Support Staff Pay Rise 2025-26: Finally Seen, Finally Heard

The support staff pay rise 2025-26 is finally agreed. From April 2025, thousands of people who keep schools, hospitals, councils and universities running will see their wages go up.

• School and council staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will see a 3.2% increase.
• NHS staff in those same regions get 3.6%.
• Scotland has gone further, with deals worth 4% or more.
• Universities have offered only 1.4%, which has left staff furious.

This pay rise matters. For too long, support staff have been overlooked. They are the teaching assistants who help children learn, the caretakers who open and close schools, the porters who keep hospitals moving, and the admin staff who hold services together. This year’s pay rise sends a loud signal: staff are finally seen and finally heard.

Why Pay Became Such a Big Issue

Let’s be honest: support staff have had a rough deal for years. Prices for food, rent, fuel and bills kept climbing. Wages did not.

By 2024, most support staff earned about 20% less in real terms than they did back in 2010. That loss made it harder for schools, councils and the NHS to hire new staff. Jobs stayed empty. The staff who remained felt the weight.

Unions decided enough was enough. They asked for big rises: £3,000 more for every worker, or at least a 10% increase. They pushed for a £15 minimum wage and shorter working weeks. Employers pushed back, saying budgets were too tight. The stage was set for a showdown in 2025.

Local Government and School Support Staff Pay Rise 2025-26

The talks for school and council staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were led by the National Joint Council (NJC).

• Unions wanted a flat £3,000 on top of everyone’s pay.
• Employers came back with 3.2%.
• Staff debated, voted, and in the end accepted the 3.2% offer.

The rise is backdated to 1 April 2025. The lowest-paid staff now earn £24,413 instead of £23,656. Special allowances, like London weighting and sleep-in duty pay, also rise by 3.2%.

The reaction was mixed. GMB and Unite accepted the deal. Unison asked members to vote, but turnout was too low to strike. Many welcomed the back pay. But with inflation at 3.6%, the rise is still below the cost of living.

A teaching assistant in a primary school now earns about £24,760 a year. That little extra helps with bills, but it doesn’t solve the bigger problem. Recruitment is still tough. Many staff still feel stretched and undervalued.

Scotland’s Local Government Deal: A Stronger Settlement

In Scotland, the story is brighter. The Scottish Joint Council agreed to a two-year deal.

• A 4% rise in 2025/26.
• A further 3.5% in 2026/27.

By April 2026, staff will see a total uplift of 7.64%. Just like the NJC deal, Scotland’s settlement runs from April 2025 and includes full back pay. Councils promised to pay arrears by late summer.

Unions welcomed the settlement. They said it protects staff from rising prices and gives stability for the next two years. Compared to the 3.2% across the rest of the UK, Scotland’s deal feels like a big win.

NHS Support Staff Pay Rise 2025- 26 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

For NHS support staff, the 2025-26 deal is a 3.6% rise. It covers all Agenda for Change roles.

• Band 2 jobs (like healthcare assistants and porters) now start at £24,465.
• Band 5 jobs (like new nurses and allied health professionals) start at £31,049.

The rise is backdated to April 2025. Staff saw the new pay in August.

Unions were not impressed. The Royal College of Nursing called it “too little.” Unison said it would not solve staff shortages.

For band 2 and 3 staff, the situation felt unfair. Their pay had already been adjusted in April to meet minimum wage laws. So by August, the new 3.6% rise looked like only 1.2%. That left many feeling cheated.

Even so, NHS support staff are at least moving forward. The pay review body finally recognised their worth after years of being overlooked.

NHS Support Staff Pay Rise 2025- 26 in Scotland

Scotland once again went further. NHS support staff there secured a 4.25% rise in 2025/26 and 3.75% in 2026/27.

The deal also reduced the working week. By April 2026, staff will work 36 hours instead of 37.5, on the same pay. Staff said that change mattered just as much as the pay rise.

Unions described the Scottish deal as “the best in the UK.” They said it proved that governments can choose to value staff more. Staff received back pay from April and felt the extra money in their pockets by summer.

University and Higher Education Support Staff: Frustration Boils Over

If schools and the NHS made small gains, universities faced the worst deal. Employers offered just 1.4% from August 2025. Half of staff would also get incremental rises of up to 3%, but even that didn’t come close to union demands.

Unions were furious. UCU balloted members. Almost 75% rejected the offer. Over 60% said they were ready to strike. Unison and Unite backed the rejection, calling the offer “insulting.”

Unions had asked for a rise of RPI + 3.5% or £2,500, whichever was greater. They also wanted a £15 minimum wage. Employers ignored those calls.

For many in higher education, this deal was a breaking point. Strikes now look likely. Staff feel their contribution is being ignored, and the mood is one of anger and frustration.

Further Education and Civil Service Staff: Still Waiting

Further education colleges have not yet reached a deal. Unions are calling for a 10% rise or £3,000. They also want parity with school teachers. Talks are ongoing, but staff are still waiting for answers.

In the civil service, the picture looks different. Senior civil servants got a 3.25% rise from April 2025. For frontline staff in schools and hospitals, this was hard to watch. Many asked why senior managers seemed to move ahead while their own roles lagged behind.

Northern Ireland: Same Deal, Same Frustrations

Northern Ireland followed the NJC deal too. That means a 3.2% rise for school and council staff.

Unison Northern Ireland warned that this would not solve the staffing crisis. Vacancies remain common. Schools and councils still struggle to fill posts. For many staff, the deal felt like a small step, not real change.

Winners and Losers in the Support Staff Pay Rise 2025-26

When you line up the deals, you see a clear pattern.

• England, Wales, NI schools and councils: 3.2%
• England, Wales, NI NHS staff: 3.6%
• Scotland councils: 4% in 2025/26, 3.5% in 2026/27
• Scotland NHS: 4.25% in 2025/26, 3.75% in 2026/27
• Universities: 1.4%
• FE colleges: no deal yet
• Civil service: 3.25%

The winners are in Scotland. Staff there secured better pay and shorter hours. The losers are in universities, where staff face the lowest increase. Everyone else sits in the middle. The deals give progress, but not enough to fix years of falling pay.

What the Pay Rise Means for Real People

These numbers are more than statistics. They affect real lives.

A teaching assistant earning £24,000 now takes home about £24,760. That covers a month’s groceries. A hospital porter on £24,465 can now pay their heating bill with less stress.

But costs are still rising. Rent, food and childcare eat up the gains quickly. Many staff still need overtime to cope. For them, the pay rise is not just about money. It’s about feeling valued. It’s about being seen as part of the team, not an afterthought.

The Bigger Picture: Respect and Recognition

The 2025-26 pay deals are more than figures on a payslip. They now show a clear shift in how people see support staff.

Unions have shown they can fight and win. Governments have had to listen. Employers now know that support staff will not stay silent.

Scotland proved that fairer deals are possible. England, Wales and Northern Ireland showed that modest rises only fuel more demands. Universities showed what happens when staff feel ignored: anger and strikes.

The bigger message is clear. Support staff now stand in the spotlight — finally seen, finally heard.

Conclusion: What Happens Next?

The story doesn’t end with 2025/26. Unions are already preparing claims for 2026/27.

• Scotland has agreed 3.5% for local government staff next year.
• NHS staff in Scotland are set for 3.75%.
• In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, unions will push for more.
• Universities face a tough year of disputes.

The support staff pay rise 2025-26 is a step forward. It’s progress. But it is not the finish line. The fight for fair pay continues.

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