To think this is a rubbish salary increase over 10 years?

[flyingtartar]

I found a payslip from 10 years ago this morning and it revealed the depressing news that my net take home pay is just £600 more now than it was then. During that time I have been promoted 3 times and reached the top of my grade. I had me children before then so there have been no gaps in that period. Of course my tax and pension contributions have increased, but £600??!! I am in a public sector career and have little prospect of further promotion as the next step up is a big one that few make and I’m not sure I would even want to. I feel better off as there’s no childcare costs anymore and no useless ex to support, but it seems such a paltry amount of progress over a long period.

AIBU or do I need a shake?

www.ftadviser.com/your-industry/2020/10/13/real-term-wages-gone-nowhere-in-12-years/

www.theguardian.com/business/2020/dec/16/pay-gap-britain-between-executives-and-workers-obscene-says-union

@SausageDogSandwich

even worse than I thought

[quote anniegun]This is a useful tool to see how inflation has affected value over time
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That's depressing, I earned three times as much in my first job as I do now.

@user1471457751

I think a lot of posters are ignoring the fact is 600pm after 2 promotions. For those saying they haven't had pay rises in the past 10 years, have you also been promoted twice?

I took on ever increasing levels of workload and responsibility. I not only didn't get a pay increase: I wasn't promoted either. That's why I left, despite loving the job.

Also depends on the type of promotion doesn’t it. Some promotions aren’t a big deal, just a band up with not much more responsibility so don’t have huge pay rises attached, compared to a jump to department manager or similar.

@MadameMinimes

I disagree with the teachers who’ve suggested this is a good pay increase compared to teaching. I’m a teacher and 10 years ago I was on M2 which from memory was around £24k at the time. Like the OP in the last 10 years I’ve been promoted 3 times. My salary is now around £62k. Her pay increase does not seem to be particularly generous for a similar career trajectory. It sounds to me like the NHS starting salaries are better but pay progression is a lot worse. I still have a few years to go before I hit the top of my current range so my pay will increase each year and if I was promoted again to a DH role I’d start a new range again with another 6 years of pay progression as long as I hit my appraisal targets. Even without promotions I’d now be on U3, which is about £45k in Outer London.

Wow I didn't realise Teachers earned up to that amount. When I google teacher banding it says U3 is 41k? (Just curious as my partner is considering teaching)

Wow I didn't realise Teachers earned up to that amount

You are correct; the vast majority of teachers never will. If you’re a head/deputy you might.

I have been teaching for nearly 25 years and have gone through all threshold increments to the top of the upper pay scale and earn £41k. I can’t earn more without becoming leadership.

Fellow Civil Servant here and am in the same boat. 2 promotions. Massive responsibility. £41k in London.
Was on 30k ten years ago and the people I now manage at that grade are now on about £34k.
Very expensive in London. These are Graduate jobs.
We cannot retain staff!!

I’m an Assistant Head in Outer London, so paid on the Outer London Leadership scale. A classroom teacher wouldn’t be on that amount but the OP said she’d had “three promotions” so I’d assumed she’s in some sort of leadership role in her field. In an average sized secondary school this is about the level you’d expect to be paid at after three promotions. I’ve had three promotions in the last 10 years. First to head of department, then a broader whole-school TLR role, then to assistant head. Heads of the big departments (maths, English, science) are also often on well over £50k around here. They are usually on UPS plus a bigger (usually £10k upwards) TLR. U3 in Outer London is about £45k, I think. I know I was on about £50k before moving into SLT with my U3 plus TLR. In secondary at least, the problem with teaching is not the pay but the conditions. I’m from a working class background and most of my family could never dream of the sort of salaries that I’ve been paid in teaching. Once you account for the pension it’s a very good salary. Whether that’s enough to make up for all the bullshit that can come with the job is another matter.

@MadameMinimes

I’m an Assistant Head in Outer London, so paid on the Outer London Leadership scale. A classroom teacher wouldn’t be on that amount but the OP said she’d had “three promotions” so I’d assumed she’s in some sort of leadership role in her field. In an average sized secondary school this is about the level you’d expect to be paid at after three promotions. I’ve had three promotions in the last 10 years. First to head of department, then a broader whole-school TLR role, then to assistant head. Heads of the big departments (maths, English, science) are also often on well over £50k around here. They are usually on UPS plus a bigger (usually £10k upwards) TLR. U3 in Outer London is about £45k, I think. I know I was on about £50k before moving into SLT with my U3 plus TLR. In secondary at least, the problem with teaching is not the pay but the conditions. I’m from a working class background and most of my family could never dream of the sort of salaries that I’ve been paid in teaching. Once you account for the pension it’s a very good salary. Whether that’s enough to make up for all the bullshit that can come with the job is another matter.

Agree with the bullshit!

There is also much much less scope for big TLRs and leadership roles at primary.

I’m not unhappy with the pay anyway, even though I know I’ve hit a ceiling unless I want to be a deputy, and even though I still have another 20+ years to go. It’s the workload I object to.

@Redlocks28
Pay in primaries is definitely not as good. As you say, there are very few TLR roles and SLT and Headteachers are paid much lower on the Leadership scale than in secondaries. Some primary Headteachers are paid lower on the leadership scale than a typical secondary Assistant Head. It doesn’t seem particularly fair given the extra responsibility and stress that falls on HTs.

I think that's fairly decent career progression. Surely to move further you would apply for more senior positions in the next band up then increment.

It was fairly high to start with though. Mine has gone up a lot more, but that’s because I’ve come up from a lower starting point 10 years ago. Each time I’ve been promoted it’s been £5-6k increase so if you’ve been promoted twice that’s probably on par. Also public sector professional role.