What is the minimum teacher salary in England in 2026-27?

The minimum qualified teacher salary (M1) in England outside London is £32,916 in 2026-27. In Inner London it is £40,317. These are set by the School Teachers Review Body (STRB).

How much is the Teachers Pension Scheme contribution?

TPS employee contributions range from 7.4% for salaries below £32,135 up to 11.7% for salaries above £67,415. Most newly qualified teachers on M1-M3 pay 7.4%. The TPS is a defined benefit pension.

What is the difference between MPR and UPR?

The Main Pay Range (MPR, M1-M6) covers qualified teachers in their first years. The Upper Pay Range (UPR, U1-U3) is for experienced teachers who apply to cross the threshold and evidence impact beyond their classroom.

How much does a newly qualified teacher take home per month?

An NQT on M1 in England (£32,916 gross) takes home approximately £21,950 per year or £1,829 per month after income tax, NI and 7.4% TPS pension contribution in 2026-27.

What is the top teacher salary in Inner London?

The top of the Upper Pay Range (U3) in Inner London is £62,496 per year in 2026-27. Take-home after income tax, NI and TPS pension is approximately £40,300 per year.

Teacher Pay Guide 2026-27 — MPR & UPR Take-Home

Quick Answer — 2026-27

An NQT teacher on M1 in England takes home approximately £21,950/year (£1,829/month) after income tax, NI and 7.4% TPS pension. Top of UPR (U3) in Inner London: £40,300/year.

M1 England take-home

£21,950/yr

M6 England take-home

£29,660/yr

U3 Inner London

£40,300/yr

TPS pension (M1)

7.4% rate

💡 Optimisation tip: TPS salary sacrifice reduces both income tax and NI. At M6 (£45,352), increasing TPS from the standard rate saves approximately £600/year in combined tax and NI — while the full contribution goes to your defined benefit pension. Calculate your saving →

Select Your Region

Teacher Pay Scale 2026-27 — England (Base)

Gross salary, take-home pay after income tax, NI and TPS pension. Includes pension contribution rate for each pay point.

Pay Point	Gross Salary	TPS Rate	Annual Take-Home	Monthly Take-Home
M1 NQT entry	£32,916	8.6%	£24,954	£2,079.54
M2	£34,537	8.6%	£26,010	£2,167.51
M3	£36,413	8.6%	£27,232	£2,269.31
M4	£38,185	8.6%	£28,386	£2,365.47
M5	£40,237	8.6%	£29,722	£2,476.83
M6 top of MPR	£45,352	9.7%	£32,654	£2,721.14
U1 UPR entry	£47,472	9.7%	£34,016	£2,834.63
U2	£49,260	9.7%	£35,164	£2,930.35
U3 top of UPR	£51,048	9.7%	£36,360	£3,029.96

The Teachers Pension Scheme (TPS)

The TPS is a defined benefit (DB) pension scheme for teachers in England and Wales. Like the NHS pension, it guarantees a retirement income based on your career average earnings rather than depending on investment performance.

TPS contribution tiers 2026-27

▸Below £32,135: 7.4%

▸£32,135 to £43,259: 8.6%

▸£43,260 to £51,292: 9.7%

▸£51,293 to £67,415: 10.2%

▸Above £67,415: 11.7%

What the TPS provides

▸Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE)

▸1/57th of pensionable pay added each year

▸CPI revaluation each April

▸Death in service (3× salary) lump sum

▸Ill-health and dependants benefits

Comparing teaching to private sector: Add approximately 18–22% of gross salary to account for the TPS employer contribution when comparing to private sector roles. An M6 teacher at £45,352 with TPS is broadly equivalent to a private sector role at approximately £54,000 with a standard auto-enrolment pension.

Main Pay Range vs Upper Pay Range

The MPR (M1–M6) is for newly qualified and developing teachers. The UPR (U1–U3) rewards experienced teachers who can demonstrate impact beyond their classroom.

Main Pay Range (MPR) — M1 to M6

▸Entry point for all NQTs (now ECTs)

▸Annual progression by default subject to appraisal

▸Most teachers complete MPR in 5–7 years

▸No formal application required to progress

Upper Pay Range (UPR) — U1 to U3

▸Application required to cross the threshold

▸Must evidence sustained high-quality teaching

▸Shows impact beyond own classroom (e.g. coaching others)

▸Schools may set their own criteria beyond the minimum

London Pay Differentials

Teacher pay scales have four regional tiers reflecting cost of living. The differences can be substantial — an Inner London M6 teacher earns over £7,000 more than an England base equivalent.

Pay Point	England	London Fringe	Outer London	Inner London
M1	£32,916→£2,080/mo	£34,398→£2,160/mo	£37,870→£2,348/mo	£40,317→£2,481/mo
M6	£45,352→£2,721/mo	£46,839→£2,801/mo	£50,474→£2,996/mo	£52,300→£3,086/mo
U1	£47,472→£2,835/mo	£48,913→£2,912/mo	£52,219→£3,081/mo	£57,632→£3,371/mo
U3	£51,048→£3,030/mo	£52,490→£3,097/mo	£56,154→£3,308/mo	£62,496→£3,582/mo

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