Salary, increments and pension schemes

SALARY

Salary will be paid in accordance with the appropriate national salary scales for universities and will be determined and notified to members of staff on their appointment and on the occasion of national salary scale revisions. Revisions which are backdated shall be paid to any member who has left in the interim upon request.

Salaries are paid in arrears in 12 monthly payments (unless otherwise stated in the contract of employment) by bank transfer. Payments of salary occur on the 27th of each month or the preceding working day if the 27th falls on a weekend or bank holiday. Special arrangements for early payment may be made for December payroll. Members of staff shall be notified in writing of their salaries each month. Deductions from salary will be made in respect of national insurance contributions and benefits, income tax and superannuation at the statutory or regulation rates.

Where appropriate, London allowance shall be added to the member’s salary. This allowance is pensionable.

View Birkbeck's salary scales.

Further details on salary payments can be found on the Finance connect site (Birkbeck staff only).

INCREMENTAL DATE

Increments on scales are normally payable on 1 October each year until the maximum non-discretionary point of the grade is reached for those who maintain continuity of service.

There is no incremental scale for Professorial staff but Professors will not receive a salary lower than the nationally agreed minimum.

The first increment after appointment will be awarded on 1 October following unless otherwise indicated on appointment. The next incremental date shall be taken into account when the starting salary is set. Staff appointed after 1 April will have an incremental date of 1 October in the following year.

OVERPAYMENTS

Birkbeck will recover any accidental over-payment of wages made to the staff member by making a series of deductions from his or her pay which are small enough not to cause the staff member undue hardship and are repaid by him or her over a reasonable timescale.

PENSION SCHEMES

Birkbeck participates in two pension schemes:

• USS (Universities Superannuation Scheme) for staff in the following categories: academic, research, teaching and scholarship, and professional and support staff from grade 7 onwards
• SAUL (Superannuation Arrangements of the University of London) for professional and support staff up to grade 7.

Members of staff eligible for membership will be auto-enrolled into the appropriate scheme and will be required to contribute to the scheme according to the scheme rules. Birkbeck will contribute an additional sum in order to finance the benefits of the scheme. Members of staff who do not wish to continue membership of the appropriate scheme can opt out during the first month of employment by completing an opt-out form found on the Finance website. 

Members of staff who opt out of the scheme will join the Additional State pension. 

Further details on the pension schemes, including scheme guides and forms, can be found in the Pensions section of the Finance connect site (Birkbeck staff only).