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Freedom of information request

Pay award at The National Archives

Freedom of information request reference
CAS-342820
Request resolved

Request

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding the most recently implemented employee pay award within your organisation.

Please provide the following information:

  1. The percentage pay increase that was implemented for employees under the latest pay award.
  2. If different percentage increases were applied to different grades, pay bands, or employee groups, please provide the percentage increase applicable to each.
  3. The date on which the pay award was formally implemented.
  4. If the pay award was backdated, please provide:
    1. The effective date from which the pay increase was backdated.
    2. The date on which the backdated payment was made to employees.

If any of the requested information is already publicly available, I would be grateful if you could provide a link or direct me to the relevant publication.

Outcome

Information provided.

Response

I can confirm that The National Archives holds information relevant to your request, and we are pleased to be able to provide this information to you.

Your request and our response

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding the most recently implemented employee pay award within your organisation.

Please provide the following information

1. The percentage pay increase that was implemented for employees under the latest pay award.

The National Archives’ pay increase is subject to the rules as set out by the Cabinet Office in the Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance 2025 to 2026. For the last pay award, the overall percentage pay increase was 3.75%, comprised of an increase of 3.25% plus 0.5% allocated to address specific issues. Different percentage increases were applied for different groups, please see 2) below.

2. If different percentage increases were applied to different grades, pay bands, or employee groups, please provide the percentage increase applicable to each.

As part of our commitment to the London Living Wage salaries for our bands A – C were adjusted to reflect London Living Wage. The impact for each individual was determined by their existing salary. In summary:

  • Band A colleagues received over 5%
  • 96% of Band B colleagues received an increase of above 5%, with the lowest % increase being 3.5%
  • 76% of Band C colleagues received an increase of above 5%, with the lowest % increase being 3.25%

Anyone whose pay was below 77% of the median for their role, as determined by market benchmarking, received an additional increase. Again, the level of increase depended on their existing salary.

All other employees received an increase of 3.25%.

3. The date on which the pay award was formally implemented.

The payment was made on 29 August 2025.

4. If the pay award was backdated, please provide:

A. The effective date from which the pay increase was backdated.

1 April 2025

B. The date on which the backdated payment was made to employees.

29 August 2025.

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