Government’s plan for teachers’ pay risks funding crisis, say unions

Education unions have accused the government of risking a “full-blown funding crisis” for schools with its latest offer to pay teachers.

The Department of Education has announced a 5% pay increase for teachers and more for entry-level salaries.

Five unions representing the majority of teachers said the plans would put pressure on strained school budgets and exacerbate staff shortages.

The government describes the offer as the most generous in years.

The proposal provides that all teachers who have been in the profession for more than five years will receive a 5% salary increase in the next academic year.

Those in their first five years of career would receive between 5% and 8%, while newcomers outside of London would receive 8.9%.

UK inflation, the rate at which prices are rising, rose to 9.4% in the 12 months to June from 9.1% in May, according to the latest figures.

A joint statement criticizing the plans was released by the Association for School and College Leaders (ASCL), the NAHT school leaders union, the NEU and NASUWT teaching unions and Community, the union for education professionals.

It said inflation meant the increase would represent a real cut in most teachers’ salaries and would exacerbate staff shortages already affecting the “vast majority” of schools.

It is also expected that schools will not receive any additional money to fund the increase and will have to cover it from their existing budgets.

The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies said that despite the increase, the real value of teachers will have fallen by 12% since 2010.

Announcing the proposals on Tuesday, the government said they aim to strike “a careful balance between recognizing the vital importance of public sector workers, providing added value for the taxpayer and addressing the broader economic context”.

It added that “double-digit wage premiums for public sector workers would lead to persistently higher rates of inflation” and that “this would have a far greater impact on people’s real incomes in the long run”.

It also said the core schools budget would increase by £1.5bn in the next financial year, on top of a £4bn increase flowing into this year’s budget.

Patrick Roach, NASUWT secretary-general, said the government has been “dishonest to the profession and to the public by giving the illusion of paying a salary when in reality it refuses to provide schools with the means to deliver it “.

Paul Whiteman, Secretary General of NAHT said: “This is not a way to ensure children get the quality education they deserve. It is a ruthless game with the future of the country.”

Both the NEU and the ASCL have announced that they will consult with their members on industrial action in the fall.