2026-27 New JNCHES pay round

[NCNC4]

It's that time of year again.
UCU - HE negotiations 2026-27

The negotiating meetings for JNCHES 2026-27 are on:

• Tuesday 31 March 2026 (awaiting the outcome of this)
• Thursday 9 April 2026
• Wednesday 13 May 2026

The main ask is "an increase on all pay points of at least RPI + 3% or £3,000, whichever is higher".

Silly question but if you're employed on a fixed term contract, does your pay also go up if an increase is agreed or are you locked into what you were on when you first started?

I'm not 100% sure but I believe it would increase in line with the rest of the pay spine.

I agree with @NCNC4 . You will have been appointed at a salary spine point which will increase in line with any pay rise.

Definitely increases - it’s the same pay scales whether fixed term or open ended

Latest information on the UCEA website following the 9 April meeting:

"Following an initial offer, UCEA made an improved offer of 1.8% on all spine points, with the exception of 2% on spine point 7."

2026-27 New JNCHES pay round

Third and final negotiation meeting takes place 13 May.

Thanks for the update @NCNC4 - if successful, when would the increases come into effect?

@wigletswiglet Typically on 1st August but I believe HEIs are allowed to postpone it for a number of months (maybe 9 months?) without backdating it. My HEI has always implemented on 1st August so I don’t know too much about the ability to delay, but someone else here may do.

They can postpone for 11 months. Ours always used to be implemented on 1 August but the last couple of years they’ve delayed until 1 July the following year.

Wow, I didn't know that! It explains why my pay hasn't risen since I started...
What's the point of going through the negotiations if they can postpone it for that long?!! As in surely the universities should honour their promise to staff if they agree to an increase

@wigletswiglet As I say, I don't know too much about it, but there is a bit of an explanation here: UCEA response to UCU HEC and progressing the non-pay items

"As with previous years, we have made the offer conditional on the clause that allows an HEI with extenuating circumstances to defer implementation of the pay uplifts by up to 11 months. There may be deferrals by some individual HEIs when their own financial positions are considered."

So the negotiations are to set the percentage increase for that year and the HEIs that have extenuating financial circumstances are permitted to delay by up to 11 months. The sector is in a bit of a state at the moment, so I don't know what the uptake is like for the 11-month delay.