Sophia HamiltonNational Joint Council for Local Government Services — Green Book Pay Agreement 2026-2027: A Complete Guide for Workers
The National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services governs pay and working conditions for approximately 1.4 million local authority employees across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The agreement — universally known as the Green Book — is one of the largest collective agreements in the United Kingdom, covering council workers from social care assistants and refuse collectors to environmental health officers, planners, and library staff.
Negotiated between UNISON, GMB, and Unite and the Local Government Employers (LGE) on behalf of councils, the Green Book sets the national floor for pay and conditions. Under TULRCA 1992 s.178, it carries full collective bargaining status; its terms are automatically incorporated into individual employment contracts and cannot be reduced unilaterally.
The 2026-27 agreement period runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. As of May 2026, the pay element remains subject to active negotiations — this guide explains where matters stand and what rights workers hold in the meantime.
What Is the Green Book?
The Green Book is the National Agreement on Pay and Conditions of Service for NJC employees. First introduced in 1997, it replaced a patchwork of separate local authority agreements and created a unified national pay spine across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (Scotland operates a separate framework).
It covers employees below deputy chief officer grade working for local authorities, fire authorities, and related bodies. Individual councils may enhance Green Book terms locally, but they cannot fall below the nationally agreed minimum floor without union agreement.
Pay and Pay Award 2026
The National Pay Spine
NJC pay is structured around Spinal Column Points (SCPs), which run from SCP 3 to SCP 43 on the national pay spine. Each SCP corresponds to an annual salary; councils assign their grades and job roles to appropriate SCPs.
An important structural change took effect on 1 April 2026: SCP 2 was permanently deleted from the national pay spine as part of the 2025-26 settlement, making SCP 3 the new entry point. Employees who had been on SCP 2 automatically moved to SCP 3 from that date.
2025-26 Pay Rates (Still Current Pending 2026-27 Settlement)
In 2025, the NJC parties agreed a 3.2% consolidated pay increase applied to all pay points SCP 2 to SCP 43, effective 1 April 2025. The increase was permanent and consolidated into basic pay for all affected workers.
Selected NJC Pay Spine 2025-26 (effective 1 April 2025)
| Spinal Column Point | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| SCP 2 (deleted 1 April 2026) | £24,413 |
| SCP 10 | £27,694 |
| SCP 20 | £32,597 |
| SCP 30 | £40,777 |
| SCP 43 (maximum) | £54,495 |
The full 43-point spine is used by councils to assign grades to every post. Even the former entry point (SCP 2 at £24,413) exceeded the 2026 National Living Wage (NLW) floor of £12.21 per hour (approximately £23,641 per year for a 37-hour week).
2026-27 Pay Offer: Under Negotiation
On 25 March 2026, the National Employers made a full and final pay offer for the 2026-27 year: a 3.3% consolidated increase applied to all pay points SCP 3 to SCP 43, effective 1 April 2026. If accepted, this would produce the following approximate rates:
Projected 2026-27 Pay Rates (employers' 3.3% offer — not yet agreed)
| Spinal Column Point | 2025-26 Salary | Projected 2026-27 (3.3%) |
|---|---|---|
| SCP 3 (new entry point) | ~£24,703 | ~£25,518 |
| SCP 10 | £27,694 | ~£28,608 |
| SCP 20 | £32,597 | ~£33,673 |
| SCP 30 | £40,777 | ~£42,123 |
| SCP 43 | £54,495 | ~£56,293 |
All 2026-27 figures are estimates based on the 3.3% offer and are subject to change once negotiations conclude.
Union position: UNISON, GMB, and Unite submitted a joint pay claim for the higher of £3,000 or 10% on all pay points, a minimum hourly rate of £15, and a further reduction in working hours without loss of pay. All three unions rejected the 3.3% offer. UNISON and Unite rejected it outright, with UNISON announcing a ballot for industrial action. GMB conducted a membership consultation with a neutral recommendation. As of late May 2026, the dispute is unresolved.
Any award eventually agreed will be backdated to 1 April 2026, consistent with all previous NJC settlements.
Working Hours and Leave Entitlement
Working Hours
The standard NJC full-time working week is 35 hours. The 2025-26 pay deal — in addition to the 3.2% pay award — included a two-hour reduction in the standard working week without loss of pay (previously 37 hours per week), effective from 1 April 2025. This is a nationally agreed term binding on all NJC employers.
Part-time workers are entitled to equivalent pro-rata hours and pay in proportion to full-time contractual hours, in line with the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000.
Annual Leave
Green Book employees receive significantly more annual leave than the statutory minimum under the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR 1998), which sets a floor of 28 days (5.6 weeks) including bank holidays.
The 2025-26 pay settlement also included an additional day of annual leave for all staff, bringing minimum Green Book entitlements to:
| Length of Service | Annual Leave Days | Bank/Public Holidays | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 years | 24 days | 8 days | 32 days |
| 5 years or more | 27 days | 8 days | 35 days |
The eight UK bank and public holidays are: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Many councils add further concessionary days on top of the national minimum.
The WTR 1998 statutory minimum is 28 days inclusive of bank holidays. Green Book employees receive 32–35 days total, well above this floor.
Redundancy Pay
If you are made redundant, your minimum entitlement is statutory redundancy pay under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996) calculated as:
- 0.5 weeks' pay per year of service (under age 22)
- 1 week's pay per year of service (aged 22 to 40)
- 1.5 weeks' pay per year of service (aged 41 and over)
The statutory weekly pay cap is £700 (2026 rate), and the formula applies to a maximum of 20 years' service.
Example: A 45-year-old with 15 years' service earning £35,000 per year (weekly pay: £673) would receive: 15 years × 1.5 × £673 = £15,143 statutory redundancy pay.
The Green Book does not set a single national enhanced redundancy formula, but the vast majority of local authorities operate enhanced schemes — often calculating redundancy on actual salary uncapped rather than the £700 weekly cap, or applying higher multipliers. Local enhanced schemes are agreed with recognised unions under TULRCA 1992. Check your council's redundancy policy or contact your union representative for the specific terms that apply to you.
Where 20 or more redundancies are proposed, your employer must consult collectively with recognised unions under ERA 1996 s.188.
Notice Periods
Under ERA 1996 s.86, the statutory minimum notice entitlement is:
- 1 week's notice per completed year of continuous employment
- Minimum of 1 week; maximum of 12 weeks (for 12 or more years' service)
The Green Book provides contractual notice periods that exceed the statutory floor. Typical Green Book contractual notice (for most non-chief officer grades) is:
| Grade / Service Length | Notice Period |
|---|---|
| Most grades (regardless of service) | 1 month minimum |
| Senior grades (SO and above) | 2 to 3 months |
An employee's own obligation to give notice is typically one month under Green Book contracts. ERA 1996 s.86(3) requires the statutory minimum to apply if it exceeds the contractual figure.
Pension Rights — Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
All NJC employees working two or more hours per week are automatically enrolled in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), a statutory defined-benefit scheme. This far exceeds the Pensions Act 2008 minimum (5% employee / 3% employer into a defined contribution scheme). The LGPS is guaranteed by statute and provides lifelong, index-linked retirement income.
How the LGPS Works
The LGPS is a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme. Each year of membership builds up a pension equal to 1/49th of your pensionable pay for that year. Past years' pension is revalued annually in line with inflation, meaning the full value of your service is preserved.
Example: Earning £30,000 in a year builds up £30,000 ÷ 49 = £612.24 of annual pension for that year.
A 50/50 section allows members to halve contributions, accruing pension at 1/98th instead.
Employee Contribution Rates (2026-27)
| Pensionable Pay | Employee Contribution Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £18,400 | 5.5% |
| £18,401 – £29,000 | 5.8% |
| £29,001 – £47,300 | 6.5% |
| £47,301 – £59,800 | 6.8% |
| £59,801 – £84,000 | 8.5% |
| £84,001 – £119,100 | 9.9% |
| Over £119,100 | up to 12.5% |
Employer contributions are set by each LGPS fund following triennial valuations; typical rates are 15% to 21% of pensionable pay — far above the 3% statutory minimum under the Pensions Act 2008. The LGPS also provides ill-health retirement benefits and death-in-service cover.
Your Rights Under the Agreement
NJC employees benefit from a series of enhanced protections above the statutory floor:
Pay above the National Living Wage: Even the entry-level SCP 3 (
£24,703) substantially exceeds the 2026 NLW of £12.21 per hour (£23,641 per year for 35 hours/week). Under ERA 1996, employers are legally required to pay at least the NLW.Enhanced annual leave: 24 to 27 days annual leave (depending on service length) plus 8 bank holidays, giving 32–35 days total — well above the 28-day statutory minimum under WTR 1998.
Collective bargaining protection: Under TULRCA 1992 s.178, UNISON, GMB, and Unite hold statutory recognition for bargaining over pay, hours, and other terms. Your employer cannot unilaterally change Green Book terms; any changes to nationally agreed conditions require agreement through the NJC joint committee.
Superior pension provision: Automatic membership of the LGPS defined-benefit scheme, with employer contributions of 15–21%, compared to the 3% statutory minimum under the Pensions Act 2008.
Redundancy enhancements: Most councils operate above-statutory redundancy schemes, often uncapping the ERA 1996 weekly pay calculation and applying more generous multipliers than the statutory formula.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the 2026-27 pay award be finalised?
As of May 2026, negotiations are ongoing. The National Employers issued a 3.3% final offer on 25 March 2026. UNISON and Unite rejected this offer; UNISON has announced a ballot for industrial action. GMB's member consultation concluded in late May 2026. No settlement date has been confirmed, but any agreement will be backdated to 1 April 2026.
My payslip still shows 2025-26 rates — is this correct?
Yes, this is expected while negotiations continue. Councils cannot increase pay until the NJC parties reach agreement. Once settled, your employer will process back pay covering the full period since 1 April 2026, typically paid in the first adjusted payslip after the award is confirmed.
What happened to SCP 2 on my pay scale?
SCP 2 was permanently deleted from the national NJC pay spine on 1 April 2026 as part of the 2025-26 settlement. If you were on SCP 2, you should have moved automatically to SCP 3 — the new national pay spine entry point — on that date. If this has not been reflected in your pay, raise it with your HR department or union representative.
I work part-time. Do I get the same Green Book terms?
Green Book terms apply to all NJC employees on a pro-rata basis. Annual leave, redundancy pay, and LGPS accrual all scale to your contracted hours and pay. Full-time equivalent pay rates are set nationally and your hourly rate should reflect your SCP grade regardless of hours worked.
Does the Green Book apply to academy schools?
Academy schools and free schools are independent employers and are not bound by NJC collective agreements unless they have voluntarily adopted them. Check your contract or ask your union representative if you are unsure.
How much redundancy pay would I receive?
Your minimum entitlement is calculated under ERA 1996 using the government's statutory formula (0.5/1/1.5 weeks × years × weekly pay, capped at £700 per week in 2026). Most councils enhance this above statute — your HR team or union can confirm your council's specific redundancy scheme. You can also use our interactive calculator below to estimate your statutory entitlement.
Related Tool
Interactive Calculator Use our NJC Green Book Pay & Rights Calculator to estimate your current pay, projected 2026-27 rates, redundancy entitlement, annual leave, and LGPS pension accrual based on your personal circumstances.
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.
