Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

Are you getting the 5% pay increase this term?

47 replies

Daffy7286 · 23/09/2022 21:03

Just as in the title really, has your school announced yet that you will be getting this 5% pay increase that the government has promised, or are they holding off awarding it? Mine has just announced that they’re waiting until the outcomes of negotiations between government and the Unions before we get any pay increase at all. I’m not very happy about that as that may never happen, the unions and government may never agree on anything more, so how long are we going to be expected to wait? As far as the government are concerned they’re not even in negotiations with the Unions, 5% is what we’re getting, so why not pay it to us now? If we are successful in securing more through strikes, then they can bump up the %, but why the refusal to pay the promised 5% now? What is your school’s stance in this, are mine unreasonable or is this pretty standard (even if I really don’t agree with it)?

OP posts:
PickledWilly · 23/09/2022 21:49

It is absolutely standard (certainly in maintained schools) that you wouldn't get a rise until the STPCD has been updated with the new pay scales. Your school are not wrong to wait for this to happen before updating their own pay policy and putting the rise through payroll.

Original poster
Daffy7286 · 23/09/2022 22:46

That’s not what they’ve said though, they’re not waiting for the STPCD to be updated. They’re waiting for the negotiations to conclude between the government and the unions. But as far as I’m aware, they’re not negotiating anything.

OP posts:
pinkyponkyplink · 24/09/2022 07:36

My basic pay is the same this month. I'm ups3. When should it have increased??! I'm in an academy

PickledWilly · 24/09/2022 07:56

They don't need to say it though. Also the word on the street is that teacher pay rises will end up being 7%. No school is going to want the work of putting increases through twice, or updating their pay policy twice. They will be waiting to see whether strike action does take place

pinkyponkyplink · 24/09/2022 07:56

Will it get backdated then? I'm confused.

Original poster
Daffy7286 · 24/09/2022 07:59

I wouldn’t necessarily expect an increase in September’s pay. Ours usually happens in December, with pay backdated to September. We’re told about the rise usually around mid October time, after the STPCD has been updated. But now we’ve been told not to expect anything at all until the Unions have agreed something with the government. But given this government have never agreed on anything with the teaching unions, as far as I’m aware they don’t even talk to them, we have no idea when this pay rise will land for us, but it probably won’t be December as it usually is.

OP posts:
Original poster
Daffy7286 · 24/09/2022 08:02

PickledWilly · 24/09/2022 07:56

They don't need to say it though. Also the word on the street is that teacher pay rises will end up being 7%. No school is going to want the work of putting increases through twice, or updating their pay policy twice. They will be waiting to see whether strike action does take place

Does the school not wanting the extra work trump their staff being unable to pay their bills for however many months this pay dispute rumbles on for though? Staff aren’t in dispute with the school, so we can’t do anything about how long the dispute goes on for.

OP posts:
PickledWilly · 24/09/2022 08:06

It doesn't no but I think an outcome is likely to come soon which is why schools are waiting. Pay rises are not usually rushed through in September so not sure why they would be this year

PickledWilly · 24/09/2022 08:07

I think you will have received it by your end of Nov pay, as you normally would. Your school have just worded this badly.

Original poster
Daffy7286 · 24/09/2022 08:09

I do hope you’re right, but I’m not so optimistic about the time frame. Do you think we’ll be out on strike? If we do strike, are the government likely to increase their offer (and crucially, fund it), by the end of the year? The RMT have been holding strikes for months, how much progress have they made in negotiations?

OP posts:
PickledWilly · 24/09/2022 08:12

Have you voted to strike? I think teacher strikes may happen yes.
Who knows if funding will appear for the teacher or support staff pay rises which means lots of schools will then need to reduce their staff bill in other ways

Original poster
Daffy7286 · 24/09/2022 08:13

Hopefully @PickledWilly. They have specifically mentioned negotiations with the unions ending though, which they don’t usually. Given the government have never negotiated with the unions over any other pay rise, and the unions have pretty much rejected every pay offer we’ve had since I started teaching, when do my school think this is going to end?

OP posts:
Original poster
Daffy7286 · 24/09/2022 08:14

PickledWilly · 24/09/2022 08:12

Have you voted to strike? I think teacher strikes may happen yes.
Who knows if funding will appear for the teacher or support staff pay rises which means lots of schools will then need to reduce their staff bill in other ways

My union haven’t balloted yet, I think they’re doing so next week. I will be voting to strike yes.

OP posts:
Original poster
Daffy7286 · 24/09/2022 08:14

And yes, I do think only a fully funded rise will be acceptable to the unions, so IMO that’s not going to happen.

OP posts:
Onandgrowing · 24/09/2022 08:59

We will get it but it is utterly ridiculous that it isn’t funded. If it means losing a TA or getting my payrise I’d far rather keep the TA.

I’ve never had any rise come through in September though, it’s always at least November or December & backdated.

Newrumpus · 24/09/2022 09:46

I won’t be getting 5% in any case

wingingit33 · 24/09/2022 12:49

I work in an independent and been told we'll all get a letter next week explaining what increase we'll get and it will begin in Septembers pay 🤷🏻‍♀️

Original poster
Daffy7286 · 24/09/2022 12:56

Why @Newrumpus ? Have your school told you there not going to honour the government promised 5%?

OP posts:
Original poster
Daffy7286 · 24/09/2022 12:56

*they're

OP posts:
oneofthose · 25/09/2022 09:23

I read in a TES article that the 5% increase would also be added to any TLR payments you get. Is that really the case? Has anyone had this confirmed by their school?
our has always honoured rises previously but they’ve been very quiet about this one.

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 25/09/2022 13:12

I have seen this from a few schools, and I would guess it is a delaying tactic, as they are struggling to find the funds for the pay increase. As you say, the negotiations (which haven't really started yet) could drag on for months!

Perhaps slightly ironically, you could ask your union rep if they would discuss this with the head, and what they would do if "negotiations" are still ongoing in e.g. January.

If you work in an academy/free school, they aren't obliged to give the pay rise at all- so at least they aren't saying never?

Original poster
Daffy7286 · 25/09/2022 15:16

Yes, at least they have said it will be backdated to this September whenever we do get it. I guess they're hoping that the government agree to fund the increase too as a result of industrial action, so delaying the increase until they know if they're going to be getting the money for it. I think it does apply to TLR payments too, at least that's what the government have said. Whether individual schools follow that is up to them of course. Mine have said they will follow national pay scales, so I guess compared to a lot of schools, mine isn't that unreasonable at all!

OP posts:
wingingit33 · 29/09/2022 13:49

I'm in a private school and had a letter to say increase of 6.6% which I'm thrilled with.

Violashift · 01/10/2022 09:29

Emailed the peoples they said the Unions in conflict with government and want pay rise to at least match inflation.
Consultation period doesn’t close until 4th November.

pinkyponkyplink · 25/10/2022 22:31

Do we know anything more about this? I haven't had a pay rise