Teacher Pay Scales England 2025/26: What M1–UPS3 Means in Your Pocket
Teachers' pay scales in England 2025/26 run from M1 (£31,650) to UPS3 (£49,084) outside London. After Teachers' Pension Scheme contributions and tax, here's what each point actually delivers to your bank account.
Teacher Pay Scales England 2025/26
The pay scales below are the statutory national advisory (but binding minimum) pay scales for maintained schools in England. Academy schools are not legally required to follow them but the majority continue to do so.
Main Pay Scale (MPS) — National (outside London)
| Pay Point | Annual Salary | Monthly Gross |
|---|---|---|
| M1 (entry) | £31,650 | £2,638 |
| M2 | £33,483 | £2,790 |
| M3 | £35,674 | £2,973 |
| M4 | £37,974 | £3,165 |
| M5 | £40,479 | £3,373 |
| M6 | £43,685 | £3,640 |
Upper Pay Scale (UPS) — National
| Pay Point | Annual Salary | Monthly Gross |
|---|---|---|
| U1 | £45,646 | £3,804 |
| U2 | £47,421 | £3,952 |
| U3 | £49,084 | £4,090 |
Leadership Pay — National (indicative range)
| Range | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| L1–L6 (Deputy/Assistant Heads) | £47,185 – £57,574 |
| L7–L18 (Headteachers smaller schools) | £60,045 – £83,079 |
| L19–L31 (Headteachers medium schools) | £86,823 – £110,189 |
| L32–L43 (Headteachers largest schools) | £114,060 – £138,296 |
Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) Contributions 2025/26
The TPS is a defined-benefit Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme. Teachers accrue 1/57th of their pensionable earnings per year of service, revalued by CPI inflation annually.
Employee contribution rates (tiered on pensionable pay):
| Pensionable Pay Band | Employee Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £32,135 | 7.4% |
| £32,136 – £43,259 | 8.6% |
| £43,260 – £51,292 | 9.7% |
| £51,293 – £67,431 | 10.2% |
| £67,432 – £90,058 | 11.7% |
| Above £90,059 | 12.4% |
Employer contributes 28.68% — making the total pension investment approximately 36% of salary at lower pay points.
Take-Home Pay by Pay Scale Point (National, England, No Student Loan)
The following estimates apply income tax, employee NI, and TPS contributions at the tiered rate:
| Pay Point | Gross Annual | TPS Pension | Income Tax | NI | Monthly Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 – £31,650 | £31,650 | £2,342 (7.4%) | £3,816 | £1,526 | £2,000/mo |
| M2 – £33,483 | £33,483 | £2,479 (7.4%) | £4,183 | £1,672 | £2,096/mo |
| M3 – £35,674 | £35,674 | £2,640 (7.4%) | £4,621 | £1,846 | £2,214/mo |
| M4 – £37,974 | £37,974 | £3,266 (8.6%) | £4,784 | £1,973 | £2,329/mo |
| M5 – £40,479 | £40,479 | £3,481 (8.6%) | £5,290 | £2,174 | £2,461/mo |
| M6 – £43,685 | £43,685 | £3,757 (8.6%) | £5,932 | £2,374 | £2,635/mo |
| U1 – £45,646 | £45,646 | £4,428 (9.7%) | £5,987 | £2,499 | £2,728/mo |
| U2 – £47,421 | £47,421 | £4,600 (9.7%) | £6,344 | £2,595 | £2,824/mo |
| U3 – £49,084 | £49,084 | £4,761 (9.7%) | £6,677 | £2,685 | £2,913/mo |
Estimates: pension deduction reduces taxable income. IT on (gross − TPS). NI on (gross − NI threshold £12,570) at 8%. Rounded.
London Pay Scales — Take-Home Comparison
Inner London
| Pay Point | Gross | Monthly Take-Home (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| M1 Inner – £38,766 | £38,766 | £2,365/mo |
| M6 Inner – £52,490 | £52,490 | £3,001/mo |
| U1 Inner – £54,882 | £54,882 | £3,093/mo |
| U3 Inner – £58,551 | £58,551 | £3,255/mo |
Outer London
| Pay Point | Gross | Monthly Take-Home (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| M1 Outer – £35,453 | £35,453 | £2,206/mo |
| M6 Outer – £49,084 | £49,084 | £2,913/mo |
| U3 Outer – £54,509 | £54,509 | £3,064/mo |
London Inner and Outer estimates use TPS rate applicable to each gross, same methodology.
The Pension Value: What TPS Is Actually Worth
TPS is a defined-benefit CARE scheme — arguably the most valuable workplace pension available outside the public sector elite (civil service, NHS, police). Understanding what it's worth is important:
Annual pension accrual rate: 1/57th of pensionable pay per year.
At M6 (£43,685):
- Annual pension accrued this year: £43,685 / 57 = £766/yr of guaranteed pension for life
- Employer pension contribution: £43,685 × 28.68% = £12,529/yr invested on your behalf
Over a 30-year career at rising pay levels, TPS builds a substantial guaranteed income. A teacher reaching UPS3 for the last 10 years of a 35-year career might accumulate:
- 35 years × ~£600/yr average accrual = approximately £21,000/yr guaranteed pension from age 67 (or 60 with actuarial reduction)
This compares favourably with what you'd need to save privately to generate equivalent income. At a 4% safe withdrawal rate, £21,000/yr requires a pot of £525,000 — which employer + employee contributions into a CARE scheme effectively build, invisibly.
Student Loan Impact
Many teachers entered the profession after 2012 and carry Plan 2 student loans:
| Pay Point | Gross | Plan 2 Annual Repayment | Monthly Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 – £31,650 | £31,650 | (£31,650 − £28,470) × 9% = £286 | £24/mo |
| M3 – £35,674 | £35,674 | £648 | £54/mo |
| M6 – £43,685 | £43,685 | £1,368 | £114/mo |
| U1 – £45,646 | £45,646 | £1,545 | £129/mo |
| U3 – £49,084 | £49,084 | £1,854 | £155/mo |
At UPS3 with Plan 2 loan, take-home reduces by £155/mo — approximately £2,913 − £155 = £2,758/mo net of all deductions.
TLR Allowances and SEN Allowances
Teachers may also receive:
Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) allowances:
- TLR3: £605 – £1,724 (fixed-term, specific projects)
- TLR2: £3,017 – £7,368 (sustained responsibility)
- TLR1: £9,327 – £16,025 (significant leadership)
Special Educational Needs (SEN) allowances:
- SEN1: £2,674
- SEN2: £5,539
These are added to the base pay point and subject to the same income tax, NI, and TPS contributions.
A M3 teacher with TLR2 mid-range (£5,000) has total pay of approximately £40,674 — pushing into the 8.6% TPS tier and higher-rate NI but delivering approximately £2,600/mo take-home — significantly better than M3 alone (£2,214/mo).
The M6 to UPS Transition
Moving from M6 to U1 requires a formal application — it is not automatic. The difference:
| M6 | U1 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross | £43,685 | £45,646 | +£1,961 |
| TPS pension | 8.6% | 9.7% | Rate change |
| TPS cost | £3,757 | £4,428 | +£671 |
| Income Tax | £5,932 | £5,987 | +£55 |
| NI | £2,374 | £2,499 | +£125 |
| Monthly take-home | £2,635 | £2,728 | +£93/mo |
The TPS rate increase from 8.6% to 9.7% absorbs £671/yr of the £1,961 gross rise. The net monthly gain is £93 — meaningful but less dramatic than the gross pay rise suggests. However, the extra TPS contribution builds additional annual pension (£1,961/57 = £34/yr of additional lifetime pension).
Scotland: GTCS and Pay Scales
Scotland operates its own pay scales via the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS):
| Scale | Salary Range (2025/26) |
|---|---|
| Probationer | £27,438 |
| Main Grade (PTC1–9) | £35,198 – £46,478 |
| Chartered Teacher | £46,478 – £53,060 |
| Principal Teacher | £46,478 – £57,516 |
| Depute Head | £58,069 – £68,505 |
| Head Teacher | £62,085 – £97,668 |
Scottish teachers also use the GTCS pension scheme (analogous to TPS). Scottish Income Tax rates apply (Intermediate rate 21% and Higher rate 42% kick in earlier than England).
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