Alistair FinchCIJC Working Rule Agreement 2026: A Complete Guide for UK Construction Workers
The Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) Working Rule Agreement (WRA) is the bedrock of pay and conditions for an estimated 500,000 building and civil engineering operatives across the United Kingdom. Whether you lay foundations, plaster walls, erect scaffolding, or paint industrial units, the WRA likely sets your minimum hourly rate, your overtime entitlements, your sick pay, and your holiday rights. This guide explains what the agreement contains, what the 2026 pay updates mean for your pay packet, and how your statutory rights under UK law interact with what CIJC provides.
What Is the CIJC Working Rule Agreement?
The CIJC is a joint negotiating body that brings together construction employers and trade unions to agree pay and working conditions across the building and civil engineering sector. On the employer side, the key signatories include the National Federation of Builders (NFB), Build UK, the Painting and Decorating Association (PDA), and the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC). The unions representing workers are Unite and GMB.
The Working Rule Agreement that CIJC produces is a legally binding collective agreement within the meaning of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULRCA 1992). Where an employer has incorporated the WRA into individual contracts of employment — as most CIJC-signatory employers do — its terms become enforceable contractual rights under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996).
The agreement covers the full range of site operatives: from General Operatives through four Skill Rates to the Craft Rate. It governs not only basic pay but also overtime, travel and fare allowances, subsistence, sick pay, holiday entitlement, and the mechanics of how holiday credits are collected and redeemed.
Pay and Pay Award 2026
The CIJC operates a pay structure with six principal wage grades. The substantive two-year pay deal was agreed in 2025 and promulgated with effect from 30 June 2025 via the main CIJC Pay Promulgation 2025. A further employer-only revision — the April 2026 Pay Promulgation — came into effect on 1 April 2026 to align the lowest grades with the uprated National Living Wage (NLW).
From 1 April 2026, the CIJC pay grades are:
| Grade | Description | Hourly Rate (from 1 April 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| General Operative | Basic site labourer | £12.21 |
| Skill Rate 1 (SR1) | Semi-skilled operative | ~£12.71 |
| Skill Rate 2 (SR2) | Skilled operative | ~£13.42 |
| Skill Rate 3 (SR3) | Advanced skilled operative | ~£14.21 |
| Skill Rate 4 (SR4) | Experienced skilled operative | ~£15.14 |
| Craft Rate (CR) | Fully skilled tradesperson | ~£15.57 |
What changed in April 2026? The April 2026 promulgation was an employer-only revision — it did not require fresh union agreement — and its sole purpose was to bring the General Operative and Year 1 Apprentice rates up to the new NLW floor of £12.21 per hour, which took effect across the UK economy on 1 April 2026. Skill Rates 1 through 4 and the Craft Rate were already comfortably above the NLW following the June 2025 settlement, so those remained unchanged.
Rates marked ~ are derived from the June 2025 promulgation; verify against your payslip or your employer's copy of the current promulgation document.
For construction apprentices, separate rates apply by year of training. Year 1 apprentices are paid the NLW floor of £12.21 per hour from 1 April 2026 (the same employer-only revision). Year 2 and Year 3 apprentices receive progressively higher rates in line with the WRA schedule.
Interactive Calculator Use our CIJC Working Rule Agreement Pay & Rights Calculator to estimate your pay, redundancy entitlement, annual leave and pension under this agreement.
Working Hours and Leave Entitlement
Standard Working Week
The CIJC WRA sets a standard working week of 39 hours, typically spread across five days (Monday to Friday). The normal pattern is eight hours per day Monday to Thursday and seven hours on Friday, though site arrangements vary. Your contract of employment will confirm the agreed hours.
Overtime Rates
The WRA provides enhanced pay for hours worked beyond the standard 39-hour week:
- Monday to Friday (beyond normal hours): First four hours at time-and-a-half; thereafter at double time
- Saturday morning (first four hours): Time-and-a-half
- Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday: Double time
These rates represent a significant enhancement above statutory minimums. The Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR 1998) do not require employers to pay overtime premiums at all; the CIJC WRA provides overtime pay as a contractual right.
Annual Leave
Under the WTR 1998, workers are entitled to a statutory minimum of 28 days' paid annual leave per year (including bank holidays). The CIJC WRA provides an enhanced entitlement of 21 days' paid annual leave plus the eight UK public bank holidays, giving a total of 29 days — one day above the statutory floor.
Holiday pay is administered through the CIJC Holiday Credit Scheme. Employers purchase stamp credits, which are recorded against your holiday record. When you take a holiday, you redeem credits equivalent to your daily earnings. This portable scheme is particularly important for workers who move between employers during the year, as your holiday credits travel with you rather than being tied to a single employer.
If you do not use all your holiday entitlement in a leave year, the WTR 1998 imposes strict limits on carrying leave forward. In most cases, only four weeks of statutory leave can be carried forward, and only where the employer and worker have agreed to it. Unused CIJC holiday credits not redeemed by the agreed date may be lost; consult your employer or union representative about the redemption rules applying to your scheme.
Redundancy Pay
If you are made redundant, you are entitled to a statutory redundancy payment under the ERA 1996, provided you have at least two years' continuous employment with your employer.
The statutory formula under ERA 1996 is:
- Half a week's pay × years of service under age 22
- One week's pay × years of service aged 22 to 40
- One and a half weeks' pay × years of service aged 41 and over
The weekly pay used in this calculation is capped at £700 (the statutory cap from 6 April 2026). The maximum statutory redundancy payment is therefore £21,000 (20 qualifying years × 1.5 × £700).
Does the CIJC WRA provide enhanced redundancy terms? The WRA itself does not generally prescribe a separate redundancy enhancement above the ERA 1996 statutory floor, but individual company or site agreements may provide more generous terms. Always check your individual contract of employment or any site-level agreement. Your union representatives — Unite or GMB — can advise on what applies to you.
Workers made redundant should also check whether they qualify for notice pay under ERA 1996 s.86 (see below) and whether any outstanding holiday credits under the CIJC Holiday Credit Scheme are owed to them at the point of termination.
Notice Period
The ERA 1996 s.86 sets the statutory minimum notice entitlement:
- One week's notice for each complete year of continuous employment, up to a maximum of 12 weeks for 12 or more years' service
The CIJC WRA or your individual contract of employment may provide longer notice periods. If the contractual notice in your contract exceeds the statutory minimum, your employer must honour the contractual figure. Where a contract specifies notice of less than the statutory minimum, the statutory period applies automatically.
On short-term construction projects — particularly where workers are engaged on a casual or project-specific basis — notice arrangements can be complex. If your engagement is genuinely project-based with a pre-agreed end date, different rules may apply. Speak to your union representative or an employment solicitor if you are unsure.
Pension Rights
Most construction workers covered by the CIJC WRA are enrolled into a workplace pension through the automatic enrolment framework established by the Pensions Act 2008. Where your employer does not operate a sector-specific defined benefit scheme, auto-enrolment applies as follows:
- Minimum employee contribution: 5% of qualifying earnings (including tax relief)
- Minimum employer contribution: 3% of qualifying earnings
Total minimum contributions therefore stand at 8% of qualifying earnings under the 2026 rules.
The construction sector does not have a single industry-wide defined benefit pension scheme equivalent to the NHS Pension Scheme or the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). Most CIJC employers use a group personal pension or master trust arrangement — such as The People's Pension, Nest, or a provider nominated by their employer group. Under the Pensions Act 2008, you have the right to opt out, but doing so means losing your employer's contribution. Your employer must re-enrol you every three years even if you have previously opted out.
For workers whose employment spans multiple contractors over the course of a career, it is important to consolidate pension pots or keep track of pension statements from each employer. The government's Pension Tracing Service can help locate lost workplace pensions.
Your Rights Under the Agreement
The CIJC WRA provides a set of contractual rights that sit on top of the statutory floor established by UK employment legislation. Key enhanced or confirmed rights include:
- Pay above the NLW for skilled operatives: Even the Skill Rate 1 level exceeds the National Living Wage, providing a premium for workers who have acquired recognised skills or competencies.
- Overtime premiums: The WRA's time-and-a-half and double-time provisions are contractual rights enforceable under ERA 1996, not merely good practice.
- Portable holiday pay: The CIJC Holiday Credit Scheme protects your leave entitlement when you move between CIJC-signatory employers, unlike the statutory default where holiday pay resets with each employer.
- Industry Sick Pay Scheme: Separately from statutory sick pay (SSP), CIJC operatives registered with the scheme may be entitled to additional sick pay. Eligibility and benefit levels are set in the WRA and depend on registration and qualifying weeks. This is an enhancement above the SSP rate of £116.75 per week (2026 rate).
- Travel and fare allowances: The WRA includes allowances for travel to sites beyond a defined radius and subsistence allowances for workers required to work away from home — rights with no statutory equivalent.
- Union recognition: Employers who are party to the WRA recognise Unite and GMB for collective bargaining purposes under TULRCA 1992. This means you have the right to be represented by your union in individual grievances and disciplinary hearings, and your union has the right to negotiate collectively on your behalf.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Am I covered by the CIJC Working Rule Agreement? You are covered if your employer is a signatory to the CIJC WRA and has incorporated its terms into your contract of employment. Most NFB, Build UK, PDA, and NASC member firms are signatories. If you are unsure, ask your employer or contact Unite or GMB.
Q: My employer says my pay is "in line with CIJC rates" but my hourly rate is different. What should I do? Verify your grade classification against the WRA grade definitions. Your skill rate should reflect your actual tasks and recognised competencies, not just job title. If you believe you are misgraded, raise a formal grievance under ERA 1996 s.80. Your union representative can help you make the case.
Q: What happens to my holiday credits if I change employer? CIJC holiday credits are portable. Your new CIJC-registered employer should continue to add credits to the same record. Contact the CIJC Holiday Pay Scheme administrator if you experience any gap in recording.
Q: Can my employer ask me to work more than 48 hours a week? Under the WTR 1998, workers cannot be required to work more than an average of 48 hours per week (averaged over 17 weeks) unless they have signed a written opt-out agreement. Signing an opt-out is voluntary; you cannot be dismissed or disadvantaged for refusing to sign.
Q: I was made redundant after three years — how much am I owed? Assuming you were aged 22 to 40 throughout, you receive one week's pay per year of service, capped at £700 per week. Three years' service = 3 weeks × £700 = £2,100 statutory redundancy pay. Any enhanced contractual redundancy in your contract would be payable on top.
Q: Is my employer required to give me a written contract? Yes. Under ERA 1996 s.1 (as amended), your employer must provide a written statement of particulars on or before your first day of work. This document should set out your grade, pay rate, hours, notice period, and other key terms. If you have not received one, request it in writing from your employer.
Related Tool
Interactive Calculator Use our CIJC Working Rule Agreement Pay & Rights Calculator to estimate your gross and net pay by grade, calculate your redundancy entitlement, check your annual leave balance, and model your pension contributions under the current CIJC rates.
This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult your union representative or a qualified employment solicitor.
