The local government pay rise for 2026/27 is now confirmed at 3.3%, bringing an end to months of disagreement between the National Employers and trade unions.
The National Joint Council for Local Government Services has agreed a 3.3% consolidated and permanent increase to NJC pay rates from 1 April 2026. The increase also applies to relevant NJC allowances, while employees who have been waiting for the settlement should receive back pay covering the period from 1 April until the new rates are implemented.
The Local Government Association’s local government services update confirms that agreement was reached on 24 August 2026 for rates covering 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. UNISON has also confirmed that the joint unions accepted the employers’ offer and that implementation should take place with back pay from April.
The settlement applies principally to employees working under NJC Green Book terms in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including many council workers and school support staff. Scotland has separate local-government bargaining arrangements.
What Is The Local Government Pay Rise For 2026/27?
The confirmed NJC local government pay award for 2026/27 is 3.3%.
| Key Point | Confirmed 2026/27 Position |
| NJC pay increase | 3.3% |
| Status | Agreed |
| Effective date | 1 April 2026 |
| Pay period | 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 |
| Pay points | NJC SCP3 to SCP43 |
| Allowances | 3.3% increase |
| Back pay | Due retrospectively from 1 April 2026 for eligible employees |
| SCP2 | Deleted from 1 April 2026 |
| £15 minimum hourly rate | Not agreed |
| £3,000 or 10% union claim | Not agreed |
| Scotland | Separate bargaining arrangements |
GMB describes the settlement as a consolidated, permanent addition of 3.3% on NJC pay points 3 to 43, together with a 3.3% increase in allowances covered by the agreement. Employers were asked to implement the award as soon as possible from its retrospective effective date.
Workers comparing the settlement with other public-sector awards should remember that different pay systems operate independently. The NHS pay rise for 2026/27 covers Agenda for Change staff, while the Armed Forces pay rise for 2026 was determined through a separate military pay-review process.
Is The Local Government Pay Rise 2026/27 Confirmed?
Yes. The 3.3% increase is now an agreed NJC pay award rather than merely an employer offer.
This is the most important change since the earlier version of this article.
The National Employers originally made a 3.3% full-and-final offer in March 2026. UNISON, GMB and Unite initially rejected it and sought a substantially higher settlement.
However, the dispute ultimately ended without an improved employer offer.
On 21 August 2026, GMB announced that it had reluctantly agreed to settle. GMB also reported that UNISON had accepted the offer. Although Unite had not announced a final position at that point, the joint trade union side could establish its position once two of the three NJC unions agreed.
The LGA then formally recorded the 2026 local government services pay agreement on 24 August 2026.
UNISON now states that the 3.3% offer has been accepted by the joint unions and is to be implemented as soon as possible with back pay from 1 April.
Workers therefore do not need to wait for another national union settlement decision. What may still vary is the date on which an individual council, school or payroll provider actually processes the new rates and arrears.
Why Did The Deal Go Through After Unions Rejected It?
The path to settlement was more complicated than a simple vote to accept the original offer.
All three unions had earlier opposed the 3.3% figure. However, opposition to an offer does not automatically result in national industrial action.
GMB reported that although a majority of its regions initially voted to reject the offer, turnout was not sufficient for the union to progress towards the industrial-action strategy required to force the dispute further. GMB’s national committees therefore reluctantly accepted the settlement.
UNISON also reported strong support for industrial action among ballots returned but said the necessary turnout had not been achieved in enough large employers to create the level of pressure needed to improve the offer.
At the time, the general statutory 50% turnout threshold for industrial-action ballots remained in force. Although the Employment Rights Act 2025 contains provisions that will eventually remove that requirement, the repeal had not yet taken effect by August 2026. The separate 40% support threshold that previously applied to certain important public services had already been removed from 18 February 2026.
There was also an NJC procedural issue. GMB explained that at least two of the three unions GMB, UNISON and Unite need to agree a position for the joint trade union side to establish its collective position.
Once both GMB and UNISON accepted, Unite’s outstanding final position did not prevent the settlement proceeding.
Who Gets The 2026/27 Local Government Pay Rise?
The agreement principally applies to employees covered by NJC for Local Government Services Green Book terms and conditions in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The LGA states that the NJC framework determines pay and conditions for more than 1.4 million local government services workers.
Depending on local employment arrangements, covered workers can include:
- Council administrative and customer-service staff
- Refuse and recycling workers
- Housing employees
- Library workers
- Planning and environmental services staff
- Social care and social work employees
- Cleaners and caretakers
- Teaching assistants
- School administrators and technicians
- Lunchtime supervisors
- Other school support employees
- Employees in some academies that continue to use NJC terms
Being employed by a council or working inside a school does not automatically mean somebody is on the NJC pay spine. The employment contract, local pay policy and grade should be checked.
Who Is Not Normally Covered By The NJC Settlement?
The NJC Green Book settlement should not be treated as a universal public-sector pay rise.
Different negotiating arrangements normally cover groups such as teachers, NHS Agenda for Change staff, firefighters, police officers, civil servants, chief executives and certain senior council officers.
Scottish council employees also have separate local government bargaining arrangements.
This distinction matters because two public-sector employees performing related services can receive different annual pay awards depending on the national or local framework covering their contract.
Does The Pay Rise Apply To School Support Staff?
Many school support workers are covered by the 3.3% settlement where their employment terms follow the NJC Green Book.
This can include teaching assistants, administrators, technicians, caretakers, cleaners, lunchtime supervisors and other non-teaching employees.
However, maintained schools, academies and multi-academy trusts do not necessarily use identical employment arrangements.
Term-time-only staff also need to distinguish between the full-time equivalent NJC salary and the actual amount paid under a term-time contract. Their final salary may be pro-rated according to weekly hours, working weeks, holiday entitlement and their employer’s payroll methodology.
What Are The New NJC Pay Scales For 2026/27?
The 3.3% settlement produces new national NJC salary rates from SCP3 through SCP43.
SCP2 has been deleted from 1 April 2026. The lowest remaining national point is therefore SCP3, worth £25,614 per year, while SCP43 increases to £56,293.
The hourly figures below use the standard NJC calculation based on a 37-hour week.
| SCP | 2025/26 Annual Pay | 2026/27 Annual Pay | 2026/27 Hourly Rate |
| 3 | £24,796 | £25,614 | £13.28 |
| 4 | £25,185 | £26,016 | £13.48 |
| 5 | £25,583 | £26,427 | £13.70 |
| 6 | £25,989 | £26,847 | £13.92 |
| 7 | £26,403 | £27,274 | £14.14 |
| 8 | £26,824 | £27,709 | £14.36 |
| 9 | £27,254 | £28,153 | £14.59 |
| 10 | £27,694 | £28,608 | £14.83 |
| 11 | £28,142 | £29,071 | £15.07 |
| 12 | £28,598 | £29,542 | £15.31 |
| 13 | £29,064 | £30,023 | £15.56 |
| 14 | £29,540 | £30,515 | £15.82 |
| 15 | £30,024 | £31,015 | £16.08 |
| 16 | £30,518 | £31,525 | £16.34 |
| 17 | £31,022 | £32,046 | £16.61 |
| 18 | £31,537 | £32,578 | £16.89 |
| 19 | £32,061 | £33,119 | £17.17 |
| 20 | £32,597 | £33,673 | £17.45 |
| 21 | £33,143 | £34,237 | £17.75 |
| 22 | £33,699 | £34,811 | £18.04 |
| 23 | £34,434 | £35,570 | £18.44 |
| 24 | £35,412 | £36,581 | £18.96 |
| 25 | £36,363 | £37,563 | £19.47 |
| 26 | £37,280 | £38,510 | £19.96 |
| 27 | £38,220 | £39,481 | £20.46 |
| 28 | £39,152 | £40,444 | £20.96 |
| 29 | £39,862 | £41,177 | £21.34 |
| 30 | £40,777 | £42,123 | £21.83 |
| 31 | £41,771 | £43,149 | £22.37 |
| 32 | £42,839 | £44,253 | £22.94 |
| 33 | £44,075 | £45,529 | £23.60 |
| 34 | £45,091 | £46,579 | £24.14 |
| 35 | £46,142 | £47,665 | £24.71 |
| 36 | £47,181 | £48,738 | £25.26 |
| 37 | £48,226 | £49,817 | £25.82 |
| 38 | £49,282 | £50,908 | £26.39 |
| 39 | £50,269 | £51,928 | £26.92 |
| 40 | £51,356 | £53,051 | £27.50 |
| 41 | £52,413 | £54,143 | £28.06 |
| 42 | £53,460 | £55,224 | £28.62 |
| 43 | £54,495 | £56,293 | £29.18 |
The revised figures are also reflected in published 2026/27 NJC scales, while the SLCC local government pay settlement update and council-sector pay information provide updated salary values.
The precise local grade attached to an SCP can vary between employers. Workers wanting to compare annual salary with contracted hours can also use the salary to hourly rate calculator.
Why Was SCP2 Deleted?
SCP2 ceased to exist from 1 April 2026.
The old 2025/26 SCP2 annual salary was £24,413, equivalent to approximately £12.65 per hour using the standard 37-hour NJC calculation.
That point could no longer remain at the bottom of the national structure once statutory minimum-pay pressures were taken into account.
Deleting SCP2 means the NJC national pay spine now starts at SCP3, which is worth £25,614 annually or approximately £13.28 per hour on the standard calculation.
NALC also confirms that its updated parish and town council scales reflect the deletion of salary point 2 from 1 April 2026.
How Much More Will Workers Actually Receive?
A 3.3% increase adds £330 to gross annual salary for every £10,000 of eligible pay.
However, workers are normally paid according to specific spinal column points rather than round salary figures.
Three examples show the actual effect more clearly.
Social Worker On SCP30
A worker on SCP30 moves from:
£40,777 → £42,123
That is an increase of £1,346 per year, or approximately £112.17 extra gross pay per month.
Senior Practitioner On SCP36
A worker on SCP36 moves from:
£47,181 → £48,738
That produces an annual increase of £1,557, equivalent to approximately £129.75 per month before deductions.
Teaching Assistant Example On SCP10
Suppose a teaching assistant is locally graded at SCP10.
Their full-time equivalent salary would move from:
£27,694 → £28,608
The increase is £914 per year, or approximately £76.17 per month gross.
The teaching-assistant example is illustrative because councils and schools determine local grades. A job title alone does not establish an employee’s spinal column point.
Does The 3.3% Rise Beat Inflation?
At the point the settlement was finalised, the headline increase was slightly above the latest UK CPI inflation rate.
The Office for National Statistics reported that Consumer Prices Index inflation was 2.9% in the 12 months to July 2026, compared with the NJC salary increase of 3.3%.
On that snapshot comparison, the pay award is around 0.4 percentage points above CPI inflation.
However, this should not be interpreted as every employee becoming exactly 0.4% better off in real terms.
Inflation changes throughout the year, while an individual’s financial position also depends on tax, National Insurance, pension contributions, housing costs, household spending patterns and other circumstances.
The comparison nevertheless provides useful context: at the time the deal was agreed, the headline salary increase was modestly above the latest annual CPI rate.
Will Council Workers Get Back Pay?
Yes, eligible employees should receive the increase retrospectively from 1 April 2026.
The settlement applies from the start of the 2026/27 NJC pay year rather than from the August agreement date.
An employee who remained on the same point throughout the period should therefore normally receive the difference between the old and new salary for the months before implementation.
For example, an SCP30 employee gains £1,346 over a complete year. If their employer did not implement the new scale for several months, the appropriate proportion of that difference would normally appear as arrears once payroll is updated.
The exact payment date can vary by employer because payroll teams need to update salary tables and calculate arrears for full-time, part-time and term-time employees, starters, leavers and workers who changed grade or hours.
NALC specifically recommends that parish and town councils apply the award retrospectively from 1 April and says former employees who left after that date should receive money owed up to their final day when requested.
Employees should check both their basic salary and any separate arrears/back-pay entry on the payslip.
Are Local Government Allowances Increasing Too?
Yes.
An important part of the settlement that can be missed when attention is focused only on basic salary is that the agreement includes a 3.3% increase in relevant NJC allowances.
GMB confirms that the settlement provides a 3.3% rise in allowances listed in the previous NJC pay agreement alongside the 3.3% permanent salary increase.
Depending on the role and local arrangements, allowances can relate to matters such as standby duties, sleep-ins or other payments covered by the NJC framework.
Employees should check their employer’s implementation notice rather than assuming every locally determined enhancement is automatically increased.
What Did The Unions Originally Ask For?
The final 3.3% settlement was substantially below the joint union claim submitted for 2026/27.
The original NJC trade union pay claim for 2026/27 requested a much broader package covering both pay and working conditions.
| Union Claim | Final Outcome |
| At least £3,000 or 10%, whichever was greater | Rejected — 3.3% agreed instead |
| Minimum NJC rate of £15 an hour | Rejected |
| Two-hour reduction in the working week | Rejected |
| One additional day of annual leave | Rejected |
| One paid day of term-time leave for school support staff | Rejected |
| Abolition of Level 1 Teaching Assistant role and movement to Level 2 | Rejected |
| Pay increase across NJC points | Accepted at 3.3% |
| Increase in relevant allowances | Accepted at 3.3% |
The final settlement therefore resolves the 2026/27 pay round without delivering most of the additional employment-condition changes sought by unions.
Is A £15 Local Government Minimum Wage Now Confirmed?
No.
The £15 per hour figure was a union claim and is not part of the agreed 2026/27 NJC settlement.
The lowest national point is now SCP3 at approximately £13.28 per hour using the standard 37-hour NJC calculation.
Some councils may operate local minimum rates, supplements or pay structures that result in higher salaries, but those arrangements should not be confused with the national NJC settlement.
Claims suggesting that every NJC worker will automatically receive at least £15 per hour during 2026/27 are therefore incorrect.
Does The Settlement Apply To Parish And Town Council Staff?
Yes, the settlement is also highly relevant to many parish and town council employees.
The National Association of Local Councils’ 2026/27 pay update states that the NJC agreed a 3.3% increase in pay rates and allowances from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 and encourages parish and town councils to implement the award as soon as possible.
NALC’s updated scales cover clerks and other workers employed under its model contract and include salary points above the normal SCP43 national spine, including points 50 and above.
Hourly rates in NALC’s scales use the NJC formula based on a 37-hour working week.
The new rates should be applied retrospectively from 1 April 2026.
This is particularly important because people searching for the local government pay rise are not limited to employees of county, district, borough or unitary authorities. Parish and town council staff can also be affected.
Does The Pay Rise Apply In Scotland?
No. The NJC Green Book settlement covered here applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Scottish local government pay is negotiated through separate arrangements.
A council employee in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee or another Scottish authority should therefore check the Scottish local-government settlement rather than applying the 3.3% NJC figure automatically.
How Does 2026/27 Compare With The Previous NJC Award?
The 2025/26 national NJC settlement provided a 3.2% increase from 1 April 2025.
The new award raises that slightly to 3.3%.
| Pay Year | Increase | Status | Effective Date |
| 2025/26 | 3.2% | Agreed | 1 April 2025 |
| 2026/27 | 3.3% | Agreed | 1 April 2026 |
The additional 0.1 percentage point is relatively small. The more significant structural change for 2026/27 is the deletion of SCP2 and the decision to begin a wider review of the NJC pay spine.
What Does The Rise Mean For Take-Home Pay?
A 3.3% increase in gross salary does not mean take-home pay increases by exactly 3.3%.
Net income can be affected by:
- PAYE Income Tax
- Employee National Insurance
- Local Government Pension Scheme contributions
- Student or postgraduate loan repayments
- Salary-sacrifice arrangements
- Child maintenance deductions
- Changes in means-tested benefits
- Other payroll deductions
A worker receiving £100 more in gross monthly salary will therefore normally see less than £100 added to the amount reaching their bank account.
Pension contribution bands can also matter. If the revised salary moves somebody into a different contribution band, their pension deduction may change.
Could Back Pay Affect Universal Credit?
Potentially.
Universal Credit calculations are sensitive to earnings information reported through payroll. A larger payment containing salary arrears may therefore affect the award depending on when and how those earnings are treated within the claimant’s assessment periods.
Anyone receiving Universal Credit should check their award statement after the arrears are processed.
If a back-payment produces an unexpected result, the claimant should retain the relevant payslips and payroll evidence and query the treatment through their Universal Credit account where appropriate.
What Should Workers Check On Their Payslip?
Once an employer implements the settlement, workers should compare their new payslip with their previous salary information.
Important checks include the new spinal column point salary, effective date, arrears, contracted hours, pension deduction, tax, National Insurance and relevant allowances.
Part-time and term-time-only workers should pay particular attention to pro-rating rather than comparing their actual salary directly with the full-time national SCP figure.
Anyone whose salary appears incorrect should first check their contract and local grade before contacting payroll, HR or their union representative.
What Is Confirmed And What Is Still Misinformation?
| Statement | Status | Correct Position |
| Council staff were only offered 3.3% | Outdated | The 3.3% offer has now become the agreed 2026/27 settlement |
| The deal is still waiting for union acceptance | Incorrect | The joint union position accepted the settlement and the LGA recorded agreement on 24 August |
| The award applies from August | Incorrect | It is effective retrospectively from 1 April 2026 |
| Back pay is due from April | Correct for eligible staff | Implementation timing depends on payroll |
| Relevant NJC allowances rise by 3.3% | Correct | Allowances are included in the settlement |
| £15 an hour was agreed | Incorrect | It was a union demand that employers rejected |
| Workers received £3,000 or 10% | Incorrect | The final national increase is 3.3% |
| SCP2 still exists | Incorrect | SCP2 was deleted from 1 April 2026 |
| Every UK council worker receives 3.3% | Incorrect | Scotland is separate and some employees use other pay frameworks |
| School support staff can be covered | Correct | Many are covered where their contract uses NJC terms |
| Parish and town council employees can be affected | Correct | NALC has published updated 2026/27 scales |
What Happens Next For Local Government Pay In 2027?
Attention is already turning towards the 2027/28 pay round.
One of the most significant commitments accompanying the settlement is a review of the NJC pay spine.
GMB says the three trade unions and employers will prioritise the review because of the increasing impact of the National Living Wage on the lower end of the national salary structure.
That issue has become increasingly important as statutory wage increases compress the difference between lower NJC spinal points.
The abolition of SCP2 is an example of the pressure already being created.
GMB has also proposed that the unions begin work on their 2027 pay claim immediately and seek early face-to-face negotiations with the employers.
No percentage increase for 2027/28 has yet been agreed.
The next pay round may therefore focus not only on the size of another annual salary increase but also on the structure of the NJC pay spine itself.
Why Does The 2026/27 Local Government Pay Rise Matter?
The settlement affects a large and diverse workforce delivering services that communities use every day.
Local authorities and schools employ people working across refuse collection, housing, social care, libraries, planning, administration, environmental services and classroom support.
Pay therefore affects more than an individual’s monthly income.
Recruitment and retention problems can influence staffing levels, workloads, reliance on agency workers and ultimately the quality or speed of public services.
At the same time, councils need to fund permanent salary increases from budgets already facing substantial demand.
Because the 3.3% uplift is consolidated, it becomes part of ongoing salary costs rather than being a one-off payment.
The debate is therefore likely to continue into the 2027 pay round even though the 2026/27 dispute has now formally ended.
What Should Council And School Workers Do Now?
Workers covered by NJC terms should now focus on implementation rather than waiting for a national agreement.
Check the current spinal column point and local grade, look for an employer or payroll implementation notice, and retain payslips covering the period since April.
When arrears arrive, compare the old and new salary rates and make sure applicable allowances have also been updated.
Employees should also avoid budgeting on the basis of the rejected £15 hourly rate or £3,000/10% union claim because neither became part of the settlement.
What Is The Final Position On The Local Government Pay Rise?
The 2026/27 local government pay rise is a confirmed 3.3% NJC settlement, effective retrospectively from 1 April 2026.
It covers NJC Green Book pay points 3 to 43 and provides a 3.3% increase to relevant allowances. SCP2 has been removed, making SCP3 — £25,614 a year or approximately £13.28 per hour on the standard calculation — the lowest remaining national point.
The agreement followed months of union opposition. GMB and UNISON eventually accepted the settlement, which was sufficient for the joint union side to establish its position, and the LGA formally recorded agreement on 24 August.
The larger union demands including at least £3,000 or 10%, a £15 minimum hourly rate, shorter working hours, additional annual leave and changes for school support workers were not secured.
Employees should now check when their own employer will implement the new rates and pay arrears from 1 April.
The next major issue will be the review of the NJC pay spine and negotiations over the 2027/28 settlement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Local Government Pay Rise For 2026/27?
The confirmed NJC local government pay increase is 3.3%, effective from 1 April 2026 and covering the 2026/27 pay year.
Is The 2026/27 Local Government Pay Rise Confirmed?
Yes. It is now an agreed pay settlement rather than an outstanding employer offer. The LGA recorded the agreement on 24 August 2026.
When Will Local Government Workers Receive Back Pay?
The award is retrospective to 1 April 2026. Actual payment dates depend on when each employer updates payroll and calculates arrears.
What Is The Lowest NJC Salary In 2026/27?
Following the deletion of SCP2, SCP3 is the lowest remaining national point at £25,614 a year, equivalent to approximately £13.28 an hour using the standard NJC calculation.
Is £15 An Hour Confirmed For Local Government Workers?
No. A £15 minimum hourly rate was part of the union claim but was rejected by the employers and is not part of the 3.3% settlement.
Did Local Government Workers Get A £3,000 Or 10% Pay Rise?
No. The unions requested at least £3,000 or 10%, whichever was greater, but the final national settlement is 3.3%.
Do Local Government Allowances Increase?
Yes. Relevant NJC allowances covered by the agreement also receive a 3.3% increase.
Does The Pay Rise Cover Teaching Assistants?
Many teaching assistants and other school support workers are covered where their employment contract follows NJC Green Book terms. Local grading and term-time calculations can still vary.
Does The Local Government Pay Rise Apply To Parish Councils?
Yes, many parish and town council employees are affected. NALC has published updated 2026/27 salary scales and recommends implementation retrospectively from 1 April.
Does The NJC Pay Rise Apply In Scotland?
No. Scotland has separate local government pay negotiations.
Why Was SCP2 Deleted?
SCP2 was removed from 1 April 2026 as pressure from statutory minimum-pay levels continued to compress the bottom of the NJC pay spine. The national scale consequently begins at SCP3.
Is 3.3% Higher Than Inflation?
The latest CPI figure available when the settlement was agreed was 2.9% for July 2026, making the 3.3% award around 0.4 percentage points higher on that snapshot comparison.
Has The 2027 Local Government Pay Rise Been Confirmed?
No. There is no confirmed 2027/28 percentage yet. However, unions and employers have agreed to prioritise a review of the NJC pay spine, while GMB has proposed starting work on the next pay claim immediately.
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