New JNCHES higher education pay and redundancy calculator 2026 | Expert Zoom

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the pay award for higher education staff in 2025-26?

  UCEA issued a 'full and final' offer of 1.4% on all New JNCHES national pay spine points, effective 1 August 2025. This was implemented after formal dispute resolution was exhausted in July 2025; all five recognised unions (UCU, UNISON, Unite, GMB, and EIS) rejected the offer but failed to reach the 50% ballot turnout threshold required to take industrial action.

• What is the New JNCHES national pay spine for 2025-26?

  The New JNCHES single pay spine runs from Spine Point 11 (£20,058 per year) to Spine Point 62 (£69,488 per year) as at 1 August 2025. It covers approximately 200,000 non-clinical staff at 138 UCEA-member universities in the UK. Spine points 13 to 18 are not in national use at most institutions. Each university maps its internal grades onto the national spine.

• How is redundancy pay calculated for university staff?

  University staff are entitled to at minimum the statutory redundancy pay formula under ERA 1996 s.162: 0.5 week's pay per year of service under age 22; 1 week's pay per year aged 22 to 40; and 1.5 weeks' pay per year aged 41 and over, up to a maximum of 20 qualifying years. Weekly pay is capped at £700 (April 2026 rate), giving a maximum statutory payment of £21,000. The New JNCHES national framework does not set an enhanced redundancy floor — terms are negotiated locally at each institution, and many universities (particularly Russell Group and pre-92 institutions) offer enhanced schemes above the statutory minimum.

• Does the New JNCHES agreement provide enhanced redundancy above the statutory minimum?

  No. The New JNCHES Framework Agreement (2003, as updated) covers pay spine uplifts and grading principles only — it does not set a national enhanced redundancy minimum. Enhanced redundancy entitlements are agreed locally between each institution and its recognised trade unions. Employees should check their institution's redundancy policy or contact their local UCU, UNISON, Unite, GMB, or EIS branch for guidance.

• How many days annual leave do higher education staff get?

  Annual leave in higher education is not set nationally by JNCHES — it is determined locally by each institution. Most UCEA-member universities provide between 25 and 30 days' contractual annual leave (excluding bank holidays). With 8 bank holidays in England and Wales, total leave is typically 33 to 38 days. The UK statutory minimum under Working Time Regulations 1998 is 28 days (5.6 weeks) including bank holidays. Many institutions also grant additional closure days over Christmas and New Year.

• What notice period do university employees have to give or receive?

  Notice periods in higher education are set locally, not nationally by JNCHES. Under ERA 1996 s.86, the statutory minimum from an employer is 1 week per complete year of continuous employment (minimum 1 week, maximum 12 weeks). Employees must give a minimum of 1 week's notice after 1 month's service. In practice, most HE institutions require 1 month's contractual notice for Grades 1 to 5 support staff, 3 months for Grade 6 and above (including lecturers and academic-related staff), and 3 to 6 months for professorial and senior management roles. Check your individual contract for the specific period that applies.

• Which pension scheme do university staff belong to?

  Most academic and academic-related staff at pre-92 universities are members of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), a defined benefit career average revalued earnings (CARE) scheme. Some support staff, particularly at post-92 universities, are enrolled in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), which is also a defined benefit CARE scheme. A small number of newer universities use auto-enrolment workplace pensions (minimum 5% employee, 3% employer under Pensions Act 2008). Check your payslip or contract to confirm which scheme applies to you.

• What are the USS pension contribution rates for 2025-26?

  Under the USS Schedule of Contributions agreed following the 2023 actuarial valuation (effective 1 January 2024 and running to 31 December 2028), the contribution rates are: employee (member) 6.1% of salary, and employer 14.5% of salary, giving a combined rate of 20.6%. These rates are significantly lower than the pre-2024 rates (which were 9.8% employee and 21.6% employer). USS is a defined benefit scheme — contributions do not directly determine your pension; instead, your benefit is based on pensionable service and career average salary.

• How does part-time working affect annual leave entitlement in higher education?

  Part-time staff in higher education accrue annual leave on a pro-rata basis in proportion to their contracted hours compared to the full-time equivalent at their institution. For example, a member of staff working 21 hours per week at an institution where full-time is 35 hours per week would have a pro-rata entitlement of 60% of the full-time leave allowance. Under WTR 1998, part-time workers must not be treated less favourably than comparable full-time workers, so the pro-rata entitlement must be at least equal to the pro-rata statutory minimum of 28 days.

• When does the 2025-26 JNCHES pay award take effect and who does it cover?

  The 2025-26 New JNCHES pay award of 1.4% took effect on 1 August 2025. It applies to non-clinical academic staff, academic-related staff, and assistant staff at the approximately 138 UCEA-member universities across the UK. Contract research staff on externally funded grants are also covered subject to their funder's approval. Clinical academic staff whose pay is linked to NHS terms are not covered by JNCHES. The agreement runs from 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026.