Pay campaign

The Government’s inaction on teacher pay has led a recruitment and retention crisis, worsening each year as pupil numbers increase. Since 2010, classroom teacher salaries have fallen by 15% in real terms.

While a 2.75% pay rise for teachers is inadequate after their 15% drop in real terms pay since 2010, the Government must announce that they will fully fund the pay rise, if they are at all concerned about teacher recruitment and retention or the pressures on school budgets. 

We will be supporting members to ensure that you and your colleagues do actually receive this increase and any pay progression to which you are entitled. 

School teacher pay in England

• How is my pay decided?
• How can you protect pay at your workplace?
• How can we protect teacher pay nationally?
• Tackling pay progression
• Advice and guidance

How is pay decided?

How can you protect pay at your workplace?

1. Organise a meeting of members to discuss pay and identify any issues you can raise together
2. Download our PowerPoint Presentation to use at meetings
3. Collectively identify issues to raise with your head and chair of governors using NEU model letter
4. Collectively come together to discuss response from your school leadership and decide your next steps  
5. If you need any support contact your branch secretary. 

How do we protect teacher pay nationally?

Each year we send evidence on pay, based on our members’ experiences, to the School Teachers’ Review Body.  Read our press release to the Department for Education's proposals to the School Teachers’ Review Body, and the latest NEU evidence to the STRB sets out the case for a pay increase of 7% for all teachers in England and was sent on 20 January.  

In November, the NEU, ASCL, NAHT and Voice sent a joint response to the Secretary of State’s letter to the STRB asking for recommendations on teachers’ pay and conditions for 2020. See more NEU STRB 2020 submission.

Tackling pay progression

As well as seeing their annual cost of living award cut back or withheld entirely, some teachers have also been denied pay progression.  NEU pressure has helped to ensure that pay progression is still the norm, but NEU surveys have revealed that it is a problem for some teachers. As with other pay issues, it is essential that members act collectively to support pay progression in the school. 

Advice on pay progression

Advice and guidance

The NEU has produced a range of information and advice on teacher pay issues. As well as advice on the annual cost of living award, there is an NEU pay toolkit to help you with specific issues such as securing pay progression, appealing against adverse pay decisions and winning a supportive school pay policy. 
 

Downloads