The majority of staff will benefit through either an immediate salary increase when the changes are implemented in spring 2024, or through the opening up of longer-term earning opportunities. Details of what it means including a grade scale change calculator, supporting FAQs, and the proposed grade scale structure have been shared with all staff. These can be accessed using the link below.
It is important to note that your grade step may change as a result of this proposal, but no-one will receive less pay than they do today, and over 15,000 colleagues will have the opportunity to receive a higher salary. Staff should use the calculator to see the effect for their current grade and step.
This change is the result of 15 months of working with the local branches of the University’s three recognised trade unions to review the grade scale against other universities and employers to ensure staff receive rewarding, competitive and fair pay.
The key points are as follows:
- Although the national pay spine salary values will remain unchanged, as these are set nationally by Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), the point at which each grade starts and ends will be adjusted.
- All University of Edinburgh grades are moving up the national pay spine, so the number of automatic increment steps and contribution steps will be revised in some grades.
- More than 5,000 staff will immediately benefit by receiving an uplift of 1 to 3 spinal points, as their current salary would fall below the new minimum starting point for their grade.
- Grades UE01 and UE02 will be merged to form a new single UE02. This is a result of the ongoing compression at the base of the pay spine due to the impact of the Real Living Wage which was implemented on 1 November 2023.
- Whilst there may be a minority of staff with no immediate beneficial impact, nobody will be worse off, and for most staff, there will be more earning opportunities in future years as there will now be more automatic increments available before reaching the top of each grade.
From 1 August 2024
- Almost all staff will now be eligible to receive an automatic increment.
- More than 6,000 staff will receive an automatic increment when they otherwise would not have because they were previously at the top of their grade, or on contribution points.
- The only exceptions will be staff who are not on the University of Edinburgh pay scale, receive an off-scale salary or sit above point 58 on the pay scale.
Further progress and the specific date for change will be communicated in due course once all the necessary systems and process changes are completed.
Staff who have questions that are not covered in the materials provided are asked to contact the HR Helpline.
These changes will ensure the University continues to attract the best talent and remains an employer of choice in Edinburgh.