NJC pay from 1 April 2026
SCP 18 pay 2026/27
SCP 18 is £16.89 an hour (£32,578 a year full time). A term-time TA on 32.5 hours takes home about £1,646 a month.
Hourly rate
£16.89
up from £16.35
Full-time salary
£32,578
37 hours, all year
Typical take-home
£1,646
a month · 32.5 hrs, term time
SCP 18 pay by hours (term time)
Term time only (43.9 paid weeks a year), LGPS pension, tax code 1257L:
| Hours a week | Pay a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| 37 hrs | £27,428 | £1,833 |
| 32.5 hrs | £24,092 | £1,646 |
| 30 hrs | £22,239 | £1,542 |
| 27.5 hrs | £20,386 | £1,438 |
| 25 hrs | £18,532 | £1,334 |
| 20 hrs | £14,826 | £1,128 |
| 15 hrs | £11,119 | £876 |
Full time all year (37 hours, 52 weeks): £2,107 a month take-home.
The 2026 pay rise and back pay
| 2025/26 | 2026/27 | |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | £16.35 | £16.89 |
| Full-time salary | £31,537 | £32,578 |
The 3.3%rise applies from 1 April 2026 but was only agreed in August, so it's being paid late. On 32.5 hours term time it's worth about £64 a month before tax — roughly £385 back pay for April to September. How back pay shows on your payslip.
Overtime on SCP 18
An extra hour is paid at £16.89 (or £25.33 at time and a half). For a TA on 32.5 hours term time, you keep about £11.37 of each hour after pension, tax and NI.
Do bits of overtime here and there? Track them on your phone.
About SCP 18
Higher level teaching assistants (HLTAs) are usually paid between SCP 15 and SCP 19. Your exact grade depends on your council or academy trust.
SCP 18 questions
What is SCP 18 an hour?
From 1 April 2026, SCP 18 is £16.89 an hour — up from £16.35 in 2025/26.
How much is SCP 18 for a term-time TA?
On 32.5 hours a week, term time only, SCP 18 pays about £24,092 a year (£2,008 a month before deductions). After pension, tax and National Insurance that’s about £1,646 a month.
How much back pay will I get on SCP 18?
On 32.5 hours term time, the 3.3% rise is worth about £64 a month before tax. If your school pays it in October, back pay for April to September is roughly £385 before tax and pension.
Is SCP 18 only for teaching assistants?
No — the NJC pay spine is used for most council and school support staff, so SCP 18 pays the same hourly rate whatever the job. How many hours and weeks you’re paid for depends on your contract.