Pay Award 2025/2026
Following confirmation of Trade Union agreement, and a COSLA Leaders meeting earlier this month, COSLA has confirmed that the 2025 Pay Award for the Local Government workforce should now be implemented.
The pay award is a two year deal with 4% agreed from April 2025 and a further 3.5% agreed from April 2026. It will be paid in two stages, with the uplift to payrate applied first and the arrears paid the following month.
The table below confirm the payment dates for when the uplift to salary scales will be paid and when the arrears (backpay) to the date the pay rise applies from will be paid.
The revised rates have been applied to the Council's payscales.
Local Government Pay Award (from 1/4/2025) – Payment Dates
Local Government Pay Award (from 1/4/2024) – Payment Dates
Pay | To include | Payment date |
---|---|---|
August 2025 |
Implementation of new rates for salary. |
15 August 2025 |
September 2025 |
All associated back pay for salary, allowances and overtime from 1 April 2025 |
15 September 2025 |
The pay award covers the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, and this approach means that the August pay will reflect the uplifted monthly pay that employees will receive going forward to March 2026.
Backdated Pay and Universal Credit
If you receive Universal Credit, the amount you get changes if your take-home pay changes. This includes awards of backdated pay.
If you get additional pay within a Universal Credit assessment period (month), your Universal Credit payment will either be less than you normally receive, or your income may be too high to qualify for a payment.
Universal Credit is calculated on your personal circumstances. Because of this we, as your employer, do not know how, or if, you may be affected.z
This increase, together with the backdated payment, may mean you will either receive less Universal Credit than normal, or your income may be too high to qualify for a payment.
Will Universal Credit Payments Start Again Automatically?
If you receive nil award of Universal Credit for the assessment period because of increased income due to the backdated pay, your claim will automatically be assessed in the following assessment period, based on your new wage. You do not need to reapply.
If you are assessed in the following period as still qualifying for Universal Credit based on your new wage, payments will restart automatically.
Getting Support
If you have concerns about your Universal Credit assessment, you should log this in your Universal Credit Journal, so your Work Coach can look into this. You can also contact your Work Coach or visit your local Jobcentre Plus for assistance.
Details of support that you can access if you’re concerned about your Universal Credit can be found on our Financial Wellbeing section of the Wellbeing page.