Higher education pay and working conditions negotiations 2026-27

As you may know, each year UCU along with our sister unions in higher education (Unison, Unite, GMB and EIS) submit a joint claim on UK-wide pay and related matters to the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA).

Our claim and the new joint negotiating committee for higher education staff (JNCHES) negotiations centre on issues such as pay, redundancies, casualisation, workload and equality pay gaps.

The sector is facing multiple crises including mass redundancies, and the continued erosion of staff pay and working conditions, so it is vital that university employers work with trade unions to tackle the issues plaguing higher education.

We have today submitted our full joint claim for 2026-27 which includes:

• an increase on all pay points of at least RPI + 3% or £3,000, whichever is higher
• an increase to bring the minimum hourly rate of pay to £15/hour and for all higher education institutions to become Foundation Living Wage employers
• a review of the New JNCHES pay spine, in line with the already agreed terms of reference for the working group
• UCEA to work with the unions to develop meaningful and inclusive career pathways for professional services staff
• UCEA to work with the joint trade unions to avoid job losses including by tackling the 'hidden redundancy' crisis impacting casualised staff
• UCEA to jointly work with the trade unions to lobby government for higher education funding reform.

You can read details of the full claim here.

UCU and our sister unions stand together in our commitment to defend the jobs, pay, and working conditions of all staff employed in universities across the UK.

Negotiations will begin on 31 March 2026 and, for the future of our sector, it is crucial now more than ever that university employers come to the negotiating table with meaningful offers on each of these points.

We will keep you updated throughout the process.

Thank you for everything you do for our union, education and your students.

In solidarity

Jo Grady
UCU general secretary