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Rewarding staff: payments, perks and incentives

Understand the financial and non-financial rewards and incentives your school or trust can give to staff as a way of showing appreciation. See what you need to consider to stay compliant.

Updated
on 18 August 2026See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 5099
Contents
  1. Your leaders should speak to your LA or trust before making changes
  2. Payments for teachers
  3. Payments for support staff
  4. You can also offer inexpensive incentives or initiatives 
  5. Establish a staff social fund to pay for 'perks'
  6. See examples of staff perks/benefits packages from schools

Your leaders should speak to your LA or trust before making changes

This article suggests perks or incentives your school or trust could use. 

Before your leadership team changes your pay policy, it’s a good idea for them to speak to your local authority (LA) or academy trust, and get legal or HR advice to check your policy is watertight.

Your school/trust may need to report any employee benefits or expenses, and pay tax or National Insurance on them. Find out more here.

Payments for teachers

Under the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), the relevant body sets recruitment and retention awards for teachers. The 'relevant body' is usually the governing board or the board of trustees. Remember to check your scheme of delegation if you're in a trust. 

Teachers can receive recruitment