February 2023
Support staff
The NJC support staff unions submitted their pay claim for April 2023 to the National Employers on 30 January. The pay elements of the claim were for an increase of RPI plus 2% and consideration of a flat-rate increase to hourly rates of pay in order to bring the minimum rate up to £15 per hour within two years.
Yesterday, the National Employers responded to that claim with a full and final offer which is as follows:
- With effect from 1 April 2023, an increase of £1,925 (pro rata for part-time employees) to be paid as a consolidated, permanent addition on all NJC pay points 2 to 43 inclusive.
- With effect from 1 April 2023, an increase of 3.88% on all pay points above the maximum of the pay spine but graded below deputy chief officer (in accordance with Green Book Part 2 Para 5.42)
- With effect from 1 April 2023, an increase of 3.88% on all allowances (as listed in the 2022 NJC pay agreement circular dated 1 November 2022)
As last year, this represents a differentiated pay award giving a higher increase to lower pay scales, but this year the differentiation stops at point 43 with a 3.88% increase on the points above the published NJC pay scales but below deputy chief officer grades. You can read the full offer including the percentage award for each point
here. The NJC unions will now consider the offer.
As another unfunded pay award, this would present significant cost implications for schools.
November 2023
England only: NJC Support Staff 2023 Pay Award
The 2023 pay award for support staff employed under the NJC Green Book was agreed on 1 November 2023. The pay award for points 1-43 is a flat rate of £1,925 per point, backdated to 1 April 2023. All locally-determined pay points above the maximum of the pay spine but graded below deputy chief officer should be increased by 3.88%.
For those employers in London covered by the London Agreement, the pay award equates to an increase of £2,226 on Outer London pay points up to and including spine point 48, and an increase of £2,352 on Inner London pay points up to and including spine point 50. Above these pay points on the respective London pay spines, an increase of 3.88% will apply.
Allowances, including overtime rates, should be increased by 3.88%
The National Employers are encouraging employers to implement the pay award as swiftly as possible.
Backpay for employees who have left employment since 1 April 2023
If requested by an ex-employee to do so, the National Employers recommend that employers should pay any monies due to that employee from 1 April 2023 to the employee’s last day of employment (guidance on this for maintained schools can be found in the details of the pay award via the link below).
The ESFA has provided the following advice for academy trusts who follow the NJC arrangements for their support staff: "
Where a trust wishes to follow NJC advice, and implement backdated pay awards to non-teaching staff, this can obviously be managed through the usual payroll procedures. Where individuals have left the organisation, and the trust wishes to make a non-contractual payment as part of this process, the payment would need ESFA approval as it would be classed as an ex-gratia payment under the Academy Trust Handbook. Trusts should seek further advice from HR and their auditors to help them understand their circumstances. Please submit any requests for these payment approvals through the ESFA’s online form."
Full details of the award can be found
here. The National Employers have also issued a circular that provides some context to this year’s pay round which can be found
here.
For Northern Ireland and Wales: as above but without the London Agreement.