Teachers set for biggest pay rise in fifteen years, government announces
Fully-qualified teachers outside of London will now start work earning a minimum of £25,714 - representing the biggest pay rise in the profession since 2005.
Teachers will enjoy the biggest pay rise “for a generation”, the government has confirmed today.
Following recommendations from the independent School Teachers’ Review Body, teacher starting salaries have been boosted by 5.5% – representing the largest pay increase for the profession since 2005.
Fully-qualified teachers outside of London will now start work earning a minimum of £25,714.
Teachers in inner London will earn at least £32,157.
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Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the government wanted to “make teaching attractive to the most talented candidates by recognising the outstanding contribution teachers make to our society.”
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He added: “Inspirational teachers change millions of lives by giving our children the drive and desire to learn, and reforms to teacher training, early career support and teachers’ pay are key to the Government’s plans to improve school standards.”
The MP also confirmed that school funding in Britain will increase by 4% overall.
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The pay rises represent the first part of a plan to push teacher starting salaries to at least £30,000 by 2022/23.
Whilst the pay increase for new teachers was welcomed by members of the sector, the National Education Union (NEU) claimed that the Government needed to do more to ensure experienced teachers remained in schools.
“…the prospect of salaries tapering off as they progress through the profession means that progress made in recruiting teachers will not be sustained in retaining them,” said Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary.
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“It is already the case that 22% of teachers leave teaching within two years.”
She added: “NEU called for a fully-funded 7% increase in September and we reiterate this call.”
This week, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that more than 900,000 public service workers across the UK would receive income bumps for their “vital contribution” during the pandemic.
According to the Treasury, funding is set to be taken from existing departmental budgets.
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The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home
Emily Sergeant
The Council is now offering financial help to support people moving into a smaller and ‘more manageable’ property.
Ever heard of ‘rightsizing? Well, according Manchester City Council it’s a process where a tenant in a larger social rent, Council, or Housing Association property, that may have more rooms than they need or perhaps are struggling to manage a big house as they get older, can be supported into a smaller property that better suits their needs.
The benefits of this process include cheaper bills, lower rents, and overall, just homes that are easier to clean and manage.
The aim of it is also to free up larger Council properties for families who are on the housing register – of which there are said to be around 20,000 of them currently at this time, with larger homes having some of the most significant wait times.
Are you struggling to look after a big Council or housing association home? We can help!
We are offering £2,500 to help people move into a smaller more manageable home, freeing up larger homes for families that need them.
It’s also estimated, according to the Council, that a third of all social rented family homes are thought to ‘underoccupied’.
This is why financial support and grants are now being offered.
Last year alone, 109 households were helped to ‘rightsize’ and were supported in the process by a dedicated team of Council officers, as well as benefitting from the Rightsizing Incentive Scheme – with a further 432 households having expressed interest doing so in the future.
Residents interested in ‘rightsizing’ could get a cash incentive of £2,500, which can be spent on anything they like, along with moving costs.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
“Rightsizing could be a brilliant option for older people who are renting a Council home who may have spare rooms they don’t need or would benefit from looking after a smaller property,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development.
“Often a barrier to moving is the cost, but the Council will take care of the financial burden to help a resident move into a new home.
“The benefit for the city is that we can free up more larger homes for people who are waiting for a property that properly meets their needs. We think around a third of Council tenants could be under occupying their home, which means they could be paying more than they need to or they could be hit with the bedroom tax.”
Does this sound like you? Are you ready to ‘rightsize’? Find out more and begin the process via Manchester City Council’s website here.
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
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Trailer released for Netflix’s new Lucy Letby documentary with ‘unprecedented access’
Emily Sergeant
The trailer for Netflix’s new documentary about the investigation of Lucy Letby has been released.
The feature-length film about Lucy Letby – the infamous neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others under her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital – hears for the first time from the police officers who investigated the case that shook the nation.
It features never-before-seen footage of Letby during her arrests and police questioning, and even includes interviews with experts and lawyers on both sides, as well as with the hospital consultants who initially raised the alarm.
Tragically, it also includes an anonymised interview with a mother of one of the victims, who also speaks for the first time about her experience and involvement in Letby’s trial.
Produced as a result of years of research and relationship-building, the film – simply titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby – is described as being the most ‘comprehensive’ look at one of Britain’s most notorious crimes, and traces developments from her arrest to trial in chronological order.
Viewers will be given ‘unparalleled and exclusive access’ to those central to the story.
“This was an exceptional and demanding project, marked by significant creative and ethical responsibility,” commented director, Dominic Sivyer. “Our aim was to craft a powerful, emotionally resonant depiction of the events surrounding the case.”
Caroline Short, Head of Global TV at ITN Productions – who produced the documentary – added: “The access to all our contributors came with a huge responsibility to present everyone’s perspectives with care and understanding.
“We are grateful to all those people who trusted us to tell their story.”
The Manc -
21st July 2020 
