DfE accepts 4% pay rise for teachers
In a written statement to Parliament, education secretary Bridget Phillipson said teachers will see an increase in their pay of almost 10% since this government took power and over 22% over the last four years
The government has accepted the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation of a 4% pay rise for teachers from September 2025, alongside an additional £615m in funding.
However, the Department for Education (DfE) confirmed that schools will still have to fund around 1% of the increase themselves, which it said could be found through “improved productivity and smarter spending”.
In a written statement to Parliament, education secretary Bridget Phillipson said teachers will see an increase in their pay of almost 10% since this government took power and over 22% over the last four years.
She added this will provide a competitive starting salary of almost £33,000 and that the government estimates the average teacher can now expect a salary of over £51,000 from September.
She said: “We’ve taken tough but fair decisions to ensure every pound of taxpayers’ money is driving high and rising standards for our children. By ending tax breaks for private schools, and undertaking a robust line-by-line budget review to identify poor value for money spent, we’re able to deliver this investment in recruiting and retaining more expert teachers in our classrooms.
“We have driven efficiency through increasing digital capability both inside and outside of the DfE, reducing central headcount and removing duplication within programmes. As we have made clear throughout the pay process, we are also asking schools and colleges to do their part in ensuring that we are driving productivity across all areas of the public sector, ensuring resources are deployed intelligently to maximise support for teaching and learning, freeing up educators to focus on what matters most: providing every child with the high-quality education they deserve.”
Commenting on the news, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “It is testament to the strength of feeling in the profession that government have moved from their initial recommendation of a 2.8% pay rise to the 4% announced today. Whilst we acknowledge and welcome additional funding to that initially offered by government, it is still the case that the pay award is not fully funded.
“In many schools this will mean cuts in service provision to children and young people, job losses, and additional workloads for an already overstretched profession. The NEU will never accept cuts to education. Children deserve a fully-resourced education and government should see education as an investment in the country’s future, not a cost.”
He added: “Whilst teachers and school leaders know there are no ‘efficiencies’ to be made at a school level there is wastage at a system level resulting from the fragmentation to the education system caused by academisation. We will press the government to tackle these system level issues starting with capping CEO pay, introducing national energy contracts for schools, and ending the supply agency rip off.
“Unless the government commit to fully funding the pay rise then it is likely that the NEU will register a dispute with the government on the issue of funding, and campaign to ensure every parent understands the impact of a cut in the money available to schools, and that every politician understands this too.
We welcome steps outlined today around flexible working and TLRs. Teaching is a profession made up of 76% women and it is right that issues that most impact upon women are addressed as a matter of urgency.”