Local government pay award 2026/27

Staff on the National Joint Council (NJC) “Green Book” terms, which covers most council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and most school support staff, get a 3.3% pay rise from 1 April 2026. It applies to spine points 3 to 43 and to allowances, and it is backdated to April. Spine point 2 was deleted from the same date, so the lowest point is now SCP 3 at £25,614 a year.

What was agreed

The employers’ offer was a flat 3.3% on every point from SCP 3 to SCP 43, plus the same increase on NJC allowances. Councils have confirmed the deal and are paying it, and a Devon County Council notice to schools dated 8 September 2026 sets it out. The NJC agreement circular from the Local Government Association could not be checked directly, and the exact date the agreement was signed is not confirmed.

The road there was bumpy. UNISON, GMB and Unite rejected the offer or balloted their members on it over the summer of 2026, which is why the money arrived months after the 1 April effective date. If your employer has not yet paid arrears back to April, ask payroll when they are due.

The deletion of SCP 2 was agreed in 2025, as part of the previous deal, and took effect from 1 April 2026.

What 3.3% is worth on the spine

With SCP 2 gone and the 3.3% applied, the spine runs from £25,614 (SCP 3) to £56,293 (SCP 43) for a full-time, 37-hour week. A few points along the way:

Spine point	Annual from 1 April 2026	Approximate hourly rate
SCP 3	£25,614	£13.28
SCP 7	£27,274	£14.14
SCP 14	£30,515	£15.82
SCP 25	£37,563	£19.47
SCP 43	£56,293	£29.18

The hourly rates use the NJC method: annual pay divided by 52.143 weeks and then by 37 hours. The full list is in the NJC pay spine guide.

In cash terms, 3.3% on a hypothetical salary of £30,000 is £990 a year before tax, or £82.50 a month. Part-time and term-time-only staff get the same percentage on their actual pay, so their cash rise is smaller. The term-time-only pay guide shows how that is worked out.

How it compares with the minimum wage and other public sector awards

The bottom of the spine, about £13.28 an hour, is above the National Living Wage of £12.71 for workers aged 21 and over. It is below the voluntary Real Living Wage of £14.10 (outside London) announced on 15 October 2026. Councils that are accredited Living Wage employers are expected to bring in the new rate within six months of the announcement, usually through a supplement on the lowest points.

Other public sector groups got these awards for 2026/27:

• NHS Agenda for Change staff in England: 3.3% from 1 April 2026
• teachers in England: 3.5% from 1 September 2026, not yet in force in maintained schools
• police officers in England and Wales: 3.5% from 1 September 2026
• firefighters: 3.8% from 1 July 2026

Council staff therefore got the same percentage as NHS staff in England, and slightly less than teachers and police. The public sector vs private sector pay guide puts these in a wider context.

Arrears, tax and pension

Arrears back to 1 April are paid as a lump sum in one month’s pay and taxed through PAYE with that month’s salary. PAYE is cumulative over the tax year, so a one-off lump sum is usually taxed at your normal rate overall, though the month itself can look heavier. If something looks wrong, HMRC can check your tax code.

The rise can move you into a different Local Government Pension Scheme band. Employers set each member’s band every April, based on actual pay. For 2026/27 the main section bands change at £18,400, £29,000 and £47,300, among others, so a member near a boundary may see a different rate once the award is applied. The Local Government Pension Scheme guide lists every band.

To see what the rise means after tax, National Insurance and pension, use the take-home pay calculator.

Who is not covered

The NJC award does not cover teachers, chief executives and chief officers, or council staff in Scotland. Academy trusts that follow the NJC scale usually pass the award on, but they do not have to, so check with your trust.

What changes for school support staff from 2027

The Employment Rights Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025, provides for a School Support Staff Negotiating Body for England. It still needs secondary legislation. The government is aiming to set it up in 2026, and its first pay outcomes are expected for 2027/28 at the earliest. Until then, school support staff pay keeps following the NJC.