NJC Green Book pay and redundancy calculator 2026 | Expert Zoom

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the NJC Green Book pay award for 2025-26?

  The NJC for Local Government Services agreed a pay award of 3.2% on all spinal column points (SCPs), effective 1 April 2025. This was agreed between UNISON, GMB, Unite and the Local Government Employers. SCP 2 is deleted from 1 April 2026, making SCP 3 the new pay floor at approximately £24,252 per year. The 2026-27 pay award is currently under negotiation.

• How is redundancy pay calculated for local government workers under the Green Book?

  The NJC Green Book provides enhanced redundancy pay using the employee's actual weekly pay — unlike the statutory formula (ERA 1996 s.162) which caps weekly pay at £700 (from April 2026). The age/service multiplier is the same as statutory: 0.5 week's pay for service under age 22, 1 week's pay for service aged 22–40, and 1.5 weeks' pay for service aged 41 and over. A maximum of 20 qualifying years applies. Redundancy pay is tax-free up to £30,000.

• How many days annual leave do local government workers get under the Green Book?

  The NJC Green Book sets a minimum of 21 days' annual leave on appointment, rising to 26 days after 5 years' continuous service. This is in addition to 8 public and bank holidays in England and Wales, giving a total of 29 to 34 days. This exceeds the statutory minimum of 28 days (including bank holidays) set by the Working Time Regulations 1998. Many councils provide enhanced entitlements beyond these Green Book minimums.

• What is the notice period for local government employees under the NJC Green Book?

  The NJC Green Book sets contractual notice of at least 1 month (approximately 4 weeks) for standard grades after probation, 2 months for Principal Officer grades, and 3 months for senior management. During probation, notice is typically 1 week by either party. The statutory minimum under ERA 1996 s.86 is 1 week per complete year of service (maximum 12 weeks) when an employer dismisses. Whichever is higher — statutory or contractual — applies.

• Which pension scheme do local government workers belong to?

  Local government workers covered by the NJC Green Book are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). This is a statutory defined benefit (career average revalued earnings, or CARE) scheme. Employee contribution rates are tiered by salary, ranging from 5.5% (up to £16,000) to 10.5% (above £112,900). Employer contributions are typically 19–23%, set by triennial actuarial valuation. Pension accrues at 1/49th of pensionable pay each year.

• Does the NJC Green Book provide enhanced redundancy above the statutory minimum?

  Yes. The NJC Green Book removes the statutory weekly pay cap (£700 per week from April 2026 under ERA 1996) and uses the employee's actual weekly gross pay when calculating redundancy. The age/service multiplier remains the same as the statutory formula. This means workers earning above approximately £36,400 per year (£700 × 52) receive more than the statutory maximum of £21,000.

• What is the NJC Green Book?

  The NJC Green Book is the national collective agreement for over 1.4 million local government workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is negotiated by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC), which brings together UNISON, GMB and Unite representing employees, and the Local Government Employers (LGA/National Employers) representing councils. The Green Book sets minimum pay, annual leave, notice periods and other employment conditions, with the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) covering pensions.

• What is the lowest pay under the NJC Green Book from April 2026?

  From 1 April 2026, SCP 2 is deleted from the NJC pay spine. The new pay floor becomes SCP 3, estimated at approximately £24,252 per year (based on the 3.2% April 2025 award applied to 2024-25 rates). At a standard 37-hour week, this equates to approximately £12.61 per hour, above the National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour (April 2025). The exact 2026-27 pay floor will be confirmed once the 2026-27 pay award negotiations conclude.

• Can I calculate my take-home pay as a council worker?

  Yes. Your estimated take-home pay is calculated by deducting income tax (PAYE: 20% on income between £12,571 and £50,270; 40% on income between £50,271 and £125,140), employee National Insurance (8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270), and your LGPS pension contribution (5.5% to 10.5% depending on salary band) from your total gross pay. Any London weighting supplement (Inner London est. £5,687, Outer London est. £2,102, Fringe est. £1,058 in 2025-26) is added to gross before tax calculations.