Teachers can receive benefits or payments
Under the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), the relevant body sets recruitment and retention awards for teachers. The 'relevant body' is usually the governing board, or the board of trustees (if you're in a trust, check your scheme of delegation to make sure).
If your school does not follow the terms of the STPCD, you are free to set out your own rules on recruitment and retention awards.
Teachers can receive payments, financial assistance, support or benefits the relevant body considers necessary to recruit or retain teachers. An example could be a salary advance scheme for a rental deposit.
This is explained in paragraph 27.1, page 30 of the STPCD, linked to above.
Payments and benefits are restricted for senior leaders
This applies to headteachers, deputy headteachers and assistant headteachers. They can only be