Annual pay award 2018/19

10 Aug 2018

All University of Manchester staff to receive pay increase of between 2% and 2.8%

Our University aims to provide an attractive pay and benefits package to our staff.  National negotiations on the 2018/19 pay increase across higher education institutions have concluded and our University has been committed throughout the process to reaching a settlement which is both fair for our staff and affordable for the University.

Following the conclusion of the dispute resolution procedure, the Universities and Colleges Employer Association (UCEA) has now made a final offer to increase base pay by 2% or £425, whichever is the higher. At pay spinal point 2, there will be a 2.76% increase and increases of over 2% apply up to and including pay spinal point 15.  The pay increase is effective from 1 August 2018 and staff will receive the revised rate of pay in September 2018 with arrears for August paid with the October salary instalment.

Whilst we do not have any staff on pay spinal point 2, we do have staff on pay spinal points 3-15 that will benefit from the higher percentage increases.  Our University currently meets the Real Living Wage rate of £8.75 per hour, set by the Living Wage Foundation and plans to continue to do so.

The negotiated increase to the spinal pay scale will be awarded in addition to the incremental pay increase of which approximately 56% of our staff are eligible to receive as part of the University’s pay progression arrangements.  A typical increment equates to around an additional 3% per annum.

The combined effect of any increase in base pay and the incremental pay increase is that the average pay increase for colleagues would be 3.5%. This is higher than the rate of inflation of 2.2% as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and slightly above the rate of inflation of 3.4% as measured by the Retail Price Index (RPI).

This represents a significant uplift in basic pay recognising the continuing financial challenges and uncertainties the HE sector faces.

We know that our staff are our best asset and the University is committed to ensuring an attractive pay and benefits package for all.

Best wishes

Karen Heaton

Director of Human Resources