We know most educators want to give Labour a chance to repair 14 years of damage inflicted on our schools by the previous Tory government. But we also know our schools are at breaking point.
Lack of funding, not enough teachers coming into the profession and too many experienced educators leaving. And it’s our children who lose out.
To make matters worse, before Christmas the government announced it has recommended an unfunded, 2.8 per cent pay rise for teachers in September 2025.
The NEU nationally is actively campaigning for a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise for all educators, and pay restoration to compensate for years of below-inflation increases.
Teachers’ pay has fallen relative to other professionals and compared with other public sector workers. As a result, schools have the worst recruitment and retention crisis for twenty years. Everyone in education agrees that we need a teacher pay correction to deal with it.
Without guaranteed funding for the rise, schools and colleges will be left to make impossible choices – cut staff, cut resources, or both.
Schools, our children and education just can’t afford any more cuts. More schools are in deficit now than at any point since at least 2010. Just 3 per cent of primary schools and 6 per cent of secondaries say they are financially secure.
We have the highest primary class sizes in Europe and the highest secondary class sizes on record. More than a million pupils are taught in classes of over 30.
We will work with this government where we can and press it where we must. If the government does not change course, our indicative ballot will open on 1 March and run until 11 April. You, our members, will determine the next steps we take.
We are prepared to do what is necessary to ensure fairness for our pupils and secure the future of our schools.
Fund Fair Pay ballot FAQ
For more information, please follow this link the main NEU Website FAQ.
Stand up for education, again. Why?
- In 2023 and 2024, your hard work and action forced real change. Our Pay Up ballots and strikes secured fully funded pay increases worth 12.4% – the biggest real terms pay correction since 2009.
- However, just prior to Christmas, the new Labour government recommended an unfunded 2.8% teachers’ pay award for September 2025, suggesting schools should make ‘efficiencies’ to fund it.
- In reality, the vast majority of schools would need to make further cuts to education provision to pay for it. Nor would a 2.8% rise bring more teachers into our schools or encourage existing ones to stay.