Unions Demand Pay Rise for School Support Staff After £2.2bn Shortfall
School support staff across the United Kingdom missed out on over £2.2 billion in potential earnings during the last academic year, according to new research. The significant financial shortfall stems from the widespread practice of paying these essential workers solely during term time, rather than providing year-round compensation.
Term-Time Contracts Lead to Substantial Losses
Research conducted by the GMB union has revealed that individual school support staff members could lose up to £4,094 annually by not receiving pay for a full 52-week year instead of the typical 44-week term-time schedule. This payment structure has created what unions describe as systemic financial discrimination against hundreds of thousands of education workers.
The collective impact of this payment gap is staggering. For the 2024/25 period, approximately 800,000 workers on term-time contracts across the UK experienced a combined earnings shortfall of £2.2 billion. These figures highlight the substantial financial burden placed on teaching assistants, administrative staff, caretakers, and other support personnel who are crucial to school operations.
Union Demands for Fair Compensation
In response to these findings, major unions including GMB, Unison, and Unite are mounting a coordinated campaign for improved compensation. They are calling for school and council workers to receive a pay rise of at least £3,000 or 10 per cent for the 2026/27 academic year.
The unions have also demanded the establishment of a minimum hourly rate of £15 for all education support staff. This proposed increase would represent a significant step toward addressing the financial disparities created by term-time contracts and ensuring fair compensation for year-round essential services.
Negotiations Set to Begin
The GMB union has confirmed that the National Joint Council has agreed to meet with union representatives this month to discuss wage negotiations. This development marks a critical opportunity for formal dialogue about addressing the pay gap affecting school support staff nationwide.
Union officials argue that the current payment system effectively discriminates against education support workers, many of whom struggle financially during school holidays when they receive no income. The proposed changes would not only improve individual financial security but also help retain experienced staff in an education system facing recruitment and retention challenges.
The outcome of these negotiations could have far-reaching implications for local authority budgets, school funding allocations, and the broader landscape of public sector compensation across the United Kingdom.
