NJC Pay Award 2026/27 Update

Details: Published: 28 August 2026

The NJC pay negotiations for 2026/27 have now concluded. A 3.3% pay award has been agreed and will be backdated to 1 April 2026.

This settlement falls well short of the claim submitted by the trade unions, which sought a substantial increase to address the continuing cost of living pressures facing staff on NJC terms and conditions and the long-term erosion of pay across the sector. The unions' claim included an increase of at least £3,000 or 10% (whichever was greater) and a move towards a £15 per hour minimum rate. These proposals were rejected by employers.

Members will question whether a 3.3% increase adequately reflects the contribution made by workers, or the financial pressures many continue to face. After years of below-inflation settlements, recruitment and retention problems remain widespread across NJC areas.

Sector Updates

Local Government

NIPSA will engage directly with members across councils to identify priorities for future negotiations and improvements to local terms and conditions. The union will continue working with trade union partners to advance members' interests on pay, terms and conditions.

Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE)

NIPSA will engage with NIHE members to identify workplace priorities and opportunities to improve local terms and conditions. The union will continue working with trade union partners to secure improvements in pay and conditions.

Education Authority (EA)

NIPSA has contacted the Education Authority to seek confirmation of:

When the pay uplift will be implemented.
When arrears will be paid.
Revised pay scales based on a 36-hour working week.
Confirmation of the correct hourly rates.

NIPSA Assistant Secretary Janette Murdock, in her role as Lead Trade Union Side Secretary, has written to the Education Minister on behalf of the Education Support Staff Unions, making clear that NJC pay awards are a contractual entitlement for EA staff.

Education support staff play a vital role across the Education Authority and schools. The ongoing uncertainty over when the 2026 pay award will be implemented has left staff in an untenable position.

The Education Minister has been asked to intervene urgently to ensure that the Department of Education provides the necessary approval to the EA, and to confirm that funding is available to non-EA schools so they can also implement the pay award.

NIPSA will update members as soon as further information is received.

NJC Pay Scale 2025/26 - 2026/27

SCP	01-Apr-25		01-Apr-26
SCP	per annum	per hour	per annum	per hour
1	Deleted 01-Apr-23
2	£24,413	£12.65	Deleted 01-Apr-26
3	£24,796	£12.85	£25,614	£13.28
4	£25,185	£13.05	£26,016	£13.48
5	£25,583	£13.26	£26,427	£13.70
6	£25,989	£13.47	£26,847	£13.92
7	£26,403	£13.69	£27,274	£14.14
8	£26,824	£13.90	£27,709	£14.36
9	£27,254	£14.13	£28,153	£14.59
10	£27,694	£14.35	£28,608	£14.83
11	£28,142	£14.59	£29,071	£15.07
12	£28,598	£14.82	£29,542	£15.31
13	£29,064	£15.06	£30,023	£15.56
14	£29,540	£15.31	£30,515	£15.82
15	£30,024	£15.56	£31,015	£16.08
16	£30,518	£15.82	£31,525	£16.34
17	£31,022	£16.08	£32,046	£16.61
18	£31,537	£16.35	£32,578	£16.89
19	£32,061	£16.62	£33,119	£17.17
20	£32,597	£16.90	£33,673	£17.45
21	£33,143	£17.18	£34,237	£17.75
22	£33,699	£17.47	£34,811	£18.04
23	£34,434	£17.85	£35,570	£18.44
24	£35,412	£18.35	£36,581	£18.96
25	£36,363	£18.85	£37,563	£19.47
26	£37,280	£19.32	£38,510	£19.96
27	£38,220	£19.81	£39,481	£20.46
28	£39,152	£20.29	£40,444	£20.96
29	£39,862	£20.66	£41,177	£21.34
30	£40,777	£21.14	£42,123	£21.83
31	£41,771	£21.65	£43,149	£22.37
32	£42,839	£22.20	£44,253	£22.94
33	£44,075	£22.85	£45,529	£23.60
34	£45,091	£23.37	£46,579	£24.14
35	£46,142	£23.92	£47,665	£24.71
36	£47,181	£24.46	£48,738	£25.26
37	£48,226	£25.00	£49,817	£25.82
38	£49,282	£25.54	£50,908	£26.39
39	£50,269	£26.06	£51,928	£26.92
40	£51,356	£26.62	£53,051	£27.50
41	£52,413	£27.17	£54,143	£28.06
42	£53,460	£27.71	£55,224	£28.62
43	£54,495	£28.25	£56,293	£29.18