Local government services

The pay and terms of conditions of employment for over 1.4 million local government services' workers is determined by the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services.


The NJC for Local Government Services has 70 members: 12 on the employers' side and 58 on the trade union side.

In 1997, the NJC for Local Government Services agreed a national framework with potential for local modification to suit local service requirements. Known as The Single Status Agreement, these pay and conditions of service agreements are published in the Green Book.

We help councils develop a framework for their roles and responsibilities as employers. This covers the relationships between council employers and their employees, including individual rights and collective arrangements.

13 March 2024

Updated part 4.12 (to replace version in Green Book dated December 2022) 

29 February 2024

Local government services ‘Green Book’ 2024 pay claim

1 November 2023

Local government pay 2023-24

25 April 2022

National Agreement ‘Green Book’

The ‘Green Book' has been updated and we have issued two versions below:

National agreement ‘Green book’: updated edition April 2022 - no tracked changes

National agreement ‘Green book’: updated edition April 2022 - with tracked changes

9 December 2021

The NJC has issued guidance about the return to working at home.

16 July 2021

The NJC has issued guidance about working arrangements from 19 July onwards

14 April 2021

The NJC has issued a further general update on various COVID related issues

21 December 2020

The NJC has issued guidance for CEV people shielding in Tier 4 areas.

12 November 2020

The NJC has issued guidance regarding the national restrictions in England. 


12 August 2020

The National Employers have issued guidance related to COVID-19:


12 June 2020

The NJC has issued further guidance on COVID-related workforce issues. 


5 June 2020

The NJC has issued guidance on the COVID-19 quarantine regulations 


15 May 2020

The NJC has issued a second general update on issues related to COVID-19 


3 April 2020

The NJC has issued further guidance on COVID-19


27 March 2020

The NJC has issued a further update on COVID-19 


23 March 2020


17 March 2020

The NJC has issued a further circular, this time containing advice relating to COVID-19 and working at home:


6 March 2020

The NJC has issued a circular with updated guidance on Coronavirus COVID-19:


25 February 2020

The NJC has issued a circular that provides an update on the ongoing review of term time working.

12 February 2020

The NJC has issued a circular that provides important advice about Coronavirus COVID-19:


Chief executive and chief officer pay survey research report  - Winter 2018

The survey was the first of its kind for a number of years and was conducted during winter 2018 and was sent to all heads of human resources (or equivalent position) in English and Welsh councils with the aim of helping council employers to benchmark the characteristics and pay of their senior teams as well as establish a base-line for national policy discussions and future research.