Further details of the pay and benefits package, announced on the 29 July 2024 are as follows:
2.5% interim pay award:
The 2.5% interim pay award for those employees on point 48 or below of the University pay spine will be implemented in pay slips for staff in October 2024, with a backdated element to 1 August 2024. These payments will continue for relevant employees until the current Cambridge Pay Review project concludes. Backpay will be processed automatically.
Advice on incorporating wording on the 2.5% interim pay award into the recruitment process for relevant posts is available here.
Research Assistants to be paid at point 36 or above:
All existing Research Assistants currently paid below point 36 will be moved up the pay spine to point 36 by 1 October 2024, with backpay to 1 August 2024 where relevant.
Departments should ensure that any future Research Assistants, including those on temporary assignment via TES or CCWS, should be paid no lower than point 36 on the University pay spine.
Family leave policy changes: Increase in enhanced pay for maternity/adoption leave from 18 to 26 weeks full pay; increase in paternity leave from 2 to 12 weeks with full pay:
The Maternity, Adoption, Paternity/Co-Parent and Shared Parental Leave Policies have been updated to reflect the increases to enhanced pay provision. The updated policies are available on the HR website (here).
Employees already on maternity/adoption leave on 1 October 2024 will have the changes applied automatically and updated letters will be produced and sent to the individual, copied to the Department. Departments are not required to submit updated forms.
Employees who are on maternity/adoption leave on 1 October 2024 and receiving full pay will have their full pay extended automatically for an additional 8 weeks.
Employees who are on maternity/adoption leave on 1 October 2024 and receiving statutory maternity/adoption pay or no pay will switch back to full pay until they have received the additional 8 weeks full pay.
Employees who take paternity/co-parent leave on or after 1 October 2024 are entitled to an additional 10 weeks’ full pay. Employees should discuss and agree with their line manager when they will take this additional leave and submit a new paternity/co-parent leave application form (CHRIS/65).
The amount of enhanced pay available for shared parental leave has also increased from 18 weeks to 26 weeks to mirror the enhancements to maternity and adoption pay.
For those employees who are currently on maternity/adoption/shared parental leave or are due to go on family leave shortly, Departments should ask that line managers speak to these employees to ensure that they are aware of how these changes apply to them.
Payment of Visa and NHS surcharge fees for new starters employed on a Skilled Worker or Global Talent Visa from 1 October 2024:
Those employees who start on or after 1 October 2024 who have already paid their fees should also have their claim reimbursed via the payroll team. Departments should use the payroll visa claim form to process the reimbursement. Any new starter who is reimbursed and has taken out a corresponding interest free loan from the University to pay for their own visa/NHS fees, must put these expenses toward repaying the loan, even if the loan also covered their dependents fees. Any partial repayment would subsequently reduce the loan amount and their monthly repayments.
For those new starters who have not yet paid their fees, the Department should contact the Immigration and Compliance Team (Complianceteam@admin.cam.ac.uk) who can issue a virtual credit card which can be given to the new employee. Further details are provided here.
The cost of these fees will be met from existing resources. For new employees paid from existing research grants, it is expected that the recent reduction in USS employer contributions from 21.6% to 14.5% will provide sufficient financial headroom that the grant will cover these additional costs. For new grants, consideration should be given to including these costs within the grant application. If you have any questions please contact your Finance Business Partner. The Research Office will work to ensure that individuals and teams supporting pre-award work are briefed so that, where possible, these costs are incorporated into grant applications.
Academic contribution points:
The removal of the restrictions on contribution increments for academics in Grade 9-11 was approved on 9 August 2024. Consequently, should departments wish to do so, offers to new academics in these grades can be made within the contribution points of the relevant grade. Departments wishing to make an offer at this level must follow the normal starting salary approval process and complete an HR4 form.
Stage 2: implementation of a new pay progression process to enable existing academic staff to progress through the full contribution point ranges in Grades 9, 10 and 11 with effect from 1 October 2025. This later implementation date will allow time to develop the process and seek the necessary approvals. (Notices - Cambridge University Reporter 6751)
If you have any questions, please visit our FAQ page in the first instance. Should you have a question that's not answered on the FAQ page, please contact the Pay Review Project team here.
