Civil Service Pay Remit 2026-27 calculator | Expert Zoom

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the pay award for civil servants under the Civil Service Pay Remit 2026-27?

  The Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance 2026-27, published by the Cabinet Office in May 2026, sets a maximum Increase in Remuneration Costs (IRC) of 3.5% for the year April 2026 to March 2027. An additional 0.5% is available for low-pay purposes. Individual departments set their own pay awards within this framework — some, such as the Home Office, have secured above-remit deals via Pay Flexibility Business Cases (e.g. 5.5% in year two of a three-year deal).

• How is redundancy pay calculated for civil servants?

  Civil servants are covered by both the statutory ERA 1996 minimum and the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS). The statutory formula (ERA 1996 s.162) pays 0.5, 1 or 1.5 weeks' pay per qualifying year of service (depending on age), with weekly pay capped at £700 from April 2026, up to 20 qualifying years. The CSCS enhanced scheme pays 1 month's actual salary per year of continuous service for compulsory redundancy, up to a maximum of 21 months, with no weekly pay cap. A minimum of 2 years' continuous Civil Service employment is required for either payment.

• How many days annual leave do civil servants get?

  The standard Civil Service annual leave entitlement is 25 days per year for new entrants, rising to 30 days after 5 years' qualifying service. This is above the UK statutory minimum of 28 days (5.6 weeks) under the Working Time Regulations 1998. In addition, civil servants in England and Wales receive 8 bank and public holidays, bringing the total to 33 days (new starters) or 38 days (after 5 years). Some departments operate a slightly higher entitlement — check your contract of employment.

• What is the notice period for civil service employees?

  ERA 1996 s.86 sets a statutory minimum of 1 week's notice per complete year of service, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. The Civil Service standard contractual notice is 1 month for grades Administrative Assistant (AA) through Senior Executive Officer (SEO), and 3 months for Grade 7, Grade 6, and Senior Civil Service (SCS) grades. Whichever is longer — statutory or contractual — applies. SCS members and certain specialist roles may have longer notice periods specified in their individual contracts.

• Which pension scheme covers civil servants?

  Most civil servants who joined on or after 1 April 2015 are members of the Civil Service Alpha scheme, a defined benefit Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) pension. Employee contributions are tiered by salary: 4.60% up to £24,000; 5.45% on £24,001–£56,000; 7.35% on £56,001–£150,000; and 8.05% above £150,000. The employer contributes 28.97% of pensionable pay (2026-27 GAD valuation). Civil servants who joined between 2007 and 2015 may be in Nuvos (employee 3.5%, employer 26.6%), and pre-2007 entrants may be on Classic or Premium.

• Does the Civil Service Pay Remit provide enhanced redundancy above the statutory minimum?

  Yes. The Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS) provides significantly enhanced redundancy compared to the statutory ERA 1996 minimum. For compulsory redundancy, the CSCS pays 1 month's actual salary per year of continuous service, up to 21 months, with no weekly pay cap. By comparison, the statutory ERA 1996 formula uses age-banded multipliers and caps weekly pay at £700 from April 2026. Where departments offer voluntary exit schemes, civil servants may receive up to 2 months' pay per year of service (max 21 months), though this is at departmental discretion.

• What is the National Living Wage for 2026 and does it affect civil service pay?

  The National Living Wage (NLW) for workers aged 21 and over is £12.21 per hour from 1 April 2026. The Civil Service Pay Remit allows departments to fund NLW and National Minimum Wage increases outside the 3.5% IRC cap, meaning the lowest-paid civil servants receive NLW uplifts on top of any departmental pay award. Civil servants earning below the NLW equivalent must receive at least the legal minimum regardless of the remit framework.

• How does Civil Service pay vary between departments?

  Civil Service pay is not set on a single national pay scale. Each of the approximately 200 departments and agencies sets its own pay structure within the Pay Remit framework. This means an Executive Officer (EO) at HMRC may be paid differently from one at the Home Office or DWP. Some departments have secured above-remit deals through Pay Flexibility Business Cases — for example, the Home Office three-year deal (2025/26–2027/28) provides 6%, 5.5%, and 4% in successive years. Always consult your departmental pay circular for the specific rates that apply to you.