M2 pay by area, and what is left after deductions
The pay and conditions document sets a separate figure for each of the four pay areas. All four use the same tax rules, but a higher salary can fall in a higher pension tier, which is why the deduction share is not identical across the row.
| Area | Salary | Pension rate | Take-home a year | A month | Deductions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rest of England | £34,823 | 7.4% | £26,531 | £2,211 | 23.8% |
| Fringe | £36,373 | 8.9% | £27,118 | £2,260 | 25.4% |
| Outer London | £39,851 | 8.9% | £29,375 | £2,448 | 26.3% |
| Inner London | £42,234 | 8.9% | £30,921 | £2,577 | 26.8% |
Inner London at M2 crosses into the 8.9% pension tier, so part of the extra £7,411 of salary is taken back by a higher contribution rate on the whole salary rather than only on the extra.
The working, outside London
| Yearly | Monthly | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | £34,823 | £2,902 |
| Pension at 7.4% | £2,577 | £215 |
| Taxable pay | £32,246 | £2,687 |
| Income tax | £3,935 | £328 |
| National Insurance | £1,780 | £148 |
| Take-home pay | £26,531 | £2,211 |
The Teachers' Pension Scheme is a net pay arrangement, so the £2,577 contribution comes off before income tax is worked out. That is why taxable pay is £32,246 rather than £34,823, and why the contribution costs less than its face value. National Insurance is charged on the full salary.
Which pension tier applies at £34,823?
Teachers' Pensions sets the member rate by the annual salary rate for the employment, not by the full-time equivalent, so a part-time contract is banded on what it actually pays. The bands rose by 3.8 per cent from 1 April 2026 in line with the Pensions Increase.
| Annual salary rate from 1 April 2026 | Member contribution | Applies here |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £36,198.99 | 7.4% | Yes |
| £36,199.00 to £48,727.99 | 8.9% | No |
| £48,728.00 to £57,776.99 | 9.9% | No |
| £57,777.00 to £76,572.99 | 10.5% | No |
| £76,573.00 to £104,413.99 | 11.6% | No |
| £104,414.00 and above | 12.0% | No |
The employer pays a further 28.68%, including the 0.08 per cent administration levy, which is pay that never appears on a payslip. Source: Teachers' Pensions, calculating contributions.
M2 part time
Part-time pay is the full-time figure scaled by the proportion of a full-time timetable. Because the pension tier follows the actual salary rate, a part-time contract can fall into a lower tier.
| Proportion of full time | Salary | Pension rate | Take-home a year | A month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40% | £13,929 | 7.4% | £12,724 | £1,060 |
| 60% | £20,894 | 7.4% | £17,326 | £1,444 |
| 80% | £27,858 | 7.4% | £21,928 | £1,827 |
| 100% | £34,823 | 7.4% | £26,531 | £2,211 |
A full-time teacher is available for directed time of 1,265 hours over 195 days, which puts £34,823 at about £27.53 per directed hour. That is not an hourly rate of pay and it excludes planning, marking and preparation, which the document treats as additional and not defined by hours.
M2 with a student loan
Repayments are 9 per cent of pay above the plan threshold, taken through payroll after income tax and National Insurance. Pension contributions do not reduce the pay that a student loan is charged on.
| Plan | Threshold | Repayment a year | A month | Take-home after loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | £713 | £59 | £25,818 |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | £489 | £41 | £26,041 |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £33,795 | £93 | £8 | £26,438 |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | £884 | £74 | £25,647 |
Most teachers who trained recently are on Plan 5. The student loan repayment calculator covers every plan.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The pay and conditions document covers England only. Wales has its own School Teachers' Pay and Conditions (Wales) Document, Scotland negotiates through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, and Northern Ireland through its own machinery, so the figures above should not be read across. The Teachers' Pension Scheme contribution tiers apply in England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland run separate schemes.
Income tax differs in Scotland. If £34,823 were taxed under Scottish rates, income tax would be £3,923 against £3,935, so take-home would be about £26,543, £12 a year more. The Scottish income tax calculator shows the working.
The points either side of M2
The points are advisory. A school sets its own pay policy and must pay within the minimum and maximum of the range, so a school is not obliged to use these exact figures. The range itself is not advisory.
Work out your own figure
The tables assume full-time work, the standard tax code and no responsibility payment. A teaching and learning responsibility payment, a special educational needs allowance or a London allowance changes the total. Open the take-home pay calculator to add them, and the teachers' pension calculator for what the contribution builds up.