What is a newly qualified teacher salary UK?

A newly qualified teacher (ECT) in England starts at £30,000 outside London, £31,350 in the fringe, £34,514 in outer London, and £36,413 in inner London. These are the M1 (Main Pay Scale point 1) rates for 2025/26. Scotland has a separate pay scale starting at £32,217 for probationary teachers.

Do teachers get a good pension UK?

The Teachers' Pension Scheme is one of the best pensions available. It's a defined benefit scheme where the employer contributes 28.68% of your salary. You accrue 1/57th of your salary as pension each year, and it rises with inflation. A teacher earning £40,000 for 35 years would get roughly £24,500/year pension.

How can teachers earn more money UK?

Teachers can increase earnings by: progressing to Upper Pay Scale (requires evidence of sustained high performance), taking on TLR responsibilities (£3,214-£15,690 extra), moving into leadership roles, working in London for higher pay scales, tutoring privately (£25-60/hour), becoming an examiner (£1,000-5,000+ per year), and teaching in independent schools where salaries may be higher.

How Much Do Teachers Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide | PocketWise

Q: How much do teachers earn in the UK 2026?

Teachers in England earn between £30,000 (newly qualified, M1) and £46,525 (top of Upper Pay Scale, U3) outside London. Inner London teachers start at £36,413 and can reach £51,179 on UPS. Leadership roles range from £47,185 to over £140,000 for headteachers of the largest schools.

How Much Do Teachers Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide

Complete guide to teacher salaries in the UK for 2026. Main Pay Scale, Upper Pay Scale, leadership pay, London weighting, TLR payments, and how to increase your teaching salary.

By PocketWise · 26 March 2026 · 4 min read

Teaching is one of the UK’s largest professions, with over 500,000 teachers in state schools. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of what teachers earn across different roles, scales, and regions.

Main Pay Scale (MPS) — England & Wales 2025/26

The Main Pay Scale applies to most classroom teachers, including early career teachers (ECTs).

MPS by Region

Point	Rest of England	Fringe	Outer London	Inner London
M1	£30,000	£31,350	£34,514	£36,413
M2	£31,737	£33,075	£36,147	£38,100
M3	£33,614	£34,959	£37,939	£39,950
M4	£35,561	£36,918	£39,826	£41,895
M5	£37,733	£39,103	£42,003	£44,111
M6	£41,333	£42,689	£45,483	£47,666

How MPS Progression Works

Factor	Details
Annual progression	Not automatic — based on performance appraisal
ECT (formerly NQT)	Start at M1, 2-year induction period
Time to M6	Typically 5-6 years with good performance
Threshold to UPS	Apply after M6 with evidence of sustained performance

Upper Pay Scale (UPS) — England & Wales 2025/26

Teachers who can demonstrate sustained high performance and wider contribution can apply to move to the Upper Pay Scale.

Point	Rest of England	Fringe	Outer London	Inner London
U1	£43,266	£44,579	£47,592	£49,320
U2	£44,870	£46,179	£49,218	£50,210
U3	£46,525	£47,839	£50,210	£51,179

UPS Requirements

Requirement	Details
Performance	Two consecutive successful appraisals at M6
Evidence	Demonstrate substantial and sustained contribution
Application	Must apply formally — not automatic
Decision	Headteacher makes final decision

Leadership Pay — England & Wales 2025/26

Leadership Pay Ranges

Role	Minimum	Maximum
Leading Practitioner	£47,417	£72,085
Assistant Headteacher	£52,301-varies	Set by school group
Deputy Headteacher	£55,338-varies	Set by school group
Headteacher (Group 1, smallest)	£53,380	£68,400
Headteacher (Group 4)	£63,815	£92,624
Headteacher (Group 8, largest)	£91,633	£140,051+

School Group Sizes

Group	Pupil Units
Group 1	Up to 1,000
Group 2	1,001-2,200
Group 3	2,201-3,500
Group 4	3,501-5,000
Group 5	5,001-7,500
Group 6	7,501-11,000
Group 7	11,001-17,000
Group 8	17,001+

TLR Payments (Teaching and Learning Responsibilities)

Additional payments for teachers taking on extra responsibilities.

TLR	Minimum	Maximum
TLR1	£9,272	£15,690
TLR2	£3,214	£7,847
TLR3 (fixed-term)	£639	£3,169

Typical TLR Roles

Role	Typical TLR
Head of Department	TLR1 or TLR2 (higher end)
Head of Year	TLR2
Subject Lead	TLR2
Key Stage Coordinator	TLR2
Special project lead	TLR3

SEN Allowance

Teachers working with pupils with special educational needs receive an additional allowance.

SEN Allowance	Amount
Minimum	£2,539
Maximum	£5,009

Scotland Teacher Salaries

Scotland has a separate pay structure negotiated through the SNCT.

Point	Salary
Probationer	£32,217
Point 1	£38,547
Point 2	£40,026
Point 3	£41,604
Point 4	£43,266
Point 5	£44,994
Point 6 (top of main scale)	£46,404
Principal Teacher (min)	£49,539
Principal Teacher (max)	£54,597
Depute Headteacher (min)	£54,879
Headteacher (min)	£58,044
Headteacher (max)	£98,808+

Independent (Private) School Salaries

Private schools set their own pay scales but often benchmark against state school rates.

Role	Typical Range
Newly qualified teacher	£28,000-£38,000
Experienced teacher	£35,000-£55,000
Head of Department	£45,000-£65,000
Senior leader	£60,000-£90,000
Headteacher (day school)	£80,000-£150,000
Headteacher (boarding, major)	£120,000-£250,000+

Top public schools (Eton, Harrow etc.) pay significantly above state scales

Additional Independent School Benefits

Benefit	Details
Fee remission	Typically 50-100% off school fees for staff children
Accommodation	Free or subsidised at boarding schools
Holiday	Longer holidays than state schools
Class sizes	Smaller (typically 15-20 vs 30+)
Pension	Usually TPS or private scheme

Further Education and University Lecturers

Role	Salary Range
FE Lecturer (new)	£25,000-£30,000
FE Lecturer (experienced)	£30,000-£40,000
FE Senior Lecturer	£38,000-£45,000
University Lecturer	£42,000-£55,000
Senior Lecturer (university)	£55,000-£65,000
Reader/Associate Professor	£60,000-£75,000
Professor	£75,000-£120,000+

Additional Earning Opportunities

Opportunity	Typical Earnings
Exam marking/examining	£1,000-£5,000+ per year
Private tutoring	£25-£60/hour
Online tutoring	£20-£45/hour
Textbook writing	£2,000-£20,000+ per book
Supply teaching (daily)	£130-£200/day (£200-£350 in London)
Holiday revision courses	£200-£500/day
Teacher training mentor	£1,000-£2,000/year

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

Feature	Details
Type	Defined benefit (guaranteed pension)
Employer contribution	28.68% of salary
Employee contribution	7.4%-11.7% (based on salary)
Accrual rate	1/57th of salary per year
Retirement age	State Pension Age (or 65 in older scheme)
Inflation linked	CPI each year

Example Pension

Scenario	Annual Pension
30 years at average £38,000	~£20,000/year
35 years at average £42,000	~£25,800/year
25 years at average £55,000 (leadership)	~£24,100/year

Career Progression Timeline

Stage	Typical Timeline	Role	Salary (outside London)
ECT Year 1-2	Years 1-2	M1-M2	£30,000-£31,737
Developing teacher	Years 3-5	M3-M5	£33,614-£37,733
Experienced teacher	Years 5-6	M6	£41,333
Post-threshold	Years 7+	UPS1-3	£43,266-£46,525
Middle leader	Years 8+	UPS + TLR	£46,000-£62,000
Senior leader	Years 12+	Leadership	£55,000-£90,000
Headteacher	Years 15+	Leadership	£53,000-£140,000+

Other Teacher Benefits

Benefit	Details
Holidays	13 weeks school holidays (directed time ~195 days)
Sick pay	Full pay for up to 100 working days, half pay for 100 more
Maternity	Statutory + 4 weeks full pay + 2 weeks 90% (varies by authority)
Teacher discounts	Various retailers and services
CPD	Professional development funded by school
Job security	Strong demand means good employment stability

Summary

Level	Typical Salary (England, outside London)
Newly qualified (M1)	£30,000
Top of Main Pay Scale (M6)	£41,333
Upper Pay Scale (UPS3)	£46,525
With TLR responsibility	+£3,214-£15,690
Assistant/Deputy Head	£52,000-£80,000
Headteacher	£53,000-£140,000+
Inner London premium	+£5,000-£7,000