The DfE has published an updated version of the guidance document on
Implementing Your School’s Approach to Pay, which includes a new section on salary safeguarding that includes some questions and answers to support schools. However, we note there is no clarification around the impact of annual pay uplifts in salary safeguarding.
The STPCD is clear on the arrangements for safeguarding. The protected amount is the ‘safeguarded sum’ which is the difference between the old salary and the new substantive salary. Employers should provide the value of this sum in their notification letter to the employee (STPCD paragraph 31). The ‘safeguarded sum’ is a fixed amount – it does not increase with annual uplifts, but also does not decrease as a result of annual uplifts being applied to the substantive salary point.
This is referenced in paragraph 75 of the
STPCD which states:
“
Relevant bodies should be aware of the general principle that requires the relevant body to consider whether a teacher’s position within a pay range or new allowance has caused the teacher’s pay to increase by as much as or more than the value of their previous pay and any safeguarded sum they were receiving (changes in the value of allowances or within pay ranges which result from the provisions of the Document are excluded) (46). If a range of safeguarded elements is being paid, ‘safeguarded sum’ does not mean the total of all safeguarded elements, but any safeguarded element within the total.”
2(46) Generally this means increases resulting from any awards following recommendations of the School Teachers’ Review Body.”
Any members in receipt of salary safeguarding, who have been informed by their employer that their safeguarded sum will be reduced due to the implementation of the pay award for September 2023, should contact the
ASCL Hotline for advice.