England injects £500m into schools to avert teacher strike, but pension funding sparks union fury
The UK government has allocated approximately £500 million in additional funding to English schools to cover the 3.5% teacher pay rise for 2026-27, aiming to prevent a strike ballot by the National Education Union. While the move is welcomed by most unions as a solution to budget shortfalls, the GMB union has condemned the funding source as a raid on support staff pensions. The government asserts the money comes from reduced employer pension contributions, a claim disputed by critics who argue it shifts costs to the poorest-paid staff.
