National pay negotiations involving the Universities & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) and the trade unions take place an annual basis. UCEA, which represents 145 higher education employers, including the University of Sussex, conducts collective pay negotiations with the five HE trade unions through the national Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff (JNCHES). 

Following the final negotiating meeting of the 2025-26 JNCHES negotiations round on 15 May 2025, UCEA’s negotiating team has written to the trade unions to confirm the final offer. The offer is 1.4% on all points on the pay spine from 1 August 2025, and the deletion of national Spine Points 5 and 6 of the national JNCHES pay spine (our University has already stopped using these lower Spine Points). 

The offer is now with the trade unions for consideration.  

In accordance with our membership of UCEA, the University awaits the outcome of these national negotiations and then UCEA’s instructions to universities regarding the implementation of a pay award for 2025-26.   

We will provide further updates from UCEA once the trade union feedback is known.