AQW 11873/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 14/05/2024
Answered On Date: 23/05/2024
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education how much of his 2024-25 budget allocation will be required to fulfil teachers’ pay awards.

Answer:

The anticipated recurrent cost in 2024-25 of the recent settlement for the three years (2021-2023) of outstanding non-contractual teaching pay awards uplift is estimated at c£166.2m and the September 2024 teachers’ incremental (i.e. contractual) uplift is estimated at c£10.0m.

Any negotiated agreement for a September 2024 teachers’ pay award would also require funding, but the quantum is currently unknown as these negotiations will not commence prior to receipt of a pay claim from the Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council and publication of the School Teachers’ Review Body recommendations for 2024-25.

In addition to this the employers’ contribution rate for teachers’ pensions has increased in 2024-25 from 25.1% to 29.1%, requiring an estimated £42.4m.