{"id":4672,"date":"2025-04-04T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discountsforteachers.co.uk\/blog\/?p=4672"},"modified":"2026-07-15T17:52:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T16:52:33","slug":"things-to-know-about-a-career-in-education-teachers-sick-pay-maternity-pay-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.discountsforteachers.co.uk\/blog\/things-to-know-about-a-career-in-education-teachers-sick-pay-maternity-pay-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Teacher Pay Scales 24-25, Sick Pay, Maternity & More | FAQs Answered"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Before stepping into any new role, it\u2019s only natural to want clarity on your rights\u2014and education is no exception. Whether you’re a new recruit or an experienced staff member, understanding teacher sick pay, maternity leave, pay scales, and employment benefits is essential to feeling secure in your role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each year, thousands of passionate individuals join the teaching profession across the UK\u2014from full-time teachers in primary and secondary schools to support staff and teaching assistants. These education professionals play a vital role in shaping young minds, and knowing what you\u2019re entitled to is part of feeling supported in the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this guide, we\u2019re answering the most frequently asked questions about working in education\u2014from how teachers\u2019 pay scales work for 2024\u20132025, to annual leave, taxes, and national insurance. We\u2019ll break down the details around teacher sick pay, including how statutory sick pay for teachers is handled, what the Burgundy Book sick pay entitlements are, and what sick pay looks like for teaching assistants in the UK. So if you\u2019ve ever wondered what sick pay as a teacher looks like or how maternity leave works, you\u2019re in the right place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do teachers get full sick pay UK?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for any information on teachers’ sick pay and your sick pay entitlements, then you should always refer to the Burgundy Book scheme. This is a national agreement on conditions of service and can provide you with all the information you need. Most local authorities follow the conditions of the Burgundy Book scheme, and it is largely incorporated into individual teachers\u2019 employment contracts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although you should note that teachers working in free schools or academies should check whether their school follows the Burgundy Book scheme conditions and should request a copy of the sick pay scheme from your school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is teacher sick pay? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Teachers are entitled to national sick pay on a sliding scale entitlement set out in the Burgundy Book. This means that the longer your length of service, the more teachers’ sick pay you are entitled to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first year of service:<\/em><\/strong> Teachers are entitled to full sick pay for 25 working days. After they\u2019ve worked there for longer than four calendar months, they\u2019re also entitled to half pay for 50 working days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second year of service: <\/em><\/strong>You\u2019re entitled to full pay for 50 working days and half pay for another 50 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third year of service: <\/em><\/strong>75 working days of full pay and 75 working days of half pay to follow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fourth year onwards: <\/em><\/strong>100 days of full pay followed by 100 days of half pay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sick leave year usually runs from 1 April to 31 March, so this is when each year of service period starts date and end date. But we recommend you check your employer\u2019s sick leave policy to double-check this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teachers are entitled to statutory sick pay (SSP) for up to 28 weeks in any spell of sickness absence. SSP will form part of the full sick pay paid out to teachers, but when teachers move on to half sick pay, they will also be paid SSP. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please note that you may not be eligible for sick pay and maternity pay any earlier if you suffer from a pregnancy-related illness. This will largely depend on the expected week of childbirth and your employer. If you want to learn even more about Teacher’s Pay Scales & Salaries<\/strong><\/mark><\/a>, make sure you check out our Blog<\/strong><\/mark><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Am I entitled to maternity pay as a teacher?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once again, if you\u2019re keen to find out about maternity leave for teachers and teacher maternity pay, then you should check whether the Burgundy Book scheme makes up part of your contract. If not, then you should request more information from your employer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Occupational maternity leave for teachers <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To qualify for occupational maternity pay, you must be: <\/p>\n\n\n\n