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Pay for Grades B, C and D
Following the November 2025 increase to the Foundation Living Wage, which created an overlap between Grade C and Grade D, between December 2025 and May 2026 the University reviewed pay grades B, C, and D in consultation with trade unions, Unite, Unison and UCU.
We have now completed the consultation with trade unions and we are very pleased that we reached agreement on the changes for Grades B, C and D.
These changes are outlined on this page and in the tabs below. We have also answered some questions below.
We want to reassure you that no colleagues will see a reduction in their basic salary.
Summary of changes
Pay:
Colleagues in Grade D will see an increase to their pay, and the gap between Grade C and Grade D will increase. View a summary: Changes to Grade D (diagram) (May 2026).pdf.
The first point on our pay grades (L1 in Grade B) will continue to track the Foundation Living Wage (FLW) with future uplifts implemented in April.
Dates for annual pay uplifts:
For Grade D colleagues, the pay increases will be paid in May 2026 (backdated to April 2026) and will remain in place until new national rates take effect in August 2026 following the 2026/27 pay negotiations.
For colleagues paid the FLW rate, the increase to the FLW due to be announced in autumn 2026 will be implemented in April 2027. The increase to the FLW announced in autumn 2027 will be implemented in April 2028, after which the implementation date will be jointly reviewed with our trade unions.
Changes to Grade B
The first point on the University’s grading scheme (L1) will continue to track the Foundation Living Wage (FLW).
Colleagues in Grades B and C are currently paid鈥痩ocal rates, which are based on the Foundation Living Wage (FLW). From 1 August 2026, other points in Grade B will be aligned to the nationally negotiated JNCHES scale as follows:
- L1: JNCHES point 12 (£24,685 + 2026/27 increase)
- L2: JNCHES point 13 (£25,249 + 2026/27 increase)
- L3: JNCHES point 14 (£25,804 + 2026/27 increase)
- L4: JNCHES point 15 (£26,093 + 2026/27 increase)
(all salary examples are full time equivalent as at February 2026)
If our 2025 local rates are higher than the corresponding JNCHES rates at August 2026 (i.e. following the implementation of the 2026/27 national pay negotiations), the 2025 local rates will continue to apply. No colleagues will see a reduction in their basic salary.
The lowest point on the pay scale will continue to track the FLW. If a future increase to the FLW means that the bottom point on the payscale becomes higher than the point above it, then that higher point will also be set at the FLW rate.
The FLW uplift due to be announced in:
- November 2026 will be paid from April 2027
- November 2027 will be paid from April 2028
After this, there will be a joint University-trade union review of the implementation date of the FLW. This review may be brought forward if there is a local or national review of the full pay spine.
Colleagues in Grade B will continue to receive annual increments on 1 August each year, subject to a minimum of 6 months’ service in the grade, up to the grade maximum of L4 / JNCHES 15.
Changes to Grade C
Colleagues in Grade C are currently paid鈥痩ocal鈥痳ates, which are based on the Foundation Living Wage (FLW). From 1 August 2026, points in Grade C will be aligned to the JNCHES scale as follows:
- L5: JNCHES point 16 (£26,707 + 2026/27 increase)
- L6: JNCHES point 17 (£27,319 + 2026/27 increase)
- L7: JNCHES point 18 (£28,031 + 2026/27 increase)
- L8: JNCHES point 19 (£28,778 + 2026/27 increase)
- L9: JNCHES point 20 (£29,588 + 2026/27 increase)
(all salary examples are full time equivalent as at February 2026)
If our 2025 local rates (the FLW) are higher than the corresponding JNCHES rates at August 2026 (i.e. following the implementation of the 2026/27 national pay negotiations), the 2025 local rates will continue to apply. No colleagues will see a reduction in their basic salary.
Colleagues in Grade C will continue to receive annual increments on 1 August each year as long as they have worked a minimum of 6 months’ service in the grade, up to the grade maximum of L9 / JNCHES 20.
Changes to Grade D
Colleagues in Grade D will receive interim salary increases as follows:
- Those on salary points 18,19 and 20 will have their salaries increased to £30,628.
- Those on point 21 will have their salaries increased to £30,878
- Those on point 22 will have their salaries increased to £31,736
Colleagues will receive this increase in their May pay packet and it will be backdated to April 2026. This increase will apply until the new national rates come into effect from August 2026 following the 2026/27 national pay negotiations
This will mean that, from 1 April 2026 until 31 July 2026, salaries for colleagues in Grade D will be as follows:
- point 18: £30,628
- point 19: £30,628
- point 20: £30,628
- point 21: £30,878
- point 22: £31,736
From 1 August 2026, or once the national pay negotiations have been implemented, Grade D will be as follows:
- JNCHES point 21 (£30,378 + 2026/27 JNCHES increase)
- JNCHES point 22 (£31,236 + 2026/27 JNCHES increase)
- JNCHES point 23 (£32,080 + 2026/27 JNCHES increase)
View a diagram of the changes to Grade D: Changes to Grade D (diagram) (May 2026).pdf
Colleagues in Grade D will continue to receive annual scale point increments on 1 August each year as long as they have worked a minimum of 6 months’ service in the grade, up to JNCHES point 23. This means that colleagues on points 18-20 will increment to point 21, colleagues on point 21 will increment to point 22 and colleagues on point 22 will increment to point 23 from 1 August 2026 (if you have worked 6 months in the grade).
JNCHES increases will be applied to Grade D from 1 August 2026.
The details can be found on . Then click on your current job (under “My Employment”) - – this will take you to details about your current grade and pay.
The Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff (JNCHES). This is the central committee for multi-employer national negotiations and dialogue on pay and pay-related issues. Each year, JNCHES negotiates changes to the national payspine, with uplifts normally taking effect from 1 August each year.
Colleagues in Grades B and C have already received a 6.7% pay increase from November 2025. The national payscale points alignment for Grades B and C will take place from 1 August 2026 – but remember that if the FLW or the current (2025) local rates are higher, then those rates will still be paid. No one will see a reduction in their salary.
For Grade D colleagues, these changes will be paid in your May 2026 pay packet. The changes will be backdated to April 2026 and will apply until the new national rates come into effect in August 2026 following the 2026/27 national pay negotiations.
National negotiations on pay levels through the Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff (JNCHES) are ongoing and we will keep colleagues informed of progress in the Weekly Bulletin.
Following further conversations with trade unions, we have agreed to bring forward the date the annual uplifts to the Foundation Living Wage are implemented.
This means that, for colleagues paid on the FLW rate (L1), the increase to the FLW announced by the Living Wage Foundation in autumn 2026 will be implemented in April 2027 and for the announcement in autumn 2027, this will be implemented in April 2028.
This is an increase on pay spend. Altogether we expect these changes to increase the annual pay spend by around £2 million each year. The changes are already significantly over the amount that the University budgeted for the 2025/26 financial year. The University decided it is important to maintain our commitment to the FLW and will find savings from other budgets to fund these changes.
For colleagues on points 18-20, the full-time equivalent annual salary will be increased to £30,628. This will increase the difference between Grade C and Grade D.
For colleagues on points 21 and 22, the full-time equivalent annual salary is raised to £30,878 and £31,736 respectively.
The changes will be backdated to April 2026 and apply until the new national rates come into effect in August 2026 following the 2026/27 national pay negotiations.
There are no changes planned to Grade E. Grade E begins at point 25, from £33,951. Grade E colleagues can currently progress through scale point increments up to point 27, currently £35,608. Under these changes, from August 2026 the top payscale point in Grade D will be point 23, currently £32,080, maintaining a clear differential between the top of Grade D and the first point of Grade E.
All car parking charges are being looked at as part of an overall parking review. Information on this will be provided in the coming months.
No. All points in Grade B will use the FLW or local rates if they are higher than the national pay spine points 12-15. No colleagues’ salary will go down.
We continue to support joint work at a national level to review the payspine, subject to affordability and implementation at local level.
The third of three scheduled meetings to discuss higher education pay for 2026-27 took place on 13 May 2026. The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) (representing 138 employers, including ourselves) made a full and final offer of a 2% uplift. This is now being considered by trade unions. There were also positive discussions on a review of the national pay spine.
If plans for national review during 2026/27 are not clear by September 2026, then the University will engage with trade unions on what action can be taken locally recognising the current financial environment.
In addition, subject to workload priority, once the employers’ offer in the 2026/27 national pay negotiations is known, in term three (summer 2026) the University will commence engagement with representatives of the campus trade unions to outline the principles for a potential local review.