Home › "Teacher Pay Rise 2026: How Much and When"
Teachers in England get a 3.5% pay rise from 1 September 2026, and a further 3% from 1 September 2027. The rise applies to classroom teachers, unqualified teachers and school leaders in maintained schools, and most academies follow the same pattern in practice. As of October 2026, the final pay document has not yet been published, so the figures are confirmed but the detailed rules are still being finished. Check with your school before you make any pay decision.
What is the pay increase?
The government accepted the recommendations of the School Teachers’ Review Body in full, according to the Department for Education’s own summary . Here is what the recommendations mean for the pay ranges, as set out in the review body’s report :
- From 1 September 2026: a 3.5% increase to all pay ranges and allowances for classroom teachers, unqualified teachers and school leaders.
- Unqualified teachers: the minimum of the unqualified teacher range (rest of England) rises by 5%, which is more than the general figure.
- From 1 September 2027: a 3% increase to all pay ranges and allowances.
- 2028/29: the review body recommended an indicative 3%. This will be looked at under a future pay remit, so it is not yet settled.
The Department for Education says the average school teacher salary will be over £52,800 from September 2026 and over £54,400 from September 2027, as shown in its explainer on the award .
A pay range going up does not mean your own salary goes up by the same amount automatically. Your position on the range depends on your school’s pay policy and your progression. The increase raises the ranges themselves.
When will the money arrive?
The award is backdated to 1 September 2026. That means the new rates count from that date, even if your school updates payroll later. Any months that were missed should be paid as back pay. Ask your payroll team when the update will happen and how the back pay will be shown on your payslip.
The government ran a 12-week consultation on the draft pay document. It closed at midday on 23 September 2026, as ASCL’s summary of the STRB report explains. After that, the DfE reviews the responses, finalises the document and lays a Pay Order in Parliament. The Pay Order then takes effect after a 21-day period. The Local Government Association estimated that the order would be laid around 16 October 2026. I could not confirm that the final document was published by today’s date, so treat the figures as confirmed in principle, not as final legal text.
Who does it cover?
The award applies directly to maintained schools, which are the schools run by local councils. Academies set their own pay, but most of them follow the national arrangements in practice. The government has said that academy teachers will get a core pay offer under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, and that academies must have regard to the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document. That document is expected by September 2027.
Teaching assistants and other support staff are not covered by this award. They are paid under a separate national agreement, which gave support staff a 3.3% rise for 2026/27.
Pay rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are set separately. If you teach outside England, check the rules that apply to where you work.
What else changes in the pay document?
The 2026 changes go beyond the headline percentage. The main ones are:
- Non-consolidated payments: schools can make modest one-off recognition payments for exceptional contribution or achievement. These are not added to your permanent salary.
- Part-time TLRs: teaching and learning responsibility payments for part-time staff become mandatory arrangements.
- INSET days: there is more flexibility in how training days are organised, including on a time-equivalent basis.
- Leaders’ working time: the document clarifies protection for leaders’ working time, including uninterrupted breaks.
- Salary safeguarding: the period stays at three years.
How is it paid for?
The government says it is adding £700 million in 2026-27 and £1.1 billion in 2027-28 to school funding, on top of earlier increases. The Local Government Association describes the first 1% in 2026/27 as coming from productivity gains and smarter spending. The next part comes from existing school budgets, and the rest from new money. In practice, schools will need to find part of the cost within their current budgets, so it is worth asking how your school is planning for it.
Why does recruitment matter here?
Pay is one part of the picture. The DfE has also lowered its estimate of how many new teachers are needed in training. For 2026-27, the need for postgraduate teacher training is 23% lower than the year before, which is 6,120 fewer entrants, according to Tes . Primary falls by 28% and secondary by 21%. The largest subject drops are in music (54%), physics (43%), religious education (42%), drama (40%) and computing (37%). The DfE links the primary fall to falling pupil numbers in primary schools.
These figures are based on a Tes report from 23 April 2026. The DfE now calls its figure “need” rather than “target”, but it says the two can still be compared. Lower need does not automatically mean that schools will find enough teachers in every subject, so the figures are best read as a national picture.
Key points
- Teachers in England get 3.5% from 1 September 2026, and 3% from 1 September 2027.
- The minimum of the unqualified teacher range rises by 5%.
- The award is backdated to 1 September 2026.
- It applies directly to maintained schools, and most academies follow in practice.
- The final pay document was still awaited as of October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is the pay rise confirmed? The government has accepted the recommendations in full. The final pay document and Pay Order still need to be completed, so check your school’s pay policy for the official version.
Will my payslip show the new rate? It depends on when your school updates its payroll. The increase is backdated to 1 September 2026, so any gap should be covered by back pay.
Does the rise apply to teaching assistants? No. Teaching assistants are support staff, and they have their own national pay agreement.
Is there another rise planned? Yes. The 3% from September 2027 is already confirmed. The indicative 3% for 2028/29 is a recommendation that will be considered under a future pay remit.
What should I do if my school has not paid it? Start by asking payroll and HR for the date the new rate will be applied and how back pay will be calculated. If you are not satisfied, your union can advise you. Teachers in England often belong to unions such as the NEU, NASUWT, NAHT or ASCL.
What to do next
- Check your September and October payslips for the new rate and any back pay.
- Ask your payroll team when the update will be made, and whether back pay will appear as a separate line.
- Keep a copy of your pay letter or contract.
- If you are unsure how the rise affects your pay, speak to your union or your school’s HR team. Your individual salary depends on your own circumstances.