TLR payments for teachers

A teaching and learning responsibility (TLR) payment is an allowance on top of salary for a teacher who takes on a defined, ongoing responsibility, such as running a department or leading a key stage. In England from 1 September 2026, TLR1 is worth £10,531 to £17,819 a year, TLR2 £3,651 to £8,913 and TLR3 £727 to £3,600. The school sets the exact value of each TLR within those ranges.

TLR values from September 2026

The 3.5% award accepted by the government on 1 July 2026 applies to allowances as well as pay, so each TLR range rose by the same percentage.

Payment	Annual range from 1 September 2026	Typical use
TLR1	£10,531 to £17,819	Larger leadership roles, often with line management of a significant number of staff
TLR2	£3,651 to £8,913	Subject or phase leadership, pastoral leadership
TLR3	£727 to £3,600	Time-limited school improvement projects or one-off duties

The new values are not legally in force in maintained schools until the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document 2026 is published, which is expected around early November 2026, backdated to 1 September. Until then your TLR may be paid at last year’s value, with arrears to follow.

What a TLR1 or TLR2 is for

The pay document sets out tests a responsibility has to pass before a school can attach a TLR1 or TLR2. In short, the role has to focus on teaching and learning, need the exercise of professional skills and judgement, and involve leading, developing and improving teaching practice, or managing pupil development across the curriculum. It also has to affect pupils’ progress beyond the teacher’s own classes.

A TLR1 also involves line management responsibility for a significant number of people. Schools often attach TLR1 to roles like head of a large faculty and TLR2 to head of a smaller department, a head of year or a key stage leader. The head of department and head of year profiles describe those jobs.

Each school decides its own structure, and the value depends on how it weighs the responsibility, so two schools can pay the same job title very differently. You can ask for the pay policy and staffing structure, which set out each post and its value.

How TLR3 works

TLR3 is for a clearly time-limited school improvement project or a one-off externally driven responsibility, such as leading a curriculum change. The school must set the duration of the TLR3 in advance and pay it in monthly instalments for that period.

A TLR3 ends when the project ends, and it carries no salary safeguarding. Schools sometimes use a run of TLR3s for work that is really permanent. If that describes your post, it is reasonable to ask whether it should be a TLR2.

Who can receive a TLR

TLRs are for classroom teachers on the main or upper pay range. Members of the leadership group do not receive TLRs, because their responsibilities are reflected in their individual school range. Leading practitioners are paid on a separate range set to reflect their role.

Part-time teachers who hold a TLR1 or TLR2 are usually paid it pro rata to their contract. If you job-share a responsibility, check how the school splits the payment, because practice varies.

If a restructure removes or reduces your TLR1 or TLR2, the pay document allows salary safeguarding for a limited period. Ask your school or union for the current rules before agreeing to any change.

What a TLR does to your pension and tax

A TLR counts as salary, so it can move you into a higher Teachers’ Pension Scheme tier and closer to the higher rate tax threshold. Say you are on M6 outside London (£46,940) and take a TLR2 at the bottom of its range (£3,651). Your salary becomes £50,591. Your pension contribution rate moves from 8.9% to 9.9%, because the tier changes at £48,728, and the last £321 is above the £50,270 point where 40% income tax begins.

The pension tiers from 1 April 2026 run from 7.4% up to 12%, and the Teachers’ Pension Scheme guide has the full table. The take-home pay calculator shows what a TLR adds to your monthly pay after deductions.

TLRs outside England

Wales has its own pay document, which includes TLR payments at Welsh values. Its 2026/27 award is still out for consultation. Scotland does not use TLRs. Responsibility there is paid through promoted posts such as principal teacher, which runs from £59,367 to £76,617 from 1 August 2026. Northern Ireland has its own allowance structure for posts of responsibility.