Pay awards
Information for staff about pay awards.
The Universities & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) conducts collective pay negotiations with the five Higher Education trade unions (UCU, UNISON, Unite, EIS and GMB) on behalf of a significant number of UK HE institutions. This is done through the Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff (JNCHES). UCEA member institutions decide individually whether they will participate in each negotiating round to address the uplift to be applied to the national pay spine. The negotiations take place annually, between March and May with dispute resolution meetings held in July if necessary.
The University remains committed to the national bargaining arrangements via New JNCHES and is committed to constructive dialogue with the trade unions. Once agreed for implementation, the University applies the pay award to all staff on non-clinical grades. Further information about the process is available from the UCEA website.
Oxford University Weighting
Separate arrangements are in place to review the Oxford University Weighting. In September 2024, the University implemented the Oxford University Weighting for all University staff on grades 1–10 of the main salary and grading structure.
In August 2025 the Oxford University Weighting was extended to include all non-clinical staff on the University Terms & Conditions (Associate and Statutory Professors) as well as senior staff above grade 10 (ALC6 and RSIV).
The Oxford University Weighting is paid in addition to nationally negotiated pay spine salaries. It is applied pro-rata for part-time and hourly paid staff and in-year starters and leavers. For colleagues with joint appointments, the University will pay its proportionate share of the weighting.
Clinical pay awards
Separate arrangements exist for Clinical pay awards, which are agreed nationally by UCEA and effective from 1 April each year. The awards tend to reflect what has been agreed for NHS salary scales.
Changes to the University pay spine (effective from 1 August 2026 until 31 July 2027)
The national pay negotiations for 2026/27 have now concluded. University non-clinical salary scales have been updated to reflect a 2.0% pay award. The award covers the period from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027. The increase will be implemented with the November payday (Tuesday 27 November 2026) and backdated to 1 August 2026.
In 2026 the Oxford University Weighting (OUW) remains unchanged at £1,730. The OUW is applicable to non-clinical staff on the University Terms & Conditions and senior staff above Grade 10 (ALC6 and RSIV).
The Oxford Living Wage increase in April 2026 raised hourly rates at the lowest three points of the August 2025 pay spine. Further adjustments have now been made at the lower end of the pay spine to implement the national pay award. The Pay Award Information Pack August 2026 contains more information in the notes under the section heading "August 2026 Changes".
The revised rates should be applied to new appointments and vacancies from 1 August 2026. Uplifts for existing staff will be implemented by central teams. View the updated pay spine below. The new salary scales, including employer total cost, are published on OxIntranet (SSO required).
Pay scales
Information about past pay awards (both clinical and non-clinical) can be downloaded here.