Question 1

What is the take-home pay for an M1 teacher in 2026-27?

Accepted Answer

An M1 teacher in England (outside London) earns £31,650 gross and takes home £23,486/year (£1,957/month) after income tax, National Insurance and 7.4% Teachers Pension Scheme contributions.

Question 2

How does the Teachers Pension Scheme affect M1 take-home?

Accepted Answer

At M1, TPS contributions at 7.4% deduct approximately £2,342/year from gross pay. This reduces taxable income and builds a defined benefit pension — far more valuable than an equivalent salary increase.

Question 3

How much more does an M1 teacher earn in Inner London?

Accepted Answer

The Inner London allowance adds £6,479 to gross pay, giving £38,129. After tax, NI and TPS, the Inner London take-home is approximately £28,151/year (£2,346/month) — about £4,665 more per year than outside London.

Question 4

What is the pay progression from M1 to M6?

Accepted Answer

The main pay scale runs from M1 (£31,650) to M6 (£41,333) outside London. Take-home rises from £23,486 to £30,002. Performance-related progression is typically one point per year.

Question 5

Should an M1 teacher consider opting out of TPS?

Accepted Answer

TPS is a defined benefit pension with employer contributions of around 23.7%. Opting out increases short-term take-home but sacrifices significant long-term retirement value. Independent financial advice is recommended before opting out.

Scale	Gross/yr	Take-Home/yr	Take-Home/mo
M1	£31,650	£23,486	£1,957
M2	£33,483	£24,724	£2,060
M3	£35,196	£25,880	£2,157
M4	£37,099	£27,154	£2,263
M5	£39,178	£28,549	£2,379
M6	£41,333	£30,002	£2,500
UPS1	£44,329	£32,025	£2,669
UPS2	£45,415	£32,761	£2,730
UPS3	£46,525	£33,512	£2,793

M1 Teacher Salary Take-Home 2026-27

All Teacher Pay Scales 2026-27 — England Outside London

London Pay Supplements — M1 2026-27

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Teacher Pay Scales