Soulbury Pay Agreement 2026-7

We are pleased to confirm that in July 2026, following consultation with members, the Soulbury Committee reached an agreement on a pay award for 2026 which is as follows:

• An increase of 3.6% on all spinal column points (SCPs) with effect from 1 September 2026. 
• An increase of 3.6% on all allowances with effect from 1 September 2026.

In accepting the claim, unions emphasised that members were disappointed at the failure of the Employers’ Side to take effective action to improve the value of London Area Payments beyond applying the 3.6% increase to the current levels of those payments, It was also expressed that there is ongoing disappointment at the absence of improvements to the pay structure such as the removal of lower scale points. 

The Soulbury Unions will continue to return to these issues in our ongoing discussions with the employers and in anticipation of the next pay claim. In addition, unions requested further discussion with the relevant LGA committees, including the Workforce and Finance Committees, to ensure these wider workforce issues continue to be considered. We will continue to call for the Employers' Side to engage meaningfully on the cost implications of not repairing the damage to Soulbury pay against inflation and comparable sector pay. Unions will continue to seek full transparency from Employers, including an approach to funding issues which takes full account of all relevant factors including agency costs for local authorities.