Scottish Budget 2025 to 2026: public sector pay policy

Background

The 2025-26 Public Sector Pay Policy sets out the framework for pay increases for staff pay remits and all public appointments including Chairs and Members to Scottish Public Bodies.

The Public Sector Pay Policy for 2025-26 applies to public sector employers with settlement dates in the year between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 (inclusive).

The pay metrics set out in the Public Sector Pay Policy apply to all public sector workforces across Scotland including NHS Scotland, firefighters and police officers, teachers, and further education workers. The Policy applies to core Scottish Government (except senior civil servants, for whom pay is a reserved matter) and 71 public bodies including non-departmental public bodies, public corporations and agencies. A full list of public bodies to which this policy applies is available on the Scottish Government's Public Sector Pay webpages: www.gov.scot/publicsectorpay.

For local government employees, pay and other employment matters are delegated to local authorities.