Thousands of Wigan workers can expect a backdated payrise after unions won a legal battle

The Prime Minister has bowed to group action from unions to offer millions of taxpayer-funded workers pay rises.

Should the offers be accepted, workers including teachers, Armed Forces personnel and junior doctors will receive pay rises – a move which came after unions took the government to court over its plan to ban certain workers from striking.

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said: “We welcome that our ballot of NASUWT members has now unlocked months of prevarication and brought the government back to the negotiating table.

“The Government has confirmed to us that it will deliver a 6.5% pay award from September to all teachers and school leaders and ensure that schools also receive an additional 3% funding uplift to their budgets in the form of a Teachers’ Pay Grant worth more than £1 billion to deliver the pay award.

“We have also reached agreement that delivers significantly more money for schools in addition to a package of financial support for schools in financial difficulty, worth an extra £40 million.

“We are confident that the additional funding for schools should enable every school and academy in the country to deliver the 6.5% award in full from this September.

“Because of the actions we have taken, NASUWT members can now expect more money in their pockets at a time when the financial pressures on them continue to bite.”