School Support Staff Pay Rise 2026
The school support staff pay rise 2026 may provide some short-term relief, but many staff and unions believe a 3.3% increase still fails to address years of lost pay value and rising living costs.
The proposed school support staff pay rise for 2026 is currently set at 3.3%, following a “full and final” offer made by employers to unions representing teaching assistants, administrators, caretakers, cleaners and other support workers.
However, unions had asked for at least £3,000 or 10%, whichever was greater, alongside a new minimum rate of £15 per hour.
For many school support staff, the 3.3% rise offers some improvement, but it is unlikely to reverse years of falling pay value and growing financial pressure.
Key points include:
- The 3.3% offer would apply from 1 April 2026
- Unions say support staff pay has lost more than 26% of its value since 2010
- The £15 per hour minimum and reduced working hours were rejected
- Around 800,000 school and council staff could be affected
- The final 2026/27 NJC pay agreement is still subject to consultation and negotiation
What is the School Support Staff Pay Rise for 2026?
The school support staff pay rise 2026 refers to the annual pay negotiations for employees working under National Joint Council (NJC) terms and conditions.
In March 2026, the employers’ side offered a 3.3% increase on all NJC pay points from 3 to 43, together with a 3.3% increase on allowances.
The offer covers the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. It applies to most school support staff employed by local authorities and many academy trusts that continue to follow the Green Book pay arrangements.
Although a 3.3% rise is better than a pay freeze, it falls significantly below what unions had demanded.
Unison, Unite and GMB submitted a joint claim seeking at least £3,000 or 10%, whichever was greater, arguing that lower-paid school workers have suffered years of below-inflation settlements.
The National Education Union has also backed a larger, fully funded rise. One NEU spokesperson said:
“Support staff are the backbone of our schools and colleges. Without their dedication, the education system simply could not function.”
Who is Included in the 2026 School Support Staff Pay Award?
The proposed pay rise affects a wide range of school support roles rather than teachers. These are the staff who keep schools running every day and provide direct support to pupils, teachers and parents.
The 2026 school support staff pay award is expected to apply to:
- Teaching assistants
- Learning support assistants
- Higher-level teaching assistants
- School administrators
- Reception and office staff
- Caretakers and site managers
- Cleaners
- Catering and kitchen staff
- Midday supervisors
- Library and pastoral support staff
Most of these employees are paid using NJC spinal column points through their local authority or academy trust. Even though academies can technically set their own pay arrangements, most still mirror local authority pay scales.
School business leaders and specialist support staff may also be affected where their contracts are linked to the NJC pay spine.
Why Are Unions Asking for More Than a 3.3% School Support Staff Pay Rise in 2026?
Unions argue that the proposed 3.3% rise is simply not enough after more than a decade of falling real wages. According to union estimates, school support staff have lost over 26% of their pay value since 2010 once inflation is taken into account.
That means many staff are effectively earning less in real terms than they were 15 years ago, despite taking on more responsibility and workload.
Support staff have also been hit hard by:
- Rising food, housing and energy bills
- Increased transport costs
- More demanding workloads in schools
- Persistent recruitment and retention problems
- Limited opportunities for promotion
“Local government pay has been eroded for more than a decade, leaving many support staff struggling to make ends meet,” said a GMB representative in March 2026.
The unions believe that only a larger increase can begin to repair the damage caused by years of low pay. They also argue that a percentage rise benefits higher-paid staff more than lower-paid workers, which is why they prefer a guaranteed cash increase of at least £3,000.
How Much Have Unions Asked for in the 2026 Support Staff Pay Claim?
The original 2026/27 union claim was far broader than a simple pay rise. Unison, Unite and GMB asked for major changes to pay and working conditions.
What Does the £3,000 or 10% Pay Claim Mean for School Support Staff?
The unions requested an increase of at least £3,000 or 10%, whichever was greater, across all NJC pay points. This approach would provide more support to lower-paid workers.
For example, a teaching assistant earning £21,000 a year would receive around £2,100 under a 10% rise. Because £3,000 is higher, they would instead receive the larger amount.
Under the current 3.3% offer, the same employee would receive only around £693.
| Annual Salary | 3.3% Employer Offer | £3,000 or 10% Union Claim |
| £21,000 | £693 | £3,000 |
| £25,000 | £825 | £3,000 |
| £30,000 | £990 | £3,000 |
| £35,000 | £1,155 | £3,500 |
The table shows why unions believe a flat-rate rise would make a much bigger difference to lower-paid support staff.
Why Are Unions Also Calling for a £15 Per Hour Minimum Rate?
The unions are also demanding a new minimum rate of £15 per hour across the NJC pay spine. They argue that many school support workers remain too close to the National Living Wage despite carrying out skilled and demanding jobs.
Alongside the pay increase, the claim also includes:
- A two-hour reduction in the working week with no loss of pay
- One extra day of annual leave
- The right for support staff to take one day of leave during term time
- The abolition of Level 1 teaching assistant roles and the movement to Level 2
However, all of these proposals were rejected in the employers’ 3.3% offer.
How Does the 3.3% School Support Staff Pay Rise Compare With the Union Claim?
The difference between the employer’s offer and the union demand is substantial. While employers are offering a standard percentage increase, unions want a much larger rise that specifically helps the lowest-paid workers.
| Element of the Claim | Union Demand | Employer Offer |
| Basic pay increase | £3,000 or 10% | 3.3% |
| Minimum hourly rate | £15 per hour | Rejected |
| Reduction in working week | 2 hours less | Rejected |
| Extra annual leave | 1 additional day | Rejected |
| Paid leave during term time | Included | Rejected |
| Level 1 TA role reform | Move to Level 2 | Rejected |
The current offer therefore provides a smaller financial gain and none of the wider improvements unions had hoped to secure.
“The 3.3% offer represents a real-terms pay cut for support staff who have already lost around a quarter of their pay value since 2010,” an NEU official said after the announcement.
Does a 3.3% Pay Rise Really Help School Support Workers in 2026?
For many support workers, the answer is both yes and no. A 3.3% rise will provide some extra money and may help with everyday costs. Yet it is unlikely to feel transformational.
A worker earning £24,000 a year would receive an extra £792 annually before tax. That works out at roughly £66 per month. Although any increase is welcome, many support staff may feel that this is quickly absorbed by higher food prices, rent, energy bills and transport costs.
There is also the issue of inflation. While inflation has slowed compared with previous years, many households are still paying much more than they were in 2020 or 2021. A 3.3% rise may therefore improve take-home pay slightly without restoring the spending power that staff have lost over time.
In practical terms, the rise may:
- Help with short-term household costs
- Improve morale slightly
- Prevent some staff from leaving immediately
- Fall short of what lower-paid staff need to feel financially secure
I recently spoke to a teaching assistant in Lancashire and she told me that after 14 years in schools, she now regularly considers leaving for retail work because the pay is higher.
“I love supporting the children,” she said, “but after rent, bills and petrol, there’s almost nothing left at the end of the month. A 3.3% rise helps, but it doesn’t solve the problem.”
That experience reflects a wider concern across the education sector.
Why Do Term-time Only Contracts Affect School Support Staff Pay?
Many school support staff are employed on term-time only contracts. This means they are only paid for the weeks they work during the school year rather than receiving a full 52-week salary.
How Much Money Can School Support Staff Lose on a Term-time Only Contract?
According to GMB analysis, support staff such as teaching assistants, cleaners and administrators can lose thousands of pounds every year because they are paid over 44 weeks rather than 52 weeks.
Some estimates suggest that annual earnings could increase by up to £4,094 if these employees were paid across a full year.
This has created what unions describe as a £2.2 billion pay gap affecting around 800,000 school and council workers.
For many staff, the lower annual salary is one of the main reasons why the 3.3% offer feels disappointing. Even with a pay rise, term-time only workers may continue to struggle financially.
Could Changes to Term-time Contracts Improve Support Staff Earnings?
Reforming term-time contracts could make almost as much difference as a higher pay rise. If more staff were paid over 52 weeks or offered better protection against unpaid periods, their annual income would become more stable and predictable.
This is one reason why unions have linked the 2026 pay negotiations to wider concerns about fairness and working conditions. They argue that a stronger settlement should not only raise hourly pay but also address the way support staff contracts are structured.
What Does the NJC Pay Award Mean for Schools and Academies?
The NJC (National Joint Council) sets pay scales, known as Green Book arrangements, for many local authority staff, including school support workers.
Most maintained schools follow these automatically, while many academies choose to adopt them for consistency.
The 2026 offer includes a 3.3% increase across pay points 3 to 43, along with a 3.3% rise in allowances.
The main concern is funding. Employers expect schools to cover the increase from existing budgets, rather than receiving extra government support. This puts pressure on already stretched finances.
Possible impacts include:
- Fewer support staff roles
- Delayed recruitment
- Reduced spending on resources
- Increased workload for existing staff
The Department for Education has suggested funding may only support a 2.7% rise over two years, highlighting the gap.
Could the 2026 School Support Staff Pay Rise Improve Recruitment and Retention?
Recruitment and retention have become some of the biggest challenges facing schools in 2026. Across the UK, many schools are struggling to fill support staff vacancies and keep experienced employees in post.
The proposed 3.3% school support staff pay rise may offer some short-term relief, but many education leaders and unions believe it is unlikely to solve the wider workforce problem on its own.
Years of below-inflation pay increases, rising living costs and growing workloads have left many support staff questioning whether they can afford to stay in education.
Why Are Schools Struggling to Keep Support Staff?
Schools across the UK are finding it harder to recruit and retain support staff because pay often doesn’t compete with jobs in retail, care, or office roles—many of which offer better hours and less pressure.
Key reasons include:
- Low pay compared to other sectors
- Term-time contracts reduce overall earnings
- Increasing workloads and responsibilities
- Limited career progression
- Tight school budgets
As experienced staff leave, schools rely more on temporary workers or overburden existing staff. This leads to higher workloads, lower morale, and further resignations.
The impact goes beyond staffing; students may receive less support, teachers take on extra tasks, and overall school efficiency can decline
Is a 3.3% Rise Enough to Stop Support Staff Leaving?
The 3.3% offer may slow down the problem, but it is unlikely to solve it. A larger rise, combined with the proposed £15 minimum hourly rate, would probably make school support jobs more competitive.
Unions argue that retaining experienced staff saves schools money in the long term because it reduces recruitment costs and improves continuity for pupils.
The issue is not only about pay. It is also about whether support staff feel valued.
When schools lose experienced teaching assistants, administrators or caretakers, the whole school community is affected. That is why many education leaders believe the 2026 school support staff pay award needs to be part of a wider plan to strengthen the workforce.
What Happens Next After the 2026 School Support Staff Pay Offer?
The 3.3% offer is not yet fully confirmed. The recognised unions are currently consulting their members before deciding whether to accept or reject the proposal.
If unions reject the offer, there could be further negotiations or even industrial action later in 2026. Support staff have already shown strong support for campaigning, with large majorities voting in favour of above-inflation pay rises and potential strike action.
Any agreed increase would normally be backdated to 1 April 2026.
For now, school support staff should keep an eye on updates from Unison, Unite, GMB and the NEU, as well as announcements from local authorities and academy trusts.
In reality, the 3.3% rise may provide some welcome relief, but it is unlikely to settle the wider debate about support staff pay, school funding and workforce shortages.
Conclusion
The proposed 3.3% school support staff pay rise for 2026 would give many workers some extra financial support, but it is unlikely to resolve the deeper problems facing the sector.
After years of below-inflation pay increases and rising living costs, many support staff still feel undervalued.
Unless future negotiations deliver a larger, fully funded settlement with better pay and conditions, schools may continue to struggle with recruitment, retention and staff morale across vital support roles.
FAQs
When would the 2026 school support staff pay rise start?
If agreed, the 2026 school support staff pay rise would begin from 1 April 2026 and should apply for the full 2026/27 financial year.
Will the 2026 pay rise be backdated for school support staff?
Yes. Any final NJC pay agreement is usually backdated to 1 April, so staff should receive any owed increase in a later payslip.
Are school support staff in academies guaranteed the same pay rise?
Not always. Academies can choose their own pay arrangements, but most still follow NJC and Green Book pay scales, so many academy support staff are likely to receive the same increase.
Does the 3.3% offer apply to all NJC pay points?
The current offer applies to NJC pay points 3 to 43 inclusive, as well as some grades above the main pay spine.
What is the difference between NJC pay points and local authority pay scales?
NJC pay points are the numbered positions on the national pay spine used by local authorities. Local authority pay scales are the salary ranges built around those points.
Could school support staff take industrial action over the 2026 pay offer?
Yes. If unions reject the 3.3% offer, they may ballot members for industrial action later in 2026.
Will support staff receive extra annual leave as part of the 2026 pay deal?
At present, no. The unions requested one extra day of annual leave, but this was rejected in the employers’ offer.
