The school support staff pay rise for 2026/27 is 3.3% for employees covered by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services pay arrangements.
The new rates apply retrospectively from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, meaning eligible workers whose employers continued paying the previous rates can receive back pay.
The agreement covers NJC pay points 3 to 43, with relevant NJC allowances also increased by 3.3%. The settlement affects many teaching assistants, administrators, caretakers, catering employees and other school support workers employed on Green Book terms.
The agreement was reached in August 2026 following months of negotiations between employers and trade unions.
Who Is Eligible For The 2026 School Support Staff Pay Rise?
Eligibility depends mainly on the employee’s contract and whether their salary is linked to the NJC Green Book pay structure.
Workers commonly covered include:
- Teaching Assistants
- Learning Support Assistants
- School Administrators
- Finance And Office Staff
- Caretakers And Site Staff
- Catering Employees
- Midday Supervisors
- Technicians
- Pastoral Support Staff
- Inclusion Support Workers
- Some School Business Professionals
Maintained schools commonly employ support staff using local authority pay structures linked to the NJC.
The position can be different in academies because academy trusts have greater flexibility over employment terms. Some trusts follow NJC rates directly, while others operate separate pay arrangements.
Employees should therefore check their contract, salary scale or employer’s pay policy rather than assuming that every school support role automatically receives the national award.
How Much Will School Support Staff Pay Increase In 2026?
A 3.3% rise means an additional £33 for every £1,000 of annual salary, before Income Tax, National Insurance and pension deductions.
The actual increase depends on the worker’s pay point, contracted hours and whether the employee works full-time, part-time or term-time only.
Example 3.3% School Support Staff Pay Increases
| Previous Annual Salary | 3.3% Increase | New Annual Salary | Approximate Monthly Gross Increase |
| £20,000 | £660 | £20,660 | £55.00 |
| £22,000 | £726 | £22,726 | £60.50 |
| £25,000 | £825 | £25,825 | £68.75 |
| £28,000 | £924 | £28,924 | £77.00 |
| £30,000 | £990 | £30,990 | £82.50 |
| £35,000 | £1,155 | £36,155 | £96.25 |
| £40,000 | £1,320 | £41,320 | £110.00 |
These figures are simple gross-pay examples rather than individual payroll calculations.
A worker may receive less in their bank account because the additional salary can increase Income Tax, National Insurance and pension contributions.
How Much Have School Support Staff Pay Rates Risen Over The Last Three Years?
NJC support staff have received different types of settlement over the last three pay years.
| Pay Year | NJC Pay Award |
| 2024/25 | £1,290 added to each NJC pay point |
| 2025/26 | 3.2% |
| 2026/27 | 3.3% |
The 2024/25 settlement was not a uniform percentage increase. Every NJC pay point received an annual increase of £1,290 from 1 April 2024.
Because it was a fixed cash amount, lower-paid employees received a larger percentage increase than workers higher up the pay spine.
The system moved back to percentage increases for 2025/26, with 3.2% applied from 1 April 2025, followed by 3.3% from 1 April 2026.
Looking only at headline percentages therefore does not provide a completely accurate three-year comparison because the 2024 award operated differently.
When Will School Support Staff Receive Back Pay?
The 2026/27 pay agreement applies retrospectively from 1 April 2026.
Employees who continued receiving the previous NJC rate after April should therefore receive the difference between their old pay and their revised rate for the eligible period.
The actual payment date can vary because payroll is administered locally.
For example, Devon County Council confirmed that maintained schools using its payroll service would have the increase implemented and backdated to April in the September 2026 payroll. Other councils and trusts may use different implementation dates.
Back pay can potentially include:
- Basic Salary Arrears
- Changes To Eligible Allowances
- Additional Hours Linked To The Revised Rate
- Relevant Overtime Payments
- Adjustments Following Changes In Working Hours
Workers should check their payslip carefully once the award has been implemented.
Do Term-Time-Only School Staff Get The 3.3% Pay Rise?
Term-time-only employees can receive the pay award where their salary is based on an NJC rate, but this does not mean every employee receives 3.3% of the headline full-time annual salary shown on national pay tables.
Many teaching assistants and other support workers are contracted to work only during school terms.
Their salary is normally calculated using factors such as:
- Their NJC Pay Point
- Weekly Contracted Hours
- Number Of Paid Weeks
- Holiday Pay Arrangements
- Local Authority Calculation Methods
The 3.3% award increases the underlying pay rate. The employee’s actual salary remains proportionate to their contractual working pattern.
This distinction matters because a worker may see an NJC full-time salary advertised online that is considerably higher than the amount shown on their annual payslip.
Will Former School Employees Receive 2026 Back Pay?
Employees who left an eligible NJC-covered job after 1 April 2026 may still be due money for the period when they remained employed.
This could include people who:
- Resigned
- Retired
- Moved To Another School
- Moved To Another Local Authority
- Changed Employer
National guidance issued following the agreement recommends paying money owed to former employees covering the period from 1 April 2026 until their final date of employment, where a former worker makes a request.
Former employees should therefore consider contacting their previous payroll or HR department if they believe they are entitled to arrears and have not received information about payment.
Does The Pay Rise Apply To Academy School Support Staff?
Not automatically.
Academy trusts are employers in their own right and can establish their own support-staff pay structures.
Some academies continue to use NJC Green Book pay scales, either through contractual arrangements or because they have chosen to mirror local authority rates.
Others have their own grading and salary arrangements.
An academy employee should check:
- Their Employment Contract
- Their Trust’s Pay Policy
- Their Current Pay Scale
- Any Staff Communication About The NJC Award
The creation of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body could eventually bring greater national consistency to support staff pay and conditions in state-funded schools in England, including relevant academy staff.
Does The School Support Staff Pay Rise Apply To Agency Workers?
Agency teaching assistants and other temporary agency workers should not assume that the 3.3% NJC settlement automatically applies to them.
They are usually employed by an agency rather than directly by the school or local authority, so their pay arrangements can operate differently.
Agency workers should check their employment agreement and speak to their agency about any pay changes.
The government also considered whether agency workers should eventually fall within the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.
Following consultation, it decided not to commit to their inclusion immediately. The position is expected to be reviewed during the body’s first year of operation.
Will Overtime And Allowances Increase By 3.3%?
The 2026 NJC agreement includes a 3.3% increase to allowances covered by NJC terms and conditions, as well as the increase to eligible pay points.
Where overtime or additional-hours payments are calculated directly from an employee’s basic hourly rate, the higher basic rate may also change the amount paid.
However, locally determined payments do not necessarily increase automatically.
Employees should check whether changes have been applied to:
- Overtime
- Additional Hours
- NJC Allowances
- Shift Payments
- Other Salary-Linked Payments
Local HR or payroll teams can explain how individual allowances are treated.
How Has Recent School Support Staff Pay Growth Affected Workers?
Successive pay settlements have increased nominal salaries, but pay remains a major concern across the school support workforce.
Department for Education research published in February 2026 found that 72% of school support staff surveyed were dissatisfied with their salary. Among teaching assistants, dissatisfaction reached 85%.
The same research found that around 24% did not feel able to manage their workload, while many employees regularly carried out responsibilities beyond their formal job descriptions.
The impact therefore goes beyond whether a worker receives a larger monthly salary.
Higher pay can improve household income and may help schools retain experienced employees, but support staff continue to report pressures connected with workload, responsibility and progression.
Recruitment also remains challenging. Department for Education survey findings published in 2026 showed that 57% of school leaders who had recruited teaching assistants or learning support staff described those roles as hard to fill.
Is the 3.3% School Support Staff Pay Rise Enough Against Inflation?
Whether the 3.3% award represents a real improvement depends partly on the inflation measure and period used.
The latest Office for National Statistics figures available in September 2026 show that CPI inflation was 3.1% in the 12 months to August 2026, while CPIH was 3.3%.
On a simple headline comparison:
- 2026/27 NJC Pay Award: 3.3%
- August 2026 CPI Inflation: 3.1%
- August 2026 CPIH Inflation: 3.3%
That means the pay award was slightly above the latest CPI rate and equal to CPIH at that particular point.
However, this does not mean every employee will feel 3.3% better off.
Inflation measures average price changes across the economy. Individual households experience different pressures depending on rent, mortgages, transport, food, energy and family circumstances.
For example, ONS data showed transport prices rising 4.6% over the year to August 2026, while housing and household services increased 4.3%.
The pay rise therefore broadly matches recent overall inflation rather than producing a large increase in real purchasing power.
Why Did Unions Initially Reject The 3.3% Pay Offer?
The 3.3% figure was originally presented by employers in March 2026 as a full and final offer.
Trade unions initially argued that the proposed rise did not adequately address long-running pressures on local government and school employees.
Concerns centred on:
- Living Costs
- Previous Real-Term Pay Pressure
- Recruitment Problems
- Staff Retention
- Increasing Workloads
- Low Pay In Some Support Roles
The dispute continued for several months before agreement was ultimately reached in August 2026.
The final settlement therefore represents the conclusion of a longer negotiating process rather than an award that was accepted immediately when first offered.
What Did School Support Staff Unions Ask For In 2026?
The joint union claim was considerably higher than the employers’ eventual 3.3% settlement.
The proposals included:
- A Pay Increase Of £3,000 Or 10%, Whichever Was Greater
- A Minimum Hourly Rate Of £15
- A Two-Hour Reduction In The Working Week
- An Additional Day Of Annual Leave
- Improvements Affecting Term-Time Working
- Changes To Lower-Level Teaching Assistant Arrangements
The difference between the claim and the eventual settlement demonstrates the gap that existed between employee representatives and employers during the negotiations.
What Has The Government Said About School Support Staff Pay In 2026?
The Department for Education confirmed in September 2026 that agreement had been reached on the 2026 school support staff pay award.
Most school support staff are currently employed under National Joint Council for Local Government Services arrangements, with eligible NJC employees receiving a 3.3% increase from 1 April 2026.
The government also said schools are receiving £700 million in additional investment in 2026/27 and £1.1 billion in 2027/28.
It highlighted a 4.9 percentage point reduction in Local Government Pension Scheme employer contribution rates, with the resulting savings expected to help schools manage support staff and teacher pay costs.
The government is also moving ahead with the School Support Staff Negotiating Body, which is intended to provide a dedicated national structure for negotiating support staff pay and conditions and considering areas such as training and career progression.
Source: Department for Education
Is The School Support Staff Pay Rise Different From The Teacher Pay Rise?
Yes. Teachers and school support staff operate under different national pay arrangements.
| Area | School Support Staff | Teachers |
| 2026 Pay Increase | 3.3% | 3.5% |
| Effective Date | 1 April 2026 | 1 September 2026 |
| Current Main System | NJC For Many Staff | Teacher Pay Framework |
| Typical Coverage | Teaching Assistants, Admin And Other Support Roles | Qualified And Unqualified Teachers |
| Future Development | SSSNB | Existing Teacher Pay System |
The two awards should therefore not be treated as interchangeable.
A school could employ teachers receiving one national award while eligible support staff receive a different increase from a different effective date.
How Will Schools Afford The 2026 Support Staff Pay Rise?
Staffing is one of the largest costs faced by schools, meaning even relatively small percentage increases can have a significant effect on budgets.
The financial impact depends on factors including:
- Number Of Support Staff Employed
- Existing Salary Levels
- Staffing Structure
- Pension Costs
- Academy Or Maintained School Status
- Overall Funding Allocation
Schools also have to account for the retrospective cost of the settlement because the new rates apply from April even where payroll implementation takes place months later.
Government education funding decisions and changes to pension costs can affect the overall financial position, but that does not mean every school experiences the same level of affordability.
A school with a large support workforce may face a considerably different cost impact from a school employing fewer support staff.
What Is The School Support Staff Negotiating Body?
The School Support Staff Negotiating Body, commonly abbreviated to SSSNB, is planned as a statutory national negotiating body specifically for school support staff in England.
Its remit will cover:
- Pay
- Terms And Conditions
- Training
- Career Progression
The Department for Education says support staff within scope will include directly employed non-teaching employees supporting pupils, school facilities and school processes, up to and including middle leadership roles.
This can include teaching assistants, administrative employees, catering staff, caretakers and other eligible support roles.
Will The SSSNB Replace Existing Pay Arrangements In 2026?
No immediate replacement is planned.
School support staff are expected to remain under their existing arrangements throughout the 2026/27 financial year.
The SSSNB is expected to be formally established in autumn 2026, but the Department for Education says the first improvements resulting from its negotiations are expected from the 2027/28 financial year at the earliest.
This means workers should separate two issues:
The 2026/27 pay award is the current 3.3% NJC settlement.
The SSSNB concerns the future national system for eligible school support staff in England.
What Could Change For School Support Staff From 2027?
The SSSNB could represent a significant change in how school support staff pay and employment conditions are handled nationally.
Potential areas include:
- National Pay Negotiations
- Minimum Terms And Conditions
- Career Progression
- Training Opportunities
- Professional Development
- Maternity Pay
- Greater Consistency Between Schools
The government has confirmed that maternity pay will be the first conditions issue considered by the SSSNB.
The longer-term objective is to create a framework designed specifically around the school support workforce rather than relying solely on broader local government arrangements.
Will Existing Better Pay And Conditions Be Protected?
The proposed SSSNB structure is intended to create minimum standards rather than maximum limits.
Government consultation findings state that employees already receiving terms more favourable than future SSSNB minimums should retain those better arrangements.
Workers whose conditions fall below the future statutory minimum would instead be brought up to the new floor.
This means the introduction of the SSSNB is not intended to reduce existing favourable salaries or conditions simply to create identical arrangements everywhere.
Employers would also retain the ability to offer terms above national minimums where appropriate.
What Should School Support Staff Check On Their Payslip?
Once the 2026/27 settlement has been processed, employees should compare their new payslip with an earlier one.
Important areas to check include:
- Basic Salary
- Hourly Rate
- Backdated Pay
- Overtime
- Additional Hours
- Allowances
- Pension Contributions
- Income Tax
- National Insurance
- Any Change In Contracted Hours
A large back-pay payment can also make deductions look noticeably higher during the month in which arrears are paid.
Employees who believe the calculation is incorrect should contact their employer’s payroll or HR department.
What Happens Next For School Support Staff Pay?
The immediate focus for 2026 is now on implementing the 3.3% NJC award, updating payroll records and paying any arrears due from 1 April.
The next major development is the establishment of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body in England.
Existing pay arrangements remain important during 2026/27, while the earliest SSSNB outcomes affecting pay and contractual conditions are expected from 2027/28.
For employees, that means the 2026 settlement is not the end of the wider debate over school support staff pay.
Questions about national standards, progression, conditions and recruitment are likely to become increasingly important as the new negotiating system develops.
Conclusion
The school support staff pay rise 2026/27 has been agreed at 3.3%, applying retrospectively from 1 April 2026 for eligible NJC workers. The settlement raises basic rates and relevant NJC allowances, with back pay due where employees continued receiving older rates after April.
While the rise broadly matches recent headline inflation, Department for Education research shows that dissatisfaction with support-staff salaries remains widespread, particularly among teaching assistants.
The next major change will be the School Support Staff Negotiating Body in England. Existing arrangements continue through 2026/27, with the first SSSNB-driven improvements expected from 2027/28 at the earliest.
FAQs About School Support Staff Pay Rise 2026
Has The School Support Staff Pay Rise 2026 Been Agreed?
Yes. The NJC 2026/27 pay agreement provides a 3.3% increase, effective retrospectively from 1 April 2026.
When Will School Support Staff Get Their 2026 Back Pay?
Payment dates depend on the employer and payroll provider. Eligible arrears should cover the period from 1 April 2026 until the new rate is implemented.
How Much Is The School Support Staff Pay Rise For 2026/27?
The agreed NJC increase is 3.3% on pay points 3 to 43, along with a 3.3% increase to relevant NJC allowances.
Do Teaching Assistants Get The 3.3% Pay Rise?
Teaching assistants employed on NJC-linked contracts can receive the increase. Academy and agency arrangements can differ, so employees should check their contract.
Do Term-Time-Only Staff Receive The 3.3% Increase?
Eligible term-time-only staff receive the increase to their underlying pay rate, but their actual annual salary remains calculated according to contracted hours and paid weeks.
Will Former School Staff Receive Back Pay?
Former employees who worked in an eligible role after 1 April 2026 may be owed arrears for the period before they left. They may need to contact their previous employer.
Does The Pay Rise Apply To Academies?
Not automatically. Some academy trusts follow NJC rates while others have separate salary structures.
Does The Pay Rise Apply To Agency Teaching Assistants?
The NJC settlement does not automatically apply to agency workers because their employment and pay arrangements are usually determined by their agency.
Is The 3.3% Pay Rise Above Or Below Inflation?
August 2026 CPI inflation was 3.1%, while CPIH was 3.3%. The 3.3% award was therefore slightly above CPI and equal to CPIH at that point.
Will School Support Staff Pay Change Again In 2027?
Further changes are possible. The SSSNB is expected to begin shaping national school support staff arrangements, with its first negotiated improvements expected to take effect from 2027/28 at the earliest.