Teachers' Pay Scale London 2026: Inner, Outer & Fringe Rates

London school classroom with a teacher in front of pupils

Quick answer: The pay scale teachers London 2025/26 has three bands. Inner London starts at £38,766 (M1) rising to £53,994 (M6); Outer London starts at £34,514 (M1) rising to £47,839 (M6); Fringe starts at £32,776 (M1) rising to £44,711 (M6). Leadership pay reaches £139,347 in Inner London.

Introduction

London teachers are paid more than teachers elsewhere in England — but the system of three separate London bands (Inner, Outer, and Fringe) can be confusing. This 2026 guide explains exactly what you will earn on the London teachers' pay scale at every stage of your career, from ECT to headteacher, and which London boroughs sit in which band.

All figures on this page are from the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) 2025/26 published by the Department for Education.

London Pay Areas at a Glance

There are three London pay areas within the STPCD:

Inner London — the central and inner boroughs
Outer London — the outer boroughs
London Fringe — parts of Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire bordering London

Each area has its own pay scale for every pay range (MPR, UPR, LP, Leadership).

Which London Area Am I In?

Inner London Local Authorities

Camden
City of London
Greenwich
Hackney
Hammersmith and Fulham
Haringey
Islington
Kensington and Chelsea
Lambeth
Lewisham
Newham
Southwark
Tower Hamlets
Wandsworth
Westminster

Outer London Local Authorities

Barking and Dagenham
Barnet
Bexley
Brent
Bromley
Croydon
Ealing
Enfield
Harrow
Havering
Hillingdon
Hounslow
Kingston upon Thames
Merton
Redbridge
Richmond upon Thames
Sutton
Waltham Forest

London Fringe Areas

Includes specific parts of:

Essex: Basildon, Brentwood, Epping Forest, Harlow, Thurrock
Hertfordshire: Broxbourne, Dacorum, East Hertfordshire, Hertsmere, St Albans, Three Rivers, Watford, Welwyn Hatfield
Kent: Dartford, Sevenoaks
Surrey: Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Tandridge, Woking
Berkshire: Bracknell Forest, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead
Buckinghamshire: Chiltern, South Buckinghamshire

Main Pay Range (MPR) London 2025/26

The Main Pay Range has six points. ECTs start on M1 and progress annually subject to satisfactory performance.

Point	Inner London	Outer London	Fringe
M1	£38,766	£34,514	£32,776
M2	£40,322	£36,091	£34,603
M3	£42,119	£37,971	£36,555
M4	£44,121	£39,965	£38,624
M5	£46,725	£42,479	£41,060
M6	£53,994	£47,839	£44,711

Inner London Premium: An Inner London M1 teacher earns £7,116 more than the national M1 (£31,650) — the biggest premium on the scale.

Upper Pay Range (UPR) London 2025/26

To move to UPR, you must cross the threshold by applying and demonstrating sustained strong practice.

Point	Inner London	Outer London	Fringe
U1	£55,415	£49,620	£46,480
U2	£57,486	£51,469	£48,346
U3	£59,031	£53,338	£50,193

Leading Practitioner (LP) Scale London 2025/26

The Leading Practitioner pay range rewards expert classroom practice without requiring a move into senior leadership. Individual schools set the pay range within the overall STPCD minimum and maximum.

Range	Inner London	Outer London	Fringe
LP Minimum	£59,638	£54,065	£52,879
LP Maximum	£87,063	£81,516	£80,350

Leadership Pay Range London 2025/26

The leadership scale has 43 points (L1 to L43). Each school sets its Individual School Range (ISR) based on school size and context.

Selected Leadership Points 2025/26

Point	Inner London	Outer London	Fringe
L1	£61,882	£56,316	£53,047
L5	£68,238	£62,193	£58,551
L10	£76,964	£70,208	£66,092
L18	£93,491	£85,352	£80,454
L28	£118,671	£115,151	£110,064
L43	£139,347	£135,091	£132,217

The top of the leadership scale (L43 Inner London at £139,347) is the highest-paid teaching post in England.

Typical Career Earnings in London

5 Years In (M6 Inner London)

A teacher who progresses smoothly through the Main Pay Range would earn £53,994 at M6 in Inner London after about five years.

8–10 Years In (U3 Inner London)

Crossing to UPR and reaching the top of the Upper Pay Range would put you on £59,031 in Inner London.

Head of Department (L5–L10)

Heads of department in Inner London secondary schools typically sit on L5 to L10 (£68,238 to £76,964) plus any TLR.

Assistant / Deputy Head

Inner London Assistant Heads usually fall between L10 and L18 (£76,964 to £93,491). Deputies commonly sit L18–L28 (£93,491 to £118,671).

Headteacher

Inner London headteachers earn between L15 and L43 — typically £85,000 to £139,347 depending on school size.

TLR and SEN Payments in London

Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR)

TLR payments are added on top of base pay when you take on sustained additional responsibility.

TLR Type	Inner London Range
TLR1	£11,012 – £18,626
TLR2	£3,817 – £9,315
TLR3	£757 – £3,756

SEN Allowance

SEN Level	Inner London
SEN1	£3,452
SEN2	£6,815

See our Special Educational Needs Teaching UK guide for SEND career paths.

Is London Pay Worth the Cost of Living?

London weighting is generous, but London's cost of living is also the highest in the UK.

Rough Cost-of-Living Comparison

Average rent (1-bed flat): Inner London ~£2,200/month vs Manchester ~£1,150/month
Transport: Annual zone 1–3 travelcard ~£2,100
Food and groceries: 15–20% higher than national average

Many new teachers share accommodation or commute from cheaper boroughs or outside London. Key workers may be eligible for London-specific housing schemes.

Net Take-Home Example

An ECT on M1 Inner London (£38,766) takes home roughly £2,480 per month after tax, NI, student loan (Plan 2 at the standard rate), and 7.4% pension. The same ECT on M1 national outside London (£31,650) takes home £2,140 per month — a difference of £340 a month to offset higher living costs.

Key Stage Teacher Roles in London

Primary Teachers

Inner London primaries are heavily unionised and often offer additional retention payments in shortage areas. Pay follows the same STPCD scales as secondary.

Secondary Teachers

STEM teachers (Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science) and Modern Foreign Languages teachers may attract recruitment and retention payments of up to £4,000 on top of the scale.

Early Years Teachers

Early years teachers with QTS in maintained nurseries follow STPCD. Those in private nurseries and pre-schools without QTS follow different, usually lower, pay rates.

London vs Outside London: Key Differences

Feature	London	Outside London
MPR M1 start	£32,776–£38,766	£31,650
MPR M6 top	£44,711–£53,994	£43,607
Leadership top (L43)	£132,217–£139,347	£131,056
Cost of living	Highest in UK	Variable
Recruitment market	Highly competitive	Easier in some subjects
Pupil premium funding	Often higher	Lower average

Progression Tips for London Teachers

Get on the Upper Pay Range as early as you can — usually after 2 years on M6 with strong evidence.
Take a TLR — Inner London TLR1 starts at £11,012, a meaningful uplift.
Move into Leadership — even L1 Inner London (£61,882) is a significant jump over U3.
Teach shortage subjects — Maths, Physics, Chemistry, and Computer Science often attract recruitment incentives.
Consider SEND — SEN2 adds £6,815 in Inner London.
Think carefully before leaving the TPS — the Teachers' Pension Scheme is part of your total compensation.

FAQ: London Teacher Pay

What is the starting salary for a teacher in London?

An ECT on M1 earns £38,766 in Inner London, £34,514 in Outer London, and £32,776 in the London Fringe area for 2025/26.

What is the difference between Inner and Outer London teaching pay?

Inner London rates are about £4,250 higher at M1 and around £6,150 higher at M6. The gap widens further at Leadership scale.

How do I know if my school is Inner London or Outer London?

Check the local authority the school is in against the STPCD list. Central London boroughs (Camden, Westminster, Hackney, Lambeth, etc.) are Inner London; suburban boroughs (Brent, Bromley, Ealing, Sutton, etc.) are Outer London.

Can I move between pay areas without a pay cut?

Yes — STPCD pay portability means you carry your pay point when moving between maintained schools and academies. If you move from Outer London to Inner London, you typically move to the same point on the higher Inner London rate.

Does the London pay scale apply to supply teachers?

Agencies set their own daily rates, but many pay a "London rate" on top of base rates. Council supply pools and cooperative agencies usually pay closer to STPCD scales.

Are there extra payments for teaching in Central London?

Yes — many Inner London schools offer recruitment and retention allowances on top of STPCD for shortage subjects. These can be several thousand pounds per year.

Teachers' Pay Scale London 2026: Inner, Outer & Fringe Rates Explained