Strike pay calculator 2023 [Archive Reference Article]

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    • [Archive Reference Article]

    You might be interested to calculate the impact of taking part in strike action will have on your take home pay at the end of each month.

    The Department for Education (DfE) has published guidance on Handling Strike Action in Schools. 

    It explains that ​​employees are not entitled to be paid for any period during which they are on strike.

    For any school teacher whose contract of employment incorporates the ‘Conditions of Service for School Teachers in England and Wales’ (The Burgundy Book), pay deductions should be made on the basis of 1/365th of their annual salary for each day of strike action.

    For illustrative purposes, a teacher on M3 of the pay scale in England (not London) earning £31,750 would be deducted approximately £87 for each day of strike action (£31,750/365). 

    This will vary depending on the annual salary of the teacher. It is the gross salary amount that is used for calculations which will include TLR payments.

    Deductions will likely be made on the next payroll i.e. deductions for March strike days from March payroll.

    We have created a calculator below to calculate the impact of what each day of strike action could have on your pay.

    Strike pay calculator

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    Strike pay calculator: variables to consider

    If you teach in a maintained school in England, you will be paid according to a nationally agreed teacher pay scale. If you teach in an academy, free school or independent school, your pay will be set according to your school’s pay policy.

    Check your school’s pay policy and employment contract to understand the terms you are employed under.

    You will also need to consider the following variables:

    • TLRs or SEN allowances
    • Student loan deductions
    • Pension deductions. The TPS website provides guidance on how to record strike days, which should be as “days excluded”, to ensure that pension cover is adjusted appropriately. For illustrative purposes, a teacher on M3 earning £31,750 per year would lose around £6.11 from their pension if they were to take part in all 4 days of strike action.

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    The information contained within this article is not a complete or final statement of the law.
    While Edapt has sought to ensure that the information is accurate and up-to-date, it is not responsible and will not be held liable for any inaccuracies and their consequences, including any loss arising from relying on this information. This article may contain information sourced from public sector bodies and licensed under the Open Government Licence. If you are an Edapt subscriber with an employment-related issue, please contact us and we will be able to refer you to one of our caseworkers.