Recruitment and retention awards

School staff employed under the STPCD and the Green Book can receive recruitment and retention awards in certain circumstances. Read guidance, including union advice, and download our template letter for notifying teachers when you want to grant a payment.

Last reviewed on 12 April 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 11541
Contents
  1. Teachers can receive benefits or payments
  2. Payments for support staff
  3. Union advice on payments
  4. Use our template to notify teachers

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

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