AQW 37695/22-27


Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast


Tabled Date: 07/01/2026
Answered On Date: 12/01/2026
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any assessment that has been made of teacher and further education lecturer pay in Northern Ireland since 2010, including (i) any impact on recruitment and retention; and (ii) any steps currently being taken, within the Minister’s remit, to address pay disparity with the rest of the United Kingdom.


Answer:
There has been no comparative assessment made of teacher and further education lecturer pay in Northern Ireland since 2010. Teachers' pay is negotiated through the Teachers' Negotiating Committee (TNC). The pay for further education lecturers is not within the remit of the Minister of Education.
High-quality teachers are the most important feature of a successful education system, and I am determined to make teaching in Northern Ireland an attractive, high-status profession.
In relation to pay for teachers and education in general, the sector remains highly competitive with teaching being popular amongst our young people and the profession held in high esteem.
Pay Agreements have ensured that teachers pay has increased significantly from 2021 to date. In 2021 teachers pay increased by 1%, with further increases year on year from 5% in 2022, 4.1% in 2023 with a consolidated £1000 bonus and 5.5% in 2024.
The current offer to teachers of 4% from September 2025 will, if accepted, bring teachers starting salary in Northern Ireland level with their counterparts in England, with leadership salary levels being slightly higher in Northern Ireland. Teachers in Northern Ireland will be on broadly comparable scales to their counterparts in England and Wales.