Every teacher knows their pay scale point.
But the gap between gross salary and monthly
take-home can be significant — especially
once you factor in the Teachers’ Pension
Scheme contribution, income tax and National
Insurance.
This guide shows the real take-home pay for
every pay scale point in England in 2025/26,
including the impact of London weighting and
the TPS pension contribution.
The Teacher Pay Spine: How It Works
Teacher pay in England is set by the School
Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) and consists
of three main ranges:
Main Pay Range (MPR): M1 to M6 — the
standard range for classroom teachers.
Most teachers enter at M1 and progress
to M6 over six years, subject to
satisfactory performance.
Upper Pay Range (UPR): U1 to U3 — for
teachers who have crossed the threshold
and demonstrated sustained high performance.
Crossing the threshold is not automatic
and requires a formal application.
Leadership: A separate range for heads,
deputies and assistant heads.
The Teachers’ Pension Scheme: What You
Actually Pay
The Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) is a
defined benefit public sector pension.
Employee contributions are tiered by salary:
Up to £32,135: 7.4%
£32,136 to £43,259: 8.6%
£43,260 to £51,292: 9.7%
Above £51,293: 10.2%
This means the jump from M5 to M6 or from
M6 to U1 involves both a salary increase
and a pension contribution increase —
so the net gain is smaller than the gross
pay rise suggests.
Take-Home Pay by Pay Scale Point
(England, Outside London, 2025/26)
These figures apply the correct TPS pension
rate, HMRC 2026/27 income tax rates and
National Insurance. No student loan deduction
is assumed.
M1 (£30,000):
TPS (7.4%): £2,220/yr
Income tax: £3,486/yr
National Insurance: £1,395/yr
Monthly take-home: approximately £1,908
M2 (£32,416):
TPS (7.4%): £2,399/yr
Income tax: £3,969/yr
National Insurance: £1,588/yr
Monthly take-home: approximately £2,038
M3 (£34,514):
TPS (8.6%): £2,968/yr
Income tax: £4,389/yr
National Insurance: £1,757/yr
Monthly take-home: approximately £2,117
M4 (£36,745):
TPS (8.6%): £3,160/yr
Income tax: £4,835/yr
National Insurance: £1,936/yr
Monthly take-home: approximately £2,235
M5 (£39,009):
TPS (8.6%): £3,355/yr
Income tax: £5,288/yr
National Insurance: £2,115/yr
Monthly take-home: approximately £2,354
M6 (£41,333):
TPS (8.6%): £3,555/yr
Income tax: £5,753/yr
National Insurance: £2,301/yr
Monthly take-home: approximately £2,477
U1 (£43,685):
TPS (8.6%): £3,757/yr
Income tax: £6,223/yr
National Insurance: £2,487/yr
Monthly take-home: approximately £2,601
U2 (£44,534):
TPS (8.6%): £3,830/yr
Income tax: £6,393/yr
National Insurance: £2,555/yr
Monthly take-home: approximately £2,646
U3 (£45,434):
TPS (8.6%): £3,907/yr
Income tax: £6,573/yr
National Insurance: £2,627/yr
Monthly take-home: approximately £2,695
These are estimates based on the standard
1257L tax code. Use the Payslp Teacher
Pay Calculator to see your exact figure
including your location and student loan.
London Weighting: The Real Difference
Inner London teachers receive substantially
higher salaries than those in the rest of
England. An M3 teacher earns £41,120 in
inner London compared to £34,514 elsewhere
— a gross difference of £6,606 per year.
After tax, NI and the higher TPS contribution
that comes with the higher salary, the actual
take-home difference is approximately
£3,800 per year — real money, but
significantly less than the headline
salary gap.
The Pay Rise Trap: Why Moving Up the
Scale Feels Disappointing
One of the most common frustrations among
teachers is how little difference a pay
scale progression feels in their bank
account. Here is why.
Going from M5 to M6:
Gross increase: £2,324/yr
Extra tax: £465
Extra NI: £186
TPS stays the same rate: £200 more
Real take-home increase: approximately
£123/month
Going from M6 to U1:
Gross increase: £2,352/yr
Extra tax: £470
Extra NI: £186
Real take-home increase: approximately
£124/month
Understanding this is not pessimistic —
it helps you make informed decisions about
pay negotiations and career progression.
Calculate Your Exact Teacher Take-Home
Every pay scale point, every location,
TPS contribution rates applied automatically.
👉 Use the free Payslp Teacher Pay
Calculator at payslp.com