Further education pay 2025/2026 – England

National bargaining means that pay is negotiated between unions, employers and government at a national level. Fully funded national bargaining would mean that all UNISON members would receive a pay rise that has been negotiated by their union. 

The joint trade unions recognised for national pay bargaining in the FE sector are UNISON, UCU, NEU, GMB and Unite. As the largest unions, UNISON and UCU are the joint trade union-side secretaries for support staff and lecturers respectively.

In England, pay for staff in further education is negotiated between the FE unions and the Association of Colleges (AoC) in the national joint forum (NJF). UNISON is represented on the NJF by staff working in colleges.

The result of the national negotiations is a pay recommendation that individual colleges use as a benchmark to set their own pay rates. 

The Association of Colleges represent the employers’ side in national negotiations. They are a membership organisation who represent their members interests and do not have the power to make binding pay offers.

The AoC do not have the power to make binding pay offers, only the government does. At present, the government chooses not to be involved in FE pay negotiations, unlike in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and other sectors of education, including sixth form colleges.

The decision to allow colleges to decide their own pay levels began in 1993 when FE colleges were incorporated (removed from the public sector and expected to run as independent entities).

However, in November 2022, the government brought colleges back into the public sector and backdated this decision to 1993, effectively admitting that incorporation had been a mistake.

While the government funds the majority of FE provision, the funding is not ring-fenced for pay and individual principals in colleges can decide what they want the funding to be used for, for example, a shiny new building to the detriment of hard-working staff.

Yes. First, it would be fairer. Second, it would allow us to focus on ensuring that staff pay is prioritised in college finances. This has not happened for a long time, with the result being that we have seen pay in education fall nearly 40% in real terms (depending on the role) in the past 15 years – more than in any other sector of education.

Not all colleges have local reps that have been elected by members and trained by UNISON. Some of those that do, do not have Trade Union Recognition Agreements in place setting out the parameters of pay bargaining. This is to the detriment of our members. If you would be interested in becoming a rep, please contact your local branch.