Pay in the Northern Ireland Civil Service - Year Ending March 2026

Date published: 17 September 2026

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) today published the report “Pay in the Northern Ireland Civil Service – March 2026”. The statistics relate to basic pay, and the emphasis is on 2026, and trend information covering the period 2016-2026.

In considering the findings, it should be noted that any increases in pay can be due to normal progression up a pay scale (for those who are not at the maximum of their scale) and changes to pay scales. Differences in median pay do not mean one group is paid less than another group, differences are a result of the staffing profile of the NICS. All staff in the NICS are paid within the same range according to grade.

The key findings are as follows:

• The overall NICS 2025 pay award included a 6.0% increase to, and the removal of the minimum pay point from some pay scales. Eligible staff who had not yet reached the top of their pay scale, mainly Senior Civil Service grades, also moved up their scale through normal progression.
• The median (i.e. midpoint) pay for NICS staff is £34,231, an increase of 8.2% since March 2025. This does not mean that staff received an average pay rise of 8.2%; rather, it reflects changes in the NICS staffing profile, including more staff in higher-paid grades and progression within pay scales, which together have increased the midpoint of NICS pay.
• Pay of £28,094 would put someone in the bottom 10.0% of NICS staff, whereas pay of £61,673 would put someone in the top 10.0% of NICS staff.
• There continues to be a gap between male and female pay in the NICS – the median pay for females is 2.0% lower than the median pay for males. The primary reason for the gender pay gap is because a higher proportion of females are in lower paid grades.
• However, at individual grade level in the NICS, the gender pay gap is less pronounced. For example, the median pay for males and females at EOII and EOI grades are the same.

• With regard to community background, there is a gap between Protestant and Catholic pay in the NICS. The median pay for Catholic staff is 2.0% lower than the median pay for Protestant staff. Community background pay gaps, similar to gender pay gaps, can arise from a range of factors including differing proportions of staff across the grades. 

  The report and associated infographic are available on the NISRA website at: https://www.nisra.gov.uk/statistics/ni-civil-service-human-resource-statistics/pay-statistics