Social workers and other council staff across England, Wales and Northern Ireland have accepted a pay rise for the 2024-25 year, which will be backdated to April.
The deal applies to staff working in councils covered by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services, including the majority of local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Employees will receive the increase next month or as soon as possible. Those based outside of London will receive £1,290 or 2.5%, those in outer London will get £1,491 or 2.5%, and those in inner London will receive £1,575 or 2.5%. They will all receive whichever is the higher amount of the two options.
This year’s pay deal was agreed after trade union Unison failed to gain a sufficient mandate to take effective strike action due to a low turnout in its ballot. Unite also balloted for industrial action and stated that it plans to carry out action in areas where it had obtained a mandate to strike, although this will not affect the deal going through. Meanwhile, GMB members have backed the deal.
A National Association of Local Councils spokesperson said: “We have published an advice note on the local government services pay agreement 2024/25. The Local Government Association has informed us that the National Joint Council for Local Government Services has agreed on pay rates applicable from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.”
Mike Short, head of local government at Unison, added: “Not enough workers voted in the recent strike ballot, so Unison has accepted an increase of £1,290. The pay award will be backdated to April this year. The priority will be to ensure the money goes into everyone’s wage packets as soon as possible. The amount will be adjusted accordingly for workers on part-time contracts.”
