Public sector pay policy

All of the Department of Education’s Arms Length Bodies (ALBs) must comply with the Northern Ireland Executive’s pay policy.

Pay policy

Annual guidance on the application of public sector pay policy is endorsed by the Executive and published each year. The Executive’s Pay Policy, and associated pay remit approval process, applies to the staff costs of all NICS departments, agencies, NDPBs and other public bodies.

The Minister of Finance retains responsibility for monitoring; controlling and approving pay remits for the above staff groupings.  All public bodies, including NDPBs, are required to submit a pay remit pro forma and business case template (via their parent department) to DoF Supply for Ministerial approval.  This applies even if the public body follows the NICS pay award or a nationally determined pay award.

Public bodies covered by the Executive’s Pay Policy must not enter into pay commitments or implement pay awards, including contractual commitments, prior to the appropriate approvals, including DoF Ministerial approval, having been secured.

More information

More information on public sector pay policy can be found at:

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