Teacher Take-Home Pay 2026/27: What You Actually Get at Each Scale Point

Every September when the new pay scales land, the first thing I do is work out what I'll actually see in my bank account — not the gross figure on the pay circular, but the real number after pension, tax and National Insurance.

Here's the breakdown for the main scale points on the 1 September 2026 scales (3.5% award), England excluding London, using TPS pension, a standard 1257L tax code and no student loan.

M1 — £34,069 gross

The starting point for newly qualified teachers.

• TPS contribution (7.4%): −£2,521
• Income tax: −£3,796
• National Insurance: −£1,720
• Net annual: ~£26,032
• Net monthly: ~£2,169

M3 — £38,400 gross

Mid-main scale, typically years 3–4 of teaching. You're now paying 8.9% into the TPS.

• TPS contribution (8.9%): −£3,418
• Income tax: −£4,482
• National Insurance: −£2,066
• Net annual: ~£28,434
• Net monthly: ~£2,369

The jump from M1 to M3 adds £4,331 gross but only ~£200/month net — a reminder of how the deductions stack up.

M6 — £46,940 gross

The top of the main pay range.

• TPS contribution (8.9%): −£4,178
• Income tax: −£6,038
• National Insurance: −£2,750
• Net annual: ~£33,974
• Net monthly: ~£2,831

U1 — £49,134 gross

Crossing to the Upper Pay Range requires a successful application. U1 sits above the £48,727 TPS boundary, so your pension rate rises to 9.9% on the whole salary.

• TPS contribution (9.9%): −£4,864
• Income tax: −£6,340
• National Insurance: −£2,925
• Net annual: ~£35,005
• Net monthly: ~£2,917

U3 — £52,835 gross

• TPS contribution (9.9%): −£5,231
• Income tax: −£7,007
• National Insurance: −£3,067
• Net annual: ~£37,530
• Net monthly: ~£3,128

At U3, around 71p in every pound reaches your account. Your TPS contribution is taken off before income tax, but National Insurance is charged on your full salary.

Every point at a glance

What about London?

The same deduction rules apply to higher salaries. An Inner London M6 teacher on £54,131 takes home roughly £3,203/month — about £372/month more than M6 outside London. See every region on the pay scales page.

The pension trade-off

Losing 7.4%–9.9% to pension hurts, especially early in your career. But the employer contributes 28.68% of your pensionable pay on top — around £11,013/year at M3. That's money you'd simply never see in most private-sector jobs.

Use the calculator to add your own tax code, student loan, TLR or part-time hours.