Local government pay and pension
For council workers, school support staff, teaching assistants and social workers on the NJC pay spine: what you take home on every spine point, what your LGPS pension will pay, and guides to term-time pay and the 2026 pay rise.
Council pay calculator
Take-home on every NJC spine point, with part-time and term-time pay, overtime, unsocial hours, sleep-ins and the LGPS.
LGPS pension calculator
Your pension and lump sum at retirement in today’s money, with career average and final salary service and the 50/50 section.
Council pay guides
Council pay in 2026/27 at a glance
- 3.3% on every NJC spine point from 1 April 2026, agreed in August and backdated.
- The spine runs from £25,614 at SCP 3 to £56,293 at SCP 43. Spine point 2 was deleted in April 2026.
- Full time is 37 hours a week. Grades are set locally by each council or school.
- LGPS contributions are 5.5% to 12.5% of actual pay in England and Wales.
Frequently asked questions
How much do council workers take home a month?
On the lowest point, SCP 3 (£25,614), a full-time council worker takes home about £1,731 a month after tax, NI and the LGPS from April 2026. On SCP 19 (£33,119) it is about £2,137.
What is the NJC pay rise for 2026/27?
3.3% on every point of the NJC pay spine from 1 April 2026, agreed in August 2026 and backdated to April. Allowances such as the sleep-in payment rose by 3.3% too.
What is the lowest hourly rate on the NJC pay spine?
£13.28 an hour at SCP 3 from April 2026, based on a 37-hour week. Spine point 2 was deleted on 1 April 2026, so SCP 3 is now the bottom of the spine.
How much do council staff pay into the LGPS?
Between 5.5% and 12.5% of actual pensionable pay in England and Wales, depending on what you earn. Someone on £33,119 pays 6.5%, which is £179.39 a month, but it only reduces take-home by about £143.52 because it comes off before tax.
What is the LGPS 50/50 section?
You pay half your normal contribution rate and build half the pension, while keeping full life and ill-health cover. It is meant for short periods when money is tight, and your employer moves you back to the main section at your next re-enrolment date.
Does every council use the NJC pay spine?
Most councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland do, and so do schools for support staff. Each council decides which spine points go with each grade. London councils use a separate London pay spine, and a few councils have their own pay structures.
How are teaching assistants paid?
Most are on the NJC spine, paid for term-time weeks plus holiday, spread across 12 months. A teaching assistant on SCP 7 working 32.5 hours a week and paid for 45.6 weeks gets about £20,951 a year, or £1,469 a month after deductions.
Is overtime pensionable in the LGPS?
Yes. Since April 2014, all pay including overtime, whether contractual or not, counts as pensionable pay in the LGPS in England and Wales.