The National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC) has come to an agreement on the 2024/25 pay award, applicable from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025.

Some of the key information:

• With effect from 1 April 2024, an increase of £1,290 (pro rata for part-time employees) will be paid as a consolidated, permanent addition on all NJC pay points 2 to 43 inclusive.
• With effect from 1 April 2024, an increase of 2.50 per cent on all pay points above 43.
• With effect from 1 April 2024, an increase of 2.50 per cent on all allowances.
• Backpay for employees who have left employment since 1 April 2024. If an ex-employee requests it, we recommend that employers pay any monies due to that employee from 1 April 2024 to the employee’s last day of employment.
• When salary arrears are paid to ex-employees in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), the employer must inform its local LGPS fund.

NALC has produced an advice on the 2024/25 pay award, with the updated salary scales, which is available on their website (registration required).

For the sake of clarity, the £1290 is the increase to the full time equivalent for the relevant spinal point and is then pro-rata for part-time staff. There is no one-off payment from the salary award other than any backdated pay from 1st April 2024.

Part-time clerks will want to view the hourly rates to find their new salary, which is then backdated from 1st April 2024.

**Please note, the pay award is applicable to employees on the NALC model contract**

How much should we pay our clerk?

Broadly, councils may pay their clerks as they wish*, but we do suggest following the NALC and SLCC recommended salaries. You can find guidance here on how to calculate what spinal point may be appropriate for your staff. Salaries tend to be linked to the activities of the council and what is expected from your officers, rather than to the size of the council or your electorate.

*provided they are abiding by minimum wage legislation.