NJC Schools Support Staff pay calculator 2026 | Expert Zoom

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the NJC Green Book pay award for schools support staff in 2026–27?

  The 2026–27 NJC pay round is currently under negotiation. Unions (UNISON, GMB and Unite) are claiming £3,000 or 10%, whichever is greater, plus a minimum hourly rate of £15. The 2025–26 award was 3.2% (effective 1 April 2025). Once a settlement is reached, the LGA will issue a circular to employers. Check with your union for the latest position.

• How is redundancy pay calculated for NJC schools support staff?

  Statutory redundancy pay is calculated under ERA 1996 s.162: 0.5 week's pay per year of service under age 22, 1 week's pay per year age 22–41, and 1.5 weeks' pay per year age 41 and over. Weekly pay is capped at £700 (from April 2026). The maximum statutory payment is £21,000 covering up to 20 qualifying years. Some councils offer enhanced schemes — check your contract or contact UNISON, GMB or Unite.

• How many days annual leave do NJC Green Book school support staff receive?

  The NJC Green Book provides 26 days' annual leave for employees with under 5 years' service, rising to 31 days after 5 years. In addition, you are entitled to 8 bank/public holidays, giving 34 or 39 days in total. Part-time and term-time only workers receive a pro-rata entitlement based on their contracted hours and working weeks.

• How is term-time only pay calculated for school support staff?

  Term-time only (TTO) pay is calculated by multiplying the full-time equivalent salary by a TTO factor. The factor is: (contracted working weeks + annual leave weeks) ÷ 52. For example, a worker on 39 contracted weeks with under 5 years' service has a factor of (39 + 5.6) ÷ 52 = 85.8%. The resulting TTO annual salary is typically spread across 12 equal monthly payments.

• What is the notice period for NJC Green Book school support staff?

  Under ERA 1996 s.86, the statutory minimum notice from your employer is 1 week per complete year of service (minimum 1 week, maximum 12 weeks). The NJC Green Book sets a contractual minimum of 1 month for employees resigning. For term-time only staff, many school contracts require notice to expire at the end of a term (31 August, 31 December, or 30 April) — check your individual contract.

• Which pension scheme covers maintained school support staff?

  Support staff in maintained schools (teaching assistants, catering staff, site managers, SEND workers, administrative staff) are ordinarily enrolled in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). This is a defined benefit (career-average) scheme. In 2026–27, employee contribution rates range from 5.5% (earnings up to £18,400) to 12.5% (earnings above £210,700). Each year you accrue 1/49th of your pensionable pay as annual pension income.

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

  The NJC Green Book does not specify a universal enhanced redundancy multiplier for all local authority employers. However, many individual councils have local agreements providing enhanced redundancy — for example, using actual weekly pay (uncapped) rather than the £700 statutory cap. Check your council's redundancy policy, your contract, or contact your UNISON, GMB or Unite representative.

• How does part-time working affect NJC Green Book entitlements?

  Part-time workers have their leave entitlement and pay calculated on a pro-rata basis in proportion to their contracted hours compared to the full-time standard (commonly 37 hours per week). For example, a part-time worker on 18.5 hours (50% FTE) is entitled to 50% of the full-time leave: 13 days (under 5 years' service) or 15.5 days (5+ years). Statutory redundancy pay and notice periods are not affected by part-time working — they are based on your actual weekly pay and length of service.

• What is the London weighting for NJC Green Book staff in 2025–26?

  The NJC Green Book provides three London area supplements. In 2025–26 (indicative, after 3.2% uplift): Inner London weighting is approximately £4,447 per year; Outer London weighting is approximately £1,185 per year; Fringe area weighting is approximately £927 per year. These are added to the basic Spinal Column Point salary. Exact amounts are confirmed in the LGA circular — check with your employer or union.