Eleanor StoneNJC Schools Support Staff (Green Book): A Complete Guide for Workers (2026)
School support staff are the backbone of maintained schools across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Teaching assistants, catering workers, site managers, SEND support workers and administrative staff — approximately 300,000 in total — are employed on terms set by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC), commonly known as the Green Book. If you work in a maintained school and your contract references the Green Book, this guide explains what the 2026 agreement means for your pay, leave, redundancy rights and pension.
What Is the NJC Schools Support Staff Agreement?
The NJC for Local Government Services is a joint negotiating body that brings together three trade unions — UNISON, GMB and Unite — and the employer side represented by the Local Government Employers (LGA). Collectively, they negotiate pay and conditions for roughly 1.4 million local government and school workers across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The resulting agreement, published in the Green Book (Conditions of Service for Local Authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland), sets national minimum pay scales, leave entitlements, redundancy provisions, and other core employment rights. Individual local authorities may improve upon these minimums, but they cannot undercut them.
For school support staff, the agreement operates alongside the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULRCA 1992), which underpins the statutory right of unions to be recognised and to bargain collectively on your behalf, and the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996), which establishes statutory floors for notice, redundancy pay and continuity of employment.
Pay and Pay Award 2026
The 2025-26 Settlement
The most recent settled pay round delivered a 3.2% uplift across all Spinal Column Points (SCPs), effective 1 April 2025. This was agreed between UNISON, GMB, Unite and the LGA under the NJC national negotiating process and applies to all Green Book workers, including school support staff.
At the lower end of the pay spine — where the majority of teaching assistants, catering staff and administrative workers sit — the 2025-26 minimum Spinal Column Point (SCP 2) stands at approximately ~£24,657 per annum (full-time equivalent, based on a 37-hour week). This is above the 2026 National Living Wage (NLW) floor of £12.21 per hour, which equates to roughly £23,483 on a 37-hour week over 52 weeks.
Representative 2025-26 pay spine values (full-time equivalent, before any local supplements):
| Spinal Column Point | Annual Salary (FTE) | Approx. Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| SCP 2 (minimum) | ~£24,657 | ~£12.80 |
| SCP 5 | ~£25,923 | ~£13.46 |
| SCP 8 | ~£27,267 | ~£14.15 |
| SCP 10 | ~£28,208 | ~£14.64 |
| SCP 15 | ~£30,730 | ~£15.96 |
| SCP 20 | ~£33,510 | ~£17.40 |
All figures marked ~ are estimates derived from the 3.2% uplift applied to published 2024-25 values. Check your payslip or ask your HR team to confirm your exact SCP.
The 2026-27 Negotiations
The 2026-27 pay round (covering 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027) is currently under negotiation. UNISON, GMB, and Unite submitted a joint claim in late 2025 demanding:
- A pay increase of £3,000 or 10%, whichever is greater, applied pro-rata for part-time staff
- A minimum hourly rate of £15 across all Green Book grades
- A two-hour reduction in the working week
- An extra day of annual leave
- The right for school support staff to take at least one paid leave day during term time
The unions argue that local government pay has lost more than 26% of its real value since 2010, and that the 2025-26 award of 3.2% already fell below the 3.6% inflation rate recorded at the time. With nearly 90% of GMB local government members indicating willingness to take industrial action for a fair settlement, pressure on the employer side is significant.
No settlement has been announced as of May 2026. Updates will be published on the UNISON, GMB and Unite websites once agreed.
Part-Time and Term-Time Workers
If you work term-time only or part-time, your pay is calculated pro-rata based on the full-time equivalent SCP value. For example, a teaching assistant on SCP 5 working 30 hours per week over 39 school weeks would receive a proportionately adjusted annual salary. Your contract should state your contracted hours, weeks per year, and the SCP to which you are assigned.
Working Hours and Leave Entitlement
Standard Working Week
The NJC Green Book standard working week is 37 hours for full-time employees. Your actual contracted hours may differ — many school support roles are part-time or structured around the school day.
Annual Leave
Green Book annual leave entitlements exceed the 28-day statutory minimum set by the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR 1998), which includes bank holidays. The NJC provides:
| Length of Service | Annual Leave | Bank Holidays | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 5 years | 21 days | 8 days | 29 days |
| 5 years or more | 26 days | 8 days | 34 days |
Entitlements are for full-time employees; part-time workers receive a pro-rata equivalent under WTR 1998.
Term-Time Only (TTO) Workers
If your contract is term-time only, your holiday entitlement is incorporated into the school holiday periods. The Green Book requires that TTO workers receive their full statutory and contractual leave entitlement on a pro-rata basis. This means the school holidays you are not required to work should account for your accrued leave — your employer must not simply assume all holidays count as leave without a proper calculation.
Disputes about TTO holiday pay frequently arise under the WTR 1998. If you believe your holiday pay is being calculated incorrectly, contact your union representative in the first instance.
Redundancy Pay
If you are made redundant, your statutory entitlement under ERA 1996 ss.162-166 is calculated as:
- 0.5 week's pay per complete year of service (aged under 22)
- 1 week's pay per complete year of service (aged 22–40)
- 1.5 weeks' pay per complete year of service (aged 41 and over)
The statutory weekly pay cap is £700 as of 2026, and redundancy is calculated on a maximum of 20 years' service.
The NJC Green Book enhances this significantly. Many local authorities — and the national Green Book minimum — calculate redundancy pay on your actual weekly salary rather than the statutory cap, meaning long-serving staff on higher grades receive considerably more than the ERA 1996 minimum. Some councils also apply a higher multiplier or extend the 20-year cap. Check your contract and your employer's redundancy policy, as these vary.
Example: A site manager aged 45 on an actual salary of £30,000 per annum (weekly pay ~£577) with 15 years' service would receive a statutory minimum of ~£12,981 (15 years × 1.5 weeks × £577). If your council calculates on actual pay rather than the cap, this figure is unchanged in this example as the weekly pay is under £700 — but an employee on £40,000 (weekly pay ~£769) would receive £17,325 under the enhanced NJC scheme, versus the statutory maximum of £14,000.
Notice Period
Under ERA 1996 s.86, the statutory minimum notice you are entitled to receive is:
- 1 week per complete year of continuous service
- Up to a maximum of 12 weeks (after 12 years' service)
The NJC Green Book provides for a minimum of one month's notice for all employees, regardless of length of service. This is more generous than the statutory minimum for workers with fewer than four years' service, who would otherwise only be entitled to one, two or three weeks under ERA 1996.
For longer-serving employees, your contractual notice period may be longer still — check your contract. Notice periods above the statutory minimum are contractual rights enforceable through an employment tribunal or civil court.
Pension Rights
School support staff employed in maintained schools are entitled to membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), a defined benefit occupational pension scheme established under the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013. This is one of the most valuable elements of Green Book employment.
Your employer must automatically enrol you if you meet the criteria under the Pensions Act 2008; however, the LGPS is significantly more generous than the statutory auto-enrolment minimum (5% employee / 3% employer).
How the LGPS Works
The LGPS is a career average revalued earnings (CARE) scheme. Each year you build up a pension worth 1/49th of your pensionable pay for that year. Your annual pension pot is revalued each year in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) to protect it against inflation.
Contribution Rates (2025-26)
Employee contributions are tiered by pay band:
| Pensionable Pay Band (FTE) | Employee Contribution |
|---|---|
| Up to ~£16,500 | 5.5% |
| ~£16,501 – £25,900 | 5.8% |
| ~£25,901 – £42,500 | 6.5% |
| ~£42,501 – £53,500 | 6.8% |
| ~£53,501 – £71,200 | 8.5% |
| Over ~£71,200 | 9.9%–12.5% |
Thresholds are revalued annually; figures shown are approximate 2025-26 bands.
Employer contributions typically range from 19% to 23% of pensionable pay, depending on the results of the triennial actuarial valuation for each administering authority.
Key LGPS Benefits
- Normal pension age: linked to your State Pension age (currently 66)
- Death-in-service lump sum: typically 3× annual salary
- Ill-health retirement: access to pension early if you cannot continue working due to ill health
- Survivor benefits: spouse/civil partner pension payable on death
Part-time and term-time workers build up LGPS rights in proportion to their contracted hours and weeks worked.
Your Rights Under the Agreement
The NJC Green Book provides a suite of rights that exceed the statutory floor in several important areas:
- Enhanced leave: at least 21 days (rising to 26 days) before bank holidays, compared to 20 days under WTR 1998 alone
- Enhanced redundancy: many councils calculate redundancy on actual salary, not the £700 statutory weekly pay cap under ERA 1996
- Minimum one month's notice: exceeds ERA 1996 minimums for staff with fewer than four years' service
- Defined-benefit pension: the LGPS employer contribution far exceeds the 3% statutory minimum under the Pensions Act 2008
- Collective bargaining rights: UNISON, GMB and Unite hold statutory recognition rights under TULRCA 1992 to negotiate pay and conditions on your behalf — this means you have the right to be represented in disciplinary and grievance proceedings and to access union support
If you believe your employer is not applying Green Book terms correctly — for example, miscalculating holiday pay for term-time working — you have the right to raise a formal grievance under ERA 1996 and to seek union representation at every stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
I work term-time only. Am I entitled to the same pay increase as full-time staff? Yes. The NJC pay award applies to all Green Book workers on a pro-rata basis. If the award is 3.2%, your annual salary (calculated on a 52-week full-time equivalent) increases by 3.2%, and your actual term-time payments are adjusted proportionately.
Can my school pay me less than the NJC minimum? No. Maintained schools are bound by NJC terms. The minimum SCP (SCP 2) is the national floor, and no maintained school employer may pay below it. If you are being paid below SCP 2, contact your union immediately.
What happens to my LGPS pension if I move to an academy or free school? Academy conversions are complex. When a maintained school converts, staff transferring under TUPE should retain their LGPS membership via a Broadly Comparable or admitted body arrangement. However, you should seek written confirmation from both your current employer and the academy trust, and contact your union if you have concerns.
The 2026-27 pay round is unresolved. Does my pay freeze? No. You remain on your current SCP (post the 3.2% uplift from 1 April 2025) until a new settlement is reached. Once agreed, any increase is usually backdated to 1 April 2026. Your union will keep you informed.
My employer says I am not entitled to LGPS because I am part-time. Is that correct? This depends on your earnings. Under the Pensions Act 2008 auto-enrolment rules, workers earning above £10,000 per annum must be auto-enrolled. The LGPS applies to eligible local authority employees regardless of part-time status; however, if you earn below the auto-enrolment threshold you may need to opt in. Check with your payroll department and union representative.
I have been told my redundancy is calculated using the statutory cap, not my actual salary. Is that right? It depends on your employer's redundancy policy. The NJC Green Book encourages enhanced calculation, but not all councils apply this uniformly. Request a copy of your employer's redundancy policy in writing. If you believe you are being underpaid, your union can advise whether a formal challenge is appropriate under ERA 1996.
Related Tool
Interactive Calculator Use our NJC Schools Support Staff Pay & Rights Calculator to estimate your annual salary by SCP, pro-rata pay for term-time working, redundancy entitlement, annual leave and LGPS pension under this agreement.
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.
