This newsletter provides a round-up of all the relevant news that Employer Link has gathered over the last month.
Pay negotiations: National Joint Council for Local Government Services
The 2025 pay award was agreed (and circulars sent) at the end July for a number of groups. The relevant circulars can be found on the following pages: “Green Book” employees; Chief Executives; Chief Officers; and advisory London weightings.
Please note the pay negotiations for Craftworkers are still ongoing. The National Employers advise very strongly against imposing the full and final pay offer ahead of a national collective agreement being finalised.
Pay review bodies: Teachers’ pay 2026/27 – Have your say
The 2026 cycle has already begun, with the STRB now seeking evidence and views. NEOST has launched its consultation via Employer Link - sending personalised invites to lead stakeholders (direct school and academy employers only). If you believe you should have received the survey, but haven’t please contact us.
Survey deadline: 12 noon, Monday 24 September 2025.
All the relevant information on school teachers’ pay 2026 can be found on the LGA school teachers webpage, including an indicative timeline
Pay review bodies: Teachers’ pay 2025/26
The school teachers’ pay and conditions document 2025 has completed its path through Parliament, and became a live document on 1 September 2025. All the relevant information on the pay cycle can be found on the LGA school teachers webpage, including the pay reference circular that includes discretionary pay points not covered in the STCPD.
Please note the pay negotiations for the JNC for teachers in residential establishments have not yet concluded, although a meeting is due to be convened in the coming weeks.
Annual gender pay gap analysis in the schools sector
Employers had to report their gender pay gap information for the year to 31 March 2024, by the end of March 2025). Employer Link produces an analysis specifically for school employers, both for the reporting year and longitudinal analysis since 2017. Although still higher than many parts of the wider labour market, there was a reduction in the mean pay gap to 17.4 per cent. This resource is a useful benchmarking tool for school employers
Employer Link benchmarking offer
Earlier this year, Employer Link collected a range of benchmarking data through the national Heads of HR network that we facilitate. Headlines of pay, sickness absence and turnover (as well as details about the network) can be found on the concertina at the bottom of the academies page of our website.
Pay negotiations: Coroners’ pay 2025/26
The management side of the JNC for coroners issued circular no. 71 on 6 August, reporting on the key findings from the recent consultation survey and, as a result, recommending local authorities give consideration to a 3.20 per cent increase for coroners’ pay for 2025/26.
NJC for Fire Brigade Managers publishes 6th edition of the Gold Book
The Gold Book contains the national terms and conditions for Brigade Managers (chief fire officers, deputy and assistant chief fire officers). The newly updated version includes refreshed guidance on the management of disciplinary, capability and grievance procedures (appendix D).
Supporting employees in fire and rescue services experiencing online abuse and harassment
Guidance for fire and rescue service employers on how to best support staff who experience online harassment is now available. This guidance sets out employers’ responsibilities and also contains links to relevant resources to help employers to take appropriate actions.
Employment law
The latest edition of our monthly advisory bulletin is available to download.
Remember, you can sign up to receive this directly (along with other newsletters such as the Workforce Bulletin, these are all free as part of the Employer Link subscription) by going to the e-bulletins page.
Read past advisory bulletins on our website.
Local Government Pension Scheme
The latest edition of our monthly bulletin can be found on the bulletin page of www.lgpsregs.org and the bulletin page of www.scotlgpsregs.org.
Firefighters’ Pension Scheme
The latest edition of our monthly bulletin is available to read.
Events
Details of events will be found on the Employer link events page, including a free CIPD masterclass for HR on artificial intelligence (AI).
If you have not received a discount code to receive the free (or discounted) rate for any event you see on that page please email us.
Presentations from past events are available to download. Copies of past event presentations can be found on our website.
A collection of recent guidance, research, thought pieces and Government updates:
- National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage: Low Pay Commission remit 2025
- NGA’s Annual School and Trust Governance Survey 2025
- Department for Education – Conversation guide for workload and wellbeing in schools and academy trusts
- Department for Education – Keeping children safe in education 2025/6
- Teaching Commission – Shaping the future of teaching
- Department for Business & Trade – Implementing the Employment Rights Bill
If you have any questions about any of the items in this newsletter or any difficulties in logging into the secure parts of the website, please contact us.