Annual Pay Award and Real Living Wage

Each year, Barnardo’s negotiates an Annual Pay Award with our union, Unison, which is subject to final Board of Trustees approval. This is part of our ongoing commitment to invest in our colleagues, while balancing carefully with affordability, ensuring we can continue to provide vital support for the children and young people who need us most. Read more below.

If you have any questions, read our Annual Pay Award FAQs, Real Living Wage FAQs, speak to your line manager, or contact your local People team.  

The Annual Pay Award (APA) 2024 prioritises those on lower pay grades, considering the competing pressures on our budget, and our commitment to continue paying the Real Living Wage. 

All colleagues at Barnardo's receive at least the Real Living Wage. As a result, colleagues on the lowest Pay Grades (predominantly Grade F, which is aligned to the Real Living Wage), will receive an increase in April 2024 as the Real Living Wage rate rises. 

We are offering most other colleagues an Annual Pay Award increase of either 1% or 2%, with those on lower pay grades receiving a higher increase. This will be effective from 1 June 2024 and paid in the June payroll. 

The Annual Pay Award (APA) will see the following increases across our Pay Grades. The Pay Award increase for Grade F considers the related Real Living Wage increase that will be received from April 2024. 

The Real Living Wage is an externally set wage rate, and the only one based on the actual cost of living and is set by the Living Wage Foundation. It’s optional for employers to pay the Real Living Wage and we are proud to be an employer that does.  

The increased Real Living Wage rates are £13.15 an hour in London and £12 elsewhere.

Read/watch our quick explainer below to help you better understand what the Real Living Wage is. You can also view and download the explainer on Stream. 

Over the last four years, we have increased colleagues’ pay, considering the high-inflation environment.