Ministry of Defence civilian pay

Ministry of Defence civilians in the core department are paid from £27,650 at AO and AA up to £81,360 at the top of Grade 6, on the pay scales that apply from 1 August 2025. The MOD page that publishes them was last updated on 23 January 2026, and it did not show a newer set when we checked, so a 2026 award may still be to come. The scales below are what the MOD itself publishes for its core civilian staff.

The grade scales

Grade	Minimum	Maximum
Grade 6	£72,840	£81,360
Grade 7	£61,630	£67,750
SEO	£46,040	£50,510
HEO	£37,720	£41,460
EO	£30,740	£33,730
AO	£27,650	£27,650
AA	£27,650	£27,650

The page notes that AO and AA received an uplift in April 2025 to comply with National Living Wage law. It also lists four lines called Skill Zones: zone 4 at £29,590 to £31,180, zone 3 at £26,390 to £27,310, and zones 1 and 2 at £24,350. It does not explain who they apply to, so ask the MOD or read the advert if a post mentions one. The page does not mention London rates, allowances or progression. Staff in other MOD organisations, and in non-standard occupational grades, are pointed to the Civilian HR People Portal.

How big each promotion step is

What a promotion adds depends on where you finished in the old grade. The table shows the gain from minimum to minimum and from the old maximum to the new minimum.

Move	Gain on minimum to minimum	Gain from old maximum to new minimum
AO to EO	£3,090	£3,090
EO to HEO	£6,980	£3,990
HEO to SEO	£8,320	£4,580
SEO to Grade 7	£15,590	£11,120
Grade 7 to Grade 6	£11,210	£5,090

The jump from SEO to Grade 7 is the biggest. The ranges widen as the grades rise: EO spans £2,990, HEO £3,740, SEO £4,470, Grade 7 £6,120 and Grade 6 £8,520. AO has no range at all, so a flat rate stays flat until the next award or promotion. The Civil Service grades and pay guide explains why each department’s figures differ, and the AO pay guide and EO pay guide go into the bottom grades.

What sets the MOD’s pay

The MOD page says pay for its civilians is governed by the annual Civil Service pay remit guidance and that the department tries to keep competitive rates. For 2026/27 that guidance, published on 21 May 2026, sets a maximum 3.5% increase in each department’s pay costs. It is a budget, and the guidance says departments decide how to share it. So the 2025 scales above are the ones to use until the MOD publishes new ones.

Where the pension rate changes

MOD civilians are normally in the alpha pension scheme. For 2026/27 the member rate is 4.6% on pay up to £36,199, 5.45% from £36,200 to £56,000, 7.35% from £56,001 to £150,000 and 8.05% above that. Against the scales above, every EO and AO salary sits in the 4.6% band. HEO and SEO pay falls in the 5.45% band, and Grade 7 pay of £61,630 or more is in the 7.35% band. Grade 6 salaries of £72,840 and above are in the same band. The alpha pension guide explains what you get for it, and the take-home pay calculator shows the effect on your net pay at any salary.

Civilian pay compared with service pay

Service personnel are paid on separate military scales, which the armed forces pay guide sets out. The MOD civilian jobs profile covers the employers, vetting and who can apply.