Teachers may take strike action after being offered 6.5 per cent pay rise

Teachers may take strike action after being offered 6.5 per cent pay riseBallot shows teachers are prepared to strike over pay and fundingCommentsNewsNeil Shaw Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle)07:49, 18 Apr 2026Updated 07:49, 18 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesNational Education Union strike action rally in Centenary SquareMembers of the UK’s largest teaching union have said in an indicative ballot that they would be prepared to take industrial action to get more funding for schools. More than nine in 10 (90.5%) National Education Union (NEU) members who voted in the indicative ballot said they would be prepared to take industrial action.‌However, fewer than half (48.6%) of eligible teacher members voted in the ballot. NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said: “This government seems intent on attacking our schools. That is why our members have indicated they are willing to take whatever action is necessary to save education.”‌The NEU launched the indicative ballot on February 28 asking members if they would be prepared to strike over teacher pay and workload, and school funding. The teaching unions have criticised the Department for Education’s (DfE) recommendation that teachers should receive a 6.5% pay increase over the next three years.‌View 3 ImagesTeachers from the NEU hold a strike rally at the Department of Education in WestminsterThe ballot asked NEU members two questions – whether they rejected this proposal, and whether they would be prepared to take industrial action to reduce workload and to get more funding for an above-inflation pay increase. Nearly all (96%) of teachers who responded to the ballot said they rejected the DfE’s pay rise proposal.The NEU’s national executive will meet next month to decide next steps. Support staff members of the union also voted in an indicative ballot over whether they would be prepared to take industrial action over funding, workload and redundancies.‌More than eight in 10 (86.5%) support staff members who voted said they wo...