Salary safeguarding

Teachers may be entitled to safeguarded pay if their role changes as a result of a restructure or the closure of the school. Understand how to calculate a safeguarded sum and the required duration of safeguarding.

Last reviewed on 30 October 2023See updates
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 10581
Contents
  1. Safeguarding only applies in specific situations
  2. How to calculate the safeguarded amount
  3. Safeguarded amounts can change with a teacher's circumstances
  4. Safeguarded pay generally lasts 3 years
  5. You can give additional duties to teachers receiving safeguarded pay

Teachers employed under the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) are protected from pay decreases or adjustments if their role changes for certain reasons. This is known as safeguarding, and applies to salaries and allowances.

Academies not following the STPCD are free to determine their own arrangements for salary safeguarding.

Safeguarding only applies in specific situations

A teacher’s main salary is safeguarded if their post is revised or removed as a result of school closure or restructuring As a result of changes to its pay policy or staffing structure, the duties which resulted in the award of teaching and learning responsibility (TLR) payments – TLR1 or TLR2 – or an unqualified teacher’s allowance are no longer applicable There's a reduction in the number of members of the leadership group or leadership practitioners, or a lowering