291 |
26 |
£33,790 |
26 |
£34,213 |
26 |
£35,068 |
42 |
£34,101 |
27 |
£34,613 |
27 |
£35,045 |
27 |
£35,921 |
43 |
£34,907 |
28 |
£35,431 |
28 |
£35,873 |
28 |
£36,770 |
44 |
£35,796 |
29 |
£36,333 |
29 |
£36,787 |
29 |
£37,707 |
45 |
£36,685 |
30 |
£37,235 |
30 |
£37,701 |
30 |
£38,643 |
46 |
£37,571 |
31 |
£38,135 |
31 |
£38,611 |
31 |
£39,577 |
47 |
£38,459 |
32 |
£39,036 |
32 |
£39,524 |
32 |
£40,512 |
48 |
£39,430 |
33 |
£40,021 |
33 |
£40,522 |
33 |
£41,535 |
49 |
£40,316 |
34 |
£40,921 |
34 |
£41,432 |
34 |
£42,468 |
50 |
£41,283 |
35 |
£41,902 |
35 |
£42,426 |
35 |
£43,487 |
51 |
£42,252 |
36 |
£42,886 |
36 |
£43,422 |
36 |
£44,507 |
52 |
£43,223 |
37 |
£43,871 |
37 |
£44,420 |
37 |
£45,530 |
53 |
£44,192 |
38 |
£44,855 |
38 |
£45,416 |
38 |
£46,551 |
54 |
£45,161 |
39 |
£45,838 |
39 |
£46,411 |
39 |
£47,572 |
40 |
£46,847 |
40 |
£47,432 |
40 |
£48,618 |
||
41 |
£47,877 |
41 |
£48,476 |
41 |
£49,688 |
||
42 |
£48,931 |
42 |
£49,542 |
42 |
£50,781 |
||
43 |
£50,007 |
43 |
£50,632 |
43 |
£51,898 |
||
44 |
£51,107 |
44 |
£51,746 |
44 |
£53,040 |
||
45 |
£52,232 |
45 |
£52,885 |
45 |
£54,207 |
||
46 |
£53,381 |
46 |
£54,048 |
46 |
£55,399 |
||
47 |
£54,555 |
47 |
£55,237 |
47 |
£56,618 |
||
48 |
£55,755 |
48 |
£56,452 |
48 |
£57,864 |
||
49 |
£56,982 |
49 |
£57,694 |
49 |
£59,137 |
||
50 |
£58,236 |
50 |
£58,964 |
50 |
£60,438 |
||
51 |
£59,517 |
51 |
£60,261 |
51 |
£61,767 |
||
52 |
£60,826 |
52 |
£61,587 |
52 |
£63,126 |
||
53 |
£62,164 |
53 |
£62,942 |
53 |
£64,515 |
||
54 |
£63,532 |
54 |
£64,326 |
54 |
£65,934 |
||
55 |
£64,930 |
55 |
£65,741 |
55 |
£67,385 |
NJC Support Staff London and Fringe Area Allowances at 1st September 2019
Inner London |
£3,917 |
Outer London |
£2,610 |
Fringe |
£1,034 |
At 1st April 2020 |
|
Inner London |
£3,966 |
Outer London |
£2,643 |
Fringe |
£1,047 |
At 1st January 2021
Inner London |
£4,065 |
Outer London |
£2,709 |
Fringe |
£1,073 |