need a pay rise€¦ · “we are moving out of london as we cannot afford to pay the rent on a...

NEU (NUT Section) GREATER LONDON PAY SURVEY June 2018

London Region, National Education Union (NUT Section) * 020 8477 1234 * [email protected] 1

LONDON’S SCHOOLS NEED TEACHERS - LONDON’S TEACHERS

NEED A PAY RISE 1. Surveying London’s classroom teachers

Between May and June 2018, the London Regional Office of the NUT Section of the National Education Union conducted a survey of its members to gather their views on pay, housing and staff turnover.

Responses were gathered from 1,337 teachers from across the full range of classroom teachers in terms of their home and work location, age, experience and salary level (see Appendix B for further details).

The responses starkly reinforce the warning made by the School Teachers’ Review Body in its 2017 report that failing to act on teachers’ pay - and the corresponding threats to teacher recruitment and retention - “presents a substantial risk to the functioning of an effective education system".

Further, if these risks are a national concern, then they are even greater in London and place the capital’s undoubted educational success in real danger.

***

“Salaries have not increased and teachers are under pressure all the time. Too many of my friends have left the profession, mainly because they can get paid more elsewhere. We need a pay increase urgently”. (Newham teacher, 45-49, U3 scale, paying £2000 per month in mortgage costs).

“I have moved to London only to find that I cannot justify the extortionate amounts of rent which private landlords charge. I save money but frankly wonder the point of doing so, as I would need such a huge deposit to buy somewhere, by the time I've saved it up, house prices would have increased again beyond my budget. Like many of my young colleagues - and particularly those younger than me - I plan to leave London in a few years time as I will be priced out of it. The housing crisis is a ticking time bomb for recruiting young teachers to London schools”. (Camden teacher, 35-39, U3 scale, living in family home with parents).

“I live hand to mouth each month. I have no savings and currently have £21 in my bank account to last me 6 days, despite having had a birthday this month and only receiving monetary gifts”. (Newham teacher, 30-34, M6 scale, paying 65% of net salary on rental costs).

“I’m living off credit cards on a monthly basis just to afford clothes. I got disciplined at work for having holes in my shoes but couldn’t afford to replace them! (Hackney teacher, 30-34, M2 scale, paying 75% of net salary on mortgage costs).

“We are moving out of London as we cannot afford to pay the rent on a one-bedroom flat in Hackney. I work three days a week, and almost all of my wage goes on rent, childcare and food”. (Tower Hamlets teacher, 35-39, U1 scale, paying 85% of net salary on rental costs).



2. Many London teachers are facing severe financial pressures

London’s teachers know only too well from their daily work in schools that many parents and carers are struggling to make ends meet and to support their children as well as they would like to. However, our survey revealed that too many London teachers are also facing severe financial pressures themselves.

The survey asked teachers to estimate the approximate proportion of their net income spent on five main areas of expenditure. The table below shows the average results, also broken down by age group:

What proportion of your net monthly salary is spent on:

Average of responses

according to age group

Housing costs?

(%)

Travel to and from

work? (%)

Childcare? (%)

Food, utilities and

other regular

bills? (%)

Left for other

expenditure, savings, holidays etc? (%)

All responses

40 10 6 27 17

Under 30s 40 9 2 25 24

30s 42 9 9 24 16

40s 43 9 8 27 13

50-plus 35 9 3 34 19

The average results are fairly consistent across the age range, showing that around 40% of London teachers’ income is being spent on housing costs, including those paying mortgages and private rents.

It was only in the 50-plus age-group where the average expenditure on housing was lower. However, the average was lowered in this age-group by the number of older teachers who explained that they had now fully paid-off their mortgages and so were now freed from the high costs facing most London teachers.

Averages, however, do not reveal the full picture and so we further analyse areas of expenditure below.



3. On average, 40% of London teachers’ incomes are being spent on Housing Costs

With an average 40% of London teachers’ incomes being spent on housing costs, London’s higher rent and house prices will be a highly significant factor in recruitment and retention issues in London schools.

There are a number of authoritative sources that can provide information on both house price and rental costs and trends across London, including, for example, the Mayor of London’s London Rents Map:

Surveys from other public sector unions also confirm the pressures on London workers from rising housing costs. For example, a June 2018 study by the GMB trade union, analysing data from the Valuation Office Agency, found that between 2011 and 2017 rent prices for two-bedroom flats in London increased by 25.9%. In England as a whole, rent increased by 18.2%. Further, the average rental cost for a two-bedroom flat nationally was £650 per month. In London, it was £1500. https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/rising-rent-in-london. This data on London housing costs is an important context for the results of our survey.

The survey asked teachers to explain their housing situation.

The pie chart shows the results across all age groups, with 49% of London’s teachers paying a mortgage and 35% in rented accommodation.

Picture taken from

Mayor of London rents

map,

https://www.london.gov

.uk/what-we-

do/housing-and-

land/renting/london-

rents-map (data from

first quarter of 2018)

NEU Greater London Teachers’ Pay Survey results

https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/rising-rent-in-london

https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/rising-rent-in-london

https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/renting/london-rents-map







The responses, however, varied considerably according to age-group. The proportion able to obtain a mortgage (or even having paid off their mortgage for some over-50s) declines as the age of the responses falls, while the reverse is true for those renting accommodation or living with parents:

Describe your housing situation:

All Responses

Under-30 30-39 40-49 50-plus

Living in rented accommodation

35% 454 58% 157 40% 162 25% 86 17% 49

Paying a mortgage (including shared ownership)

49% 641 18% 49 46% 183 68% 228 63% 181

Living in family home with parents

8% 103 21% 56 10% 39 2% 7 0% 1

Other (main response, owner-occupier)

8% 99 3% 9 4% 18 5% 16 20% 56

Total responses:

1297

271

402

337

287

Repeating the findings of our 2016 NUT Survey of London Young Teachers, 21% of teachers under-30 reported they were living at home with their parents, more than those in that age group with a mortgage.

***

“I do not earn enough to buy my own home. I can't obtain a mortgage with the deposit I already have in this area. I have saved a substantial amount already but it's still not enough. It feels like I'm constantly working and saving, my life is on hold” (Bromley teacher, 25-29, M4 scale, living in family home with parents).

“I had to move back home and now have a very long commute due to the high cost of renting in London and low wages as an NQT” (Southwark teacher, 25-29, M1 scale, living in family home with parents in Merton).

“I’ve been living at my Mum’s for 6 years, saving for a deposit to buy a flat. It was the only thing I could do since re-training as a teacher six years ago” (Haringey teacher, 40-44, M6 scale, living in family home with parents in Islington).



Whether paying a rent or mortgage, London teachers are paying a considerable proportion of their income on housing costs. The survey data and responses suggest that this is the main factor creating financial hardship for London teachers.

While the overall average from the survey is 40%, the range extended right up to those paying effectively all of their income just on housing. In their individual responses, teachers in this position explained how they were relying on income from partners and family, or borrowing to make ends meet.

The survey also asked teachers to say how much of their individual salary they were saving per month on housing costs. Again, while the average was £950, the range extended right up to £2000 and more.



Clearly, if teachers were being paid the high levels of salary awarded to some other professional graduates in London, then these levels of housing costs might be affordable. However, evidence from the 2017 STRB Report (see ‘Chart 9’ from the 2017 Report:) confirms that London’s teachers earn considerably less, particularly in Inner London.

***

Comments from teachers explained the struggle that many face in meeting housing costs and their frustration at not being able to get onto the ‘property ladder’. However, even some teachers who had been able to obtain a mortgage were struggling to make repayments, some only able to pay off interest.

A number of teachers pointed to the lack of access to key worker housing, which, if made available to teachers and other key workers, could provide some of the solution to the housing crisis. Many also expressed their anger at the level of rent charged for sub-standard and cramped accommodation, issues which could be tackled by rent controls and the urgent provision of more genuinely affordable homes.

Not surprisingly, a number of teachers commented that the housing costs meant they were leaving London. Comments from teachers with growing families indicate the particular pressures they face.

“We have only paid the interest for 8 years since my husband got his PGCE, we can’t pay off the mortgage loan. He didn't get the golden handshake or pay-rate he was promised as a mature teacher. We have no savings and no holidays” (Southwark teacher, 50+, L10 scale, paying £1400 of their monthly income on housing costs).

“I have to live in shared accommodation with 4 other people in a poorly maintained house with no social space” (Newham teacher, 25-29, M1 scale, paying £600 per month in rent in Waltham Forest)

“I used to live in a flat very near my school, but I have since had children and needed a larger place. I am an assistant headteacher and yet there was no way, even on my salary, I could afford a modest three-bed house within walking distance of my school. We have bought a house further away, adding about 4 hours a week to my commute. The house is in an awful state but it was all we could afford” (Hounslow teacher, 35-39, L9 scale, paying £1400 of their monthly income on housing).

“I have always shared since I was 19 until my long term house mate moved out when I lived in North London 3 years ago. At that point as a 36 year old I no longer wanted to share. I had to move north of St Albans and I now commute 50 minutes every day to work by car. Renting out there is slightly cheaper but still expensive. I moved because I couldn’t afford the rents required near my school living alone. After a tiring day of teaching, driving home adds to my weekly exhaustion” (Barnet teacher, 35-39, U1 scale plus TLR, renting at £1100 pcm outside Greater London)



“Home is at the bottom end of the rental market. It suffers from horrendous mould and damp in the winter which has made me ill and miss days of school as a result”. (Southwark teacher, 25-29, M3 scale, renting at £1000 pcm in Croydon)

“I want to move out. I can’t afford to buy a flat, let alone a house, on 1 salary in Havering. There is no key worker housing available to me in Tower Hamlets even though I have applied and spoken to the Council”. (Tower Hamlets teacher, 30-34, U1 scale, living at home with parents in Havering).

“It is impossible to save for a housing deposit. I pay back student loans monthly. There is no key worker housing available and there is no help to buy available in the area. As a young single teacher I don’t get to buy clothing or go on holidays. Life with one salary, even a decent one, is tough. I have no back-up plan. No savings. I don’t think I’ll ever own a property. Luxury flats were built in my area but nothing affordable” (Barnet teacher, 30-34, U2 scale, renting at £1100 pcm in Barnet).

“I have a shared ownership of 30% mortgage, 70% rent. This is outside of Greater London, therefore I face a commute of 25 miles up the A2. On a good day this takes me 35 minutes if I am in work by 7.30am, on a bad day it could take me an hour and a half or more! My pay level means housing any closer to work is not a viable option” (Bexley teacher, 30-34, M6 scale, in shared ownership scheme)

“Myself and my husband (who is an engineer working in central London) can currently afford no type of accommodation in London other than a one bedroom flat due to pay restraints. We are both working professionals with wages that would be considered ‘good’ wages anywhere else in the country. The level of stress on our incomes each month is forcing us to relocate outside of London” (Ealing teacher, 25-29, M1 scale, renting in Ealing and paying £800 pcm from her income)

“We rent a very small place that is all we can afford as a family. We fear that we may no longer be able to afford to rent in London and will need to look at relocating. However, this will mean a new school for my children and myself which I would like to avoid” (Haringey teacher, 35-39, U1 scale, renting in Enfield and paying £1400 pcm from their income)

“Rent is increasingly difficult to afford and soon, my partner and I will need to move out of the area to somewhere more affordable which means that I will need to leave my teaching job”. (Haringey teacher, 30-34, U1 scale, renting in Hackney and paying £1500 pcm from their income)

“I have a six-figure sum in savings and a salary that would buy me a house anywhere outside London, but getting a house anywhere that is a reasonable commuting distance from the school I love working in and the neighbourhood I grew up in would mean leaving it all behind. The low quality and the high cost of the high-density housing makes me feel that there's no point in committing to a mortgage on a leasehold that won't be worth the flimsy plasterboard walls I'd be paying off for the rest of my life”. (Harrow teacher, 30-34, U1 scale, living at home with parents)

“Rent takes up over half of my pay each month. Add council tax, bills and the sharp rise in food and petrol, it’s impossible to save a penny. There is no chance I will ever be able to afford a house in London. The prices are ridiculous. I will be moving out of Greater London within the next 5 years”. (Richmond teacher, 30-34, M2 scale, renting locally and paying £1200 pcm from their income).

As I am at the top of my scale, and have been for last 3 years, I do not get an increase apart from the statutory 1% so my wages have not improved but the cost of food and everything else has. I also cannot save on my salary to buy my own home so I pay more on rented accommodation than I would on a mortgage. I also have to borrow money to move when I have to change flats e.g. due to landlord selling the property which can be £3,500 every 3-4 years. (Sutton teacher, 35-39, M6 scale).

“It's not worth teaching in London. I'm off”. (Haringey teacher, 30-34, M2 scale, £900 pcm rent)



4. Travel Costs

As some of the comments in the previous section indicate, London teachers face a difficult balance between trying to live in areas further from their workplace where housing costs might be cheaper, yet still being able to commute to work in a reasonable time. The high workload and long working hours expected of many teachers makes this balance even harder to strike.

While travel costs were not cited as being a particularly significant pressure on most teachers, they were seen as another additional factor in the financial pressures facing many teachers answering the survey.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents reported that they spent 10% or less of their income on travel costs but, for a minority of teachers, they were a significant proportion of their monthly outgoings. Similarly, while most reported journey times of an hour or less, 10% of respondents had to travel for 1 hour or more.

% of net income spent on travel

costs

Number of responses

25% or more 58

20% 84

15% 127

10% 276

5% 345

0% 135

***

“I actually lose money each month. With expenditure of travel, and rent and bills I’m left £200 less than what I started with. The only reason I can keep afloat is my parents helping me and savings that I had before I became a teacher”. (Merton teacher, under 25, M2 scale, paying 20% of their net income on travel costs).

“I spend most of my money renting and paying travel expenses. Some months I am finding it difficult as there are unexpected circumstances that make me spend more”. (Redbridge teacher, 25-29, living in Tower Hamlets, paying 10% of their net income on travel costs).

5. Childcare

Childcare costs are, inevitably, ones that fall unevenly on the teacher workforce. While two-thirds of responses recorded no cost required from their weekly income for childcare, for some teachers these costs were a significant pressure.

Teachers returning to work from maternity leave or with young children face particular difficulties, as some of the comments left by respondents made clear

***

% of net income spent on childcare

Number of responses

50% or more 18

40-45% 18

30-35% 47

20-25% 65

10-15% 89

0-10% 135

No cost 744

Length of journey from home to work



“I have recently had a baby and am not sure if I can afford to return to teaching because of child care costs. Workload is also huge and I cannot work the hours I was working before (in school at 7.30 am and leaving at 6.30 pm then working at home). Childcare in my area is £77 per day. My wages will cover child care but I will only have about £500 left over to contribute to upkeep of house, shopping etc” (Redbridge teacher, 40-44, U3 scale).

“I am using my savings in order to go to work and pay for childcare. I work 3 days a week as I am a single mum and have done full time teaching for years. The hours required outside working hours mean I wouldn’t see my son. I earn too much for universal credit and every month is a struggle”. (Croydon teacher, 40-44, U3 scale).

“My wages after tax do not seem to cover all of my expenses, especially being a single mother with two young children under the age of 6. The cost of childcare including nursery fees and wrap around care has been a big strain on finances every month. I do not feel that my income has increased with the growing expenses of living in UK/London” (Lewisham teacher, 40-44, U3 scale).

“I am always in the red, buy no clothes for myself, my husband and I rarely go out! No holidays and even a day out has to be budgeted for. I work 4 days a week but am currently on maternity leave and will be going down to 3 days. I have no idea how we will cope as childcare fees in September will be £750 for three days a week but we believe one of us needs to be at home more to meet the needs of our children. I appreciate it is a choice to work only 3 days a week but if I was full time we would be paying over £1000 a month”. (Waltham Forest teacher, 35-39, M6 scale).

6. Teachers are struggling to afford to live and work in London

With such a significant amount of their net income being spent on housing, food, utilities and other essential expenditure, it is perhaps little surprise that, even on average, the survey shows that London’s teachers have less than 20% left as ‘disposable income’ for other expenditure, savings, holidays and so on.

However, a further analysis of the responses shows that the overall average is skewed by a small number of teachers managing to secure a large proportion of income for savings and non-essential expenditure. That is not the situation for most London teachers. The chart shows that nearly 60% of responses state that they have just 15% or less of their net income left for such expenditure at the end of the month.



Even many of those teachers with an above average disposable income will still question whether their standard of living reflects their responsibilities and long hours of work. A number of teachers compared their income to the length of their working week and questioned the low level of their hourly rate of pay.

For teachers saving to try and build up sufficient deposit to be able to buy property with a mortgage, the remaining monthly income they have reported is not actually available to them to spend on themselves.

For those teachers - 58% of respondents - with a below average proportion of income left after essential expenditure, the responses made to the survey indicate a level of hardship and financial stress facing London teachers that has not been previously uncovered.

Too many London teachers are struggling to make ends meet on their present incomes. Those pressures exist across the age range. Older staff on higher pay rates described the difficulties they face when faced with additional responsibilities, such as supporting a child at university. A number of single parents described the particular difficulties that they face when having to meet housing costs on their own.

Too many London teachers face a combination of inadequate pay and excessive workload. For all that is made of teachers’ ‘long holidays’, some teachers commented that they cannot afford to pay for a proper holiday away from home. Not surprisingly, many questioned if they could continue to work in London.

***

“My income and outgoings are now virtually equal thanks to year on year rises in living costs. I now have no savings and find myself in more debt than I have ever been in. I have to resort to loans and credit cards to pay for family holidays and unexpected costs”. (Greenwich teacher, 40-44, L1 scale).

“I have very little money left at the end of each month. I use my credit card very often and I am extremely worried that I am sinking more and more into debt .I just struggle to afford even the basic things. I have no savings and haven't even entertained the idea of a holiday as I don't need the added worry of having to pay back money I don't have”. (Croydon teacher, 40-44, U1 scale).

“As a single parent in the private rental market I am struggling every month to meet my basic expenses and rely on some help from family members to get by, but even with that I am living on my overdraft. I haven't had a pay rise in 5 years. A holiday or putting anything aside for savings is not even a possibility. I am planning to withdraw from the teacher pension scheme in order to avoid getting into debt just to get by month to month” (Westminster teacher, 35-39, U1 scale).

“What comes in, goes out. I live in fear of another home owner cost as I have nothing left for a rainy day or leaking roof. My son is at university and got no funding this year. It is a huge struggle but I will not let this government stop him achieving his dreams. I have given up the gym as I can't afford it. I walk to work so save there but my earnings no longer give me any freedom with my free time. I haven't been able to afford a holiday for many years. My school intends to downgrade my HOD role in a restructure and so my wages will be cut by a further £2400. I haven't been given pay progression in years. Much as I want to stay in London (especially to campaign for the NEU) my days here are numbered” (Enfield teacher, 45-49, U1 scale).

“Each month, I’m able to save less and less as I find that general costs keep going up. If it keeps going this way, I’ll end up not being able to save anything at all! Also, Christmas is getting harder, because whatever is left of my salary (even if I save from October onwards) isn’t enough to cover present & ‘fun’ costs, so I go into the New Year in credit card debt”. (Croydon teacher, 25-29, M2)

“I work 11 hours per day and at least 10 hours over the weekend. On an hourly basis, I'm paid lower than the living wage!” (Enfield teacher, 50-plus, M4 scale).



“Each month, less and less seems to be left over after all my outgoings are spent. All my direct debit obligations increase incrementally, as has council tax, water etc. Even just the weekly food shop is far more than it was a year ago, and my salary has not increased in the last year enough to cover the sharp rises in all outgoings”. (Kingston-upon-Thames teacher, 30-34, U2 scale).

“With currently saving to buy a property, I haven't been able to afford a holiday for 2 years. I have had to agree with family to spend less on presents because I can't afford it. I still need 6 months of living outside of London before I have saved enough for a deposit”. (Islington teacher, 30-34, M3).

“I am constantly going into my overdraft and using my credit cards for things like milk and bread” (Greenwich teacher, 25-29, M2 scale).

“My mother has Alzheimers and I may soon be asked to pay top up fees for her home when the proceeds from the sale of her flat has gone. We now pay £76,000 annually for the care home and have not found another suitable one at any price. I only pay the interest on my mortgage and therefore will have to give up my house on retirement and downsize to a one bedroom flat. I don't have holidays but I do run a car to get to work and visit family members. I am afraid of poverty in my old age”. (Enfield teacher, 50-plus, U3 scale).

“By the time I have finished paying my outgoings, I generally only have a few hundred pounds left in my account, which makes saving any money very difficult. As a teacher who is not originally from the UK, it makes travelling home to see my family difficult” (Ealing teacher, 25-29, M2 scale).

“Over the past 4 years of living in London, my salary has barely increased (M2-M4) however my cost of living per month has increased over £250. In addition, 25% of my income is taken through tax and NI which is on top of the HUGE fees charged to be sponsored to work here as I am from Australia. It’s a bit of a slap in the face considering how much education here in London relies heavily on young overseas trained teachers like myself and my colleagues”. (Ealing teacher, 25-29, M4).

“By the time rent, bills, food and loans have been paid I am left with almost nothing at the end of each month. It shouldn't feel this hard, I have friends in Manchester who are already on the housing ladder but for me at nearly 30 it is a far off dream”. (Hounslow teacher, 25-29, U1 scale).

“No money left over for fun or generally to have some semblance of a life. 13 weeks holiday a year and I haven't been able to afford to leave the country since I started teaching. Have had to opt out of my pension to cover living costs as I am single and rent alone”. (Lewisham teacher, 30-34, M3).

“My daughter is at university and I am a single parent. I find it hard to keep my motivation as I work hard but scrape by. I feel miserable, underappreciated, disillusioned and stressed out”. (Camden teacher, 45-49, M6 scale).

“I go into my overdraft every single month. I borrow money from my parents to pay for other expenses e.g. MOT, car tax, when the TV broke. I have barely any social life, partly due to work life balance but even if I did have the time, I rarely have the money”. (Barnet teacher, 25-29, M3).

“I go to zero every month. Nothing left for savings. I could not help child with university/living costs so she had to leave”. (Richmond-upon-Thames teacher, 50-plus, U2 scale).

“I'm struggling to save money for making overdue repairs and improvements to my home. I will now have to stay paying maintenance fees for my son who'll be starting university in September. My husband has had to take a major pay cut as he was suffering from stress at work (in teaching) and has now left the profession. I am the main financial provider in our household and we have two children to support”. (Barnet teacher, 50-plus, U3 scale).



“My income means that my outgoings take up much of my salary. I will never be able to save and move out so I am resigned to living with my mum at 32. Teaching salaries must improve or I will have no choice but to leave”. (Greenwich teacher, 30-34, M2 scale).

“I live month to month barely scraping enough to save and have a life. I’m nearly thirty and I feel like I have nothing to show for the hard work I do” (Richmond-upon-Thames teacher, 25-29, M3).

“I have to ask my mum for money for food at the end of the month”. (Harrow teacher, 25-29, M2).

“My income is basically what I have to live and nothing more. I use credit cards to get by and go into my overdraft every month. Living in London as a teacher I am paid the bare minimum. I buy resources with my money and work eleven to twelve hour days” (Hackney teacher, 30-34, M1).

“Being single and a teacher living in rented accommodation in London is incredibly hard. Saving is an impossibility and holidays are only possible through loans. Teaching is very stressful and having the added pressure of wondering how to afford the next meal or bill only compounds this stress”. (Barnet teacher, 30-34, M2 scale).

“I don't have any savings at all. I can't afford to do fun stuff with my friends. And yet they are supposed to respect teaching as a valued profession?”. (Newham teacher, 30-34, M2 scale).

“I am lucky to break even each month. If an unexpected emergency happens, I have no reserve. My ‘5%’ I have recorded as being left for other expenditure goes on birthdays and events for the family. No holiday has been taken for over 5 years. I should enjoy the 'long' summer break but it is filled with guilt over activities I should be doing with MY children. (Bexley teacher, 40-44, U3 scale).

“My income leaves me in a constant state of anxiety - what if an unexpected bill arrives? So I scrimp each month for the times when I might need some instant cash. I haven't had a holiday in years because I can't afford to. This is unacceptable”. (Greenwich teacher, 40-44, U1 scale).

7. Student Loans

The survey also asked about another financial issue which will affect some London teachers – the repayment of student loans.

As the table shows, around a third of respondents indicated that their income was reduced because of these costs, with the average repayment being £150 a month. However, the highest amount reported was a monthly cost of £500.

Some individual responses indicated that, for some respondents, these costs were a significant additional financial burden when combined with the other financial pressures they were facing as London teachers.

***

“The student loan payment (which I have been paying at around £200 per month for the last 8 years) makes a huge difference every month. I regularly have to top up my finances by using my credit card. I know that I will never own a property and when my landlord (inevitably) puts my rent up, I will not be able to afford to stay in Barnet, which will be a real shame as I firmly believe it is important to be a part of and invested in the community you teach in”. (Barnet teacher, 35-39, U1).

“Wipe student loan debt for any person that becomes a teacher and stays a teacher for a certain amount of time!” (Haringey teacher, 40-44, M6 scale).

Monthly repayment

(£)

Number of Responses

under £50 29

£50-99 80

£100-149 109

£150-199 80

£200-249 60

£250-299 25

over £300 31

Total 414



8. Pay Progression and Performance Related Pay

Some of the comments already recorded indicate that some teachers are not progressing up the pay scale and have had to rely only on annual pay awards for any increases. These have been real-terms pay cuts.

The survey asked teachers to state what point they were on the salary scale. Although the survey was not designed to investigate these issues and further analysis would be required, the chart below, showing the salary points being reported by teachers with six to ten years experience, gives some information.

While it suggests that many teachers are progressing quickly to the Upper Pay Range, there is also an indication that there are some London teachers who are not progressing as quickly as might be expected.

Some schools are also not offering ‘pay portability’ (not honouring a teachers’ previous pay scale point).

***

Concerns about pay progression and ‘pay portabality’ were reported in a number of individual responses:

“Schools are reducing salaries wherever possible. My current post is fixed term to cover maternity leave. Despite being UPS3, I was only offered Main Scale 6. Having made it clear that I would not take the contract under these terms, I have now been offered UPS2” (Greenwich teacher, 50-plus).

“My rent will go up in November but depending on how well my year 11 classes do, my pay will or will not go up” (Hammersmith & Fulham teacher, 25-29, M1 scale).

“I was on the Upper Pay Scale but lost this when I moved. I am still paying off debts from last year when I lost my job” (Ealing teacher, 50-plus, M6 scale).

“I should be on UPS3 but 'budget' cuts mean I haven’t progressed” (Merton teacher, 35-39, U1).

“My disposable income doesn’t go far, especially when you consider how expensive London is. This is compounded by Performance Related Pay which makes it more difficult to get the pay increase that you have worked for and deserve”. (Wandsworth teacher, 45-49, M6 scale).



9. Annual Teacher Turnover is estimated at 25% in London schools

The pressures arising from inadequate levels of pay, combined with the additional pressures of high workload and low morale reflected in the individual responses to the survey, should not just be a concern for London teachers. They should also be a major concern for parents, school leaders, employers and London politicians. That’s because these pressures are directly related to the high level of staff turnover also reported in the survey. With pupil numbers also requiring increased teacher supply in the capital, this dangerously high level of teacher turnover can only threaten, at best, instability and lack of continuity in schools and, at worst, vacant posts remaining unfilled and schools left without the teachers they need.

Teachers were asked to provide an estimate of annual teacher turnover in their school (i.e. roughly what proportion of last September's teaching staff will no longer be at your school next September?). The average response from all respondents was an annual turnover of 1 in 4 London teachers.

However, the overall range (see below) suggests some schools face significantly higher turnover than that:

While the 25% average turnover figure is only based on estimation, and would require a more detailed study of workforce data to confirm, it exactly matches the evidence provided by NEOST in its December 2016 evidence to the 2017 School Teachers’ Review Body. This evidence also reported that a survey of schools in three London boroughs for both 2014 and 2015 concluded that annual turnover stood at 25%.

10. 58% of London teachers say they will not be teaching in the capital in five years’ time

These highly concerning turnover estimates are supported by the responses to a further question, asking London teachers where they see themselves working in five years’ time. Here are the overall responses:

Where do you see yourself working in five years' time? All responses (1017)

Still teaching in the same Local Authority area 29% 290

Still teaching but in a different part of London 13% 130

Still teaching but in a school somewhere else in Britain 12% 123

Still teaching but working abroad 11% 113

Taking a career break but perhaps returning to teaching 7% 75

No longer teaching at all 28% 286



The results confirm the figure previously found in the 2016 London NUT Survey of Young Teachers, that 60% of teachers could not see themselves still teaching in London schools in five years’ time. However, these results aren’t only based on young teachers; they are based on the entire age range of staff.

A minority of staff (29%) suggest they are content to remain teaching in their Local Authority area, with a further 13% still hoping to remain as teachers, but in a different part of London (this suggest that different salary levels and/or housing costs in different parts of London could impact on teachers’ career decisions).

18% are hoping for a break from the pressures of teaching in London by taking a career break (7%) or working abroad (11%). However, 28% of teachers said they would not be teaching at all in five years’ time.

A breakdown of the survey results over different age ranges also shows some significant differences:

Where do you see yourself working in five years' time? Answer Choices Under 30s 30-39 40-49 50-plus

Still teaching in the same Local Authority area 23% 24% 35% 34%

Still teaching but in a different part of London 14% 16% 13% 5%

Still teaching but in a school somewhere else in Britain 20% 14% 10% 4%

Still teaching but working abroad 16% 12% 11% 5%

Taking a career break but perhaps returning to teaching 12% 10% 3% 4%

No longer teaching at all 15% 24% 28% 48%

The trend towards looking to leave teaching altogether actually increases with age, with nearly half of those in the 50-plus age group reporting they no longer expect to be teaching in five years’ time. While many of these older teachers are hoping to have retired, these are teachers that will need to be replaced.

Worryingly for anyone concerned with teacher recruitment and retention, the data suggests that a third of London teachers in their 30s and 40s are hoping not to be teaching at all soon either by leaving teaching or by taking a career break. Less than half of staff in these age groups intend to remain teaching in London. The proportion of teachers under 30 looking to stay in London is even less – just 37% of those surveyed.



These results make extremely worrying reading but should come as no surprise, given the answers provided to other questions in our survey. Listed below are some further comments that explain what London teachers are thinking about teaching - and about their future as a teacher in the capital:

***

My wife and I just about survive and break even each month. I am considering stopping pension contributions to have more cash available. We need to move out of the South-East to buy a cheaper house but this means leaving family, friends and support networks behind. If I was younger, I’d leave teaching” (Bromley teacher, 45-49, U3 scale, hoping to teach somewhere else in Britain).

“Although on paper we work 33 hours per week, even taking into account the long 'holidays' we all seem to work weekends, holidays, get in to school around 7.30am and leave around 6.30pm. The pay we receive does not reflect the work we put in, the hours we work, the years we have studied and continue to study, the continued CPD we all still do and the dedication we have to our pupils” (Haringey teacher, 45-49, M6 scale, not expecting to still be teaching in five years’ time).

“As a single person I have been completely unable to leave my family home. I am in a position where next year (after 4 years of hard saving) I will be moving out to another part of London however everyone else I know my age moved out 4 years ago. I love teaching but it has held me back in many ways for a large chunk of my 20s, purely because of where I happen to have grown up and lived”. (Hillingdon teacher, 25-29, M4 scale, moving to teach in Camden – on Inner London pay).

“Due to low pay and too much workload, teachers do not have any social life. They are stuck inside the walls of the classroom and home. No time or money to relax or take your mind off from work as everything is expensive during school holidays. This is not good for their mental wellbeing. No wonder newly qualified teachers leave this profession during the first few years of teaching”. (Hounslow teacher, 45-49, U3 scale, not expecting to still be teaching in five years’ time).

“I now work abroad with my wife in an international school because I was fed up with the terrible pay. We’ve gone from saving £800 a month to £2500 a month and I won’t be coming home any time soon.” (30-34 year old teacher, working abroad, previously working in Barking & Dagenham).

“Our staff make up seems to be in danger of becoming only London born teachers from well off backgrounds who can either live at home or afford the high rents and mortgages nearby“. (Camden teacher, 35-39, U3 scale, expecting to still be teaching in the same Local Authority area).

“Teaching is a very challenging but rewarding profession that needs to be respected by this Government. With the cost of living in London rising each year, the Government needs to address teachers’ pay as soon as possible to halt the decline of graduates coming into the profession. Teachers are struggling to survive on the wages they currently receive, which is much lower in terms of the heavy workload we deal with, including all the unpaid hours we work at home”. (Southwark teacher, 50-plus, M6 scale, not expecting to still be teaching in five years’ time).

“I enjoy my job and I enjoy teaching. I am settled with a family but 70% of the teachers I have worked with in the last 8 years (especially the young and single teachers) are moving abroad as pay and benefits are better. Some also moving to places like Manchester and Leeds so they can get a better standard of living. I know there will always be funding issues with schools but would you not save money on recruitment and supply teacher costs if teachers actually stayed in the profession? (Barnet teacher, 35-39, U2 scale, expecting to still be teaching in the same Local Authority area).

“Most of my colleagues are already working abroad. If not they are trying or thinking of doing so” (Croydon teacher, 45-49, U3 scale, moving to take a teaching post abroad).



Appendix A - Outer and Inner London Pay

Any discussion on London salaries needs to recognise the fact that the current School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document applies two different pay scales within Greater London. These apply higher salaries compared to teachers employed in most of England and Wales, depending on the exact salary point. The table sets out the effective ‘London allowances’ on some of the scale points (based on NEU recommended salary scales).

The Inner London Pay ranges do not only apply in the twelve Inner London boroughs but also apply in the boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Ealing, Haringey, Merton and Newham. The Outer London Pay ranges apply only in the remaining fourteen Outer London boroughs.

The differential between Inner and Outer London Pay ranges clearly provides a disincentive for teachers to work in schools paying the lower level of London salaries. Data from the DfE School Workforce Census certainly indicates that Outer London has the highest level of schools reporting classroom teacher vacancies or temporarily-filled posts nationally.

The responses to the survey showed no difference between teachers in Inner London pay areas and Outer London pay areas in their estimations of teacher turnover - with an average response of 25%. However, there were some differences in response to questions about their own personal decisions about where they saw themselves teaching in five years’ time. Teachers in the Outer Pay Area were more likely to report that they would be teaching in a different part of London or Britain.

***

“Living in Outer London has the same cost as living in Inner London - house prices are just as high. I work 0.1 miles away from Haringey but I only get Outer London salary” (Barnet teacher, 35-39, U2)

“I think that all London boroughs including Outer London should be at the same pay. Outer London is nearly as expensive as living in Inner London now, so there isn’t much difference, yet we still get paid about £2000 less than Inner London staff”. (Havering teacher, under 25, M2)

“Inner and Outer London weighting were devised decades ago and no longer fit for purpose. These should have been revised years ago alongside huge increases in costs of living awards that involve the whole of London and not just 'inner' London”. (Croydon teacher, 50-plus, U3 scale).

Scale point Inner Outer

M1 £5,743 £3,745

M4 £4,607 £3,157

M6 £5,182 £3,821

U1 £7,689 £3,592

U3 £8,665 £3,865

Where will you be working in 5 years’ time?

Inner Pay Area Outer Pay

Area

No longer teaching at all 29% 27%

Still teaching but in a different part of London

11% 15%

Still teaching but in a school somewhere else

in Britain 11% 14%

Still teaching but working abroad

13% 9%

Still teaching in the same Local Authority area

27% 30%

Taking a career break but perhaps returning to

teaching 9% 5%



Appendix B – who responded to the survey?

a) Age range

b) Experience

How long have you been teaching?

Answer Choices Responses

Less than one year 3.29% 44

One to two years 7.93% 106

Three to five years 21.54% 288

Six to ten years 20.57% 275

More than ten years 46.67% 624

Answered 1337

c) Location

All of the respondents worked in one of the 32 London boroughs but 116 (approx. 9%) stated that they lived outside Greater London. In 11 boroughs (Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Enfield, Hackney, Havering, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Waltham Forest and Wandsworth), there was a greater number of teachers reporting that they were living in those boroughs than teachers reporting working in those boroughs.

Where you work

Where you live Answer Choices Responses Answer Choices Responses Difference

Barking and Dagenham 2.84% 38 Barking and Dagenham 1.42% 19 1.42%

Barnet 4.11% 55 Barnet 3.89% 52 0.22%

Bexley 2.09% 28 Bexley 2.32% 31 -0.23%

Brent 3.14% 42 Brent 2.99% 40 0.15%

Bromley 2.99% 40 Bromley 3.59% 48 -0.60%

Camden 3.29% 44 Camden 2.47% 33 0.82%

Croydon 3.89% 52 Croydon 4.19% 56 -0.30%

Ealing 3.29% 44 Ealing 3.14% 42 0.15%

Enfield 3.07% 41 Enfield 4.11% 55 -1.04%

Greenwich 4.19% 56 Greenwich 3.07% 41 1.12%

Hackney 2.47% 33 Hackney 2.99% 40 -0.52%

Hammersmith and Fulham 3.07% 41 Hammersmith and Fulham 2.02% 27 1.05%

What is your age?

Answer Choices

Responses

under 25 2.62% 35

25-29 18.25% 244

30-34 17.13% 229

35-39 13.46% 180

40-44 12.64% 169

45-49 13.16% 176

50+ 22.74% 304

Answered 1337



Haringey 5.39% 72 Haringey 4.86% 65 0.53%

Harrow 2.69% 36 Harrow 2.32% 31 0.37%

Havering 2.47% 33 Havering 3.37% 45 -0.90%

Hillingdon 2.39% 32 Hillingdon 2.09% 28 0.30%

Hounslow 3.81% 51 Hounslow 2.62% 35 1.19%

Islington 3.14% 42 Islington 2.09% 28 1.05%

Kensington and Chelsea 1.05% 14 Kensington and Chelsea 0.37% 5 0.68%

Kingston upon Thames 2.17% 29 Kingston upon Thames 1.57% 21 0.60%

Lambeth 2.84% 38 Lambeth 3.74% 50 -0.90%

Lewisham 4.71% 63 Lewisham 5.24% 70 -0.53%

Merton 1.57% 21 Merton 1.94% 26 -0.37%

Newham 3.96% 53 Newham 2.32% 31 1.64%

Redbridge 3.81% 51 Redbridge 2.69% 36 1.12%

Richmond upon Thames 2.99% 40 Richmond upon Thames 2.54% 34 0.45%

Southwark 4.04% 54 Southwark 3.22% 43 0.82%

Sutton 2.24% 30 Sutton 1.87% 25 0.37%

Tower Hamlets 3.37% 45 Tower Hamlets 2.54% 34 0.83%

Waltham Forest 4.56% 61 Waltham Forest 4.94% 66 -0.38%

Wandsworth 2.69% 36 Wandsworth 4.11% 55 -1.42%

Westminster 1.65% 22 Westminster 0.67% 9 0.98%

Answered 1337 I live outside Greater London 8.68% 116

d) Point on Salary Scale

The discretion now given to schools over salary decisions, means that not all schools necessarily pay staff according to a salary scale consisting of six points on the Main Pay Range and three points on the Upper Pay Range. 13% of respondents were either not sure of their scale point or answered ‘other’, giving a variety of reasons including being paid as a supply teacher, unqualified teacher or on the leadership scale. However, responses suggested that most schools still pay classroom teachers according to these scales.

If you are paid on standard teachers' pay scales, do you know what point you are paid on (not

including TLRs or other additional payments)?

Answer Choices Responses

M1 4.79% 64

M2 7.40% 99

M3 7.03% 94

M4 7.33% 98

M5 4.56% 61

M6 12.34% 165

U1 11.82% 158

U2 8.98% 120

U3 22.66% 303

Other 8.38% 112

I'm not sure 4.71% 63

Answered 1337

need a pay rise€¦ · “we are moving out of london as we cannot afford to pay the rent on a...

Documents