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Teachers in state schools are usually paid according to the teaching pay scales, but your salary can be topped up with a teaching and learning responsibility (TLR) payment.

TLR payments are awarded if you’ve taken on added responsibility, such as becoming head of year or head of department. When you are paid a TLR, you receive an additional payment on top of your standard salary.

What are the different types of TLR payments?

TLR payments fall into three categories. TLR1 and TLR2 payments are awarded to teachers undertaking sustained additional responsibility. TLR3 payments are awarded to teachers taking on a time-limited school improvement project or one-off responsibility.

• TLR3 payments range from £706 to £3,477
• TLR2 payments range from £3,527 to £8,610
• TLR1 payments range from £10,173 to £17,215

Full range of TLR payments:

How are TLR payments determined?

The government has confirmed that by September 2026 at the latest, TLRs will be paid to teachers according to the proportion of responsibility they carry out, rather than their contracted hours. This means that if they take on just a portion of the role, they will receive the relevant portion of remuneration.

Currently, a part-time teacher who takes on the full responsibility of a TLR is typically paid pro rata - according to the total number of hours they work, rather than the portion of the additional role they do.

This update comes after the School Teachers’ Review Body recommended this change to allow for greater flexibility, with education secretary Bridget Phillipson saying it will “improve equality of opportunity for part-time workers, better enabling them to move into leadership roles”.

Do I qualify for a TLR payment?

To get a TLR2 payment, teachers must show that they have a specific responsibility, which focuses on teaching and learning and needs professional skill and judgment. This responsibility must exceed that of the standard classroom teacher and should be clearly defined in your job description.

Usually, teachers are promoted to a position with a TLR attached to it. When a job is advertised, the TLR payment will be stated in the advert.

To qualify for a larger TLR1 payment, you must meet all the criteria for TLR2 as well as being a line manager for a significant number of people.

A teacher cannot receive both a TLR1 and TLR2, but a teacher can receive a TLR1 or TLR2 and a TLR3.

Will I also be given extra PPA time if I have a TLR?

If you have a TLR 1 or 2, schools will also give you extra planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time to complete your role. The amount of extra PPA time you get will depend on the role and is down to the discretion of the school.