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The Welsh Government has rejected independent recommendations to give teachers a 4.25% pay rise, proposing a lower 3.5% increase instead.

Education minister Anna Brychan confirmed she will consult on the lower 3.5% figure for teachers and school leaders when terms resume in September. Unqualified teachers will see a 5% increase under the proposals.

The Independent Welsh Pay Review Body (IWPRB) had recommended a flat 4.25% raise for all salaries and allowances across Wales from September 2026.

Ms Brychan said the independent panel’s recommendation was “not affordable within existing budgets” and warned that unfunded awards would hit school staffing numbers.

The decision means the Welsh Government has matched the lower pay trajectory set in England, sparking fierce criticism from trade unions over the erosion of Welsh devolution.

TUC Cymru general secretary Laura Doel said the Welsh Government had chosen to “disregard” evidence-based advice from employers and unions.

Ms Doel said: “The Welsh Government has stepped away from a Wales-led approach and opted to follow England.

“Choosing to pay hard-working teachers and school leaders less than an independent review body recommends sets a worrying precedent.”

The pay dispute comes amid tightening local authority budgets across Wales, with councils already struggling to balance education spending against rising costs.

Ms Brychan pledged the Welsh Government would provide “additional funding” to local authorities to cover the 3.5% award.

However, the TUC warned that the offer fails to address a wider, systemic financial crisis in Welsh classrooms.

Ms Doel said: “Chronic underfunding is already placing significant pressure on budgets, particularly through the failure to adequately fund Additional Learning Needs provision.

“If the Welsh Government is serious about attracting and keeping the skilled staff our children need, it must invest properly in both school budgets and the workforce.”

A formal consultation on the 3.5% pay award will begin in September.