broad grade groups
United Kingdom Civil Service
UK Civil Service pay: grade is only the starting point.
Understand the broad Civil Service grades, delegated departmental pay and the separate Senior Civil Service framework for 2026/27.
Pay system at a glance
Start with the structure, then check the employer and place.
Currency: GBP2026/27 guidance
pay below the SCS
SCS pay framework
How the scale works
Grade and progression
1
Broad grades provide a common language
The usual sequence is AA/AO, EO, HEO, SEO, Grade 7, Grade 6 and the Senior Civil Service.
2
There is no universal step table
Departments and agencies set ranges for delegated grades within Cabinet Office and Treasury controls. A departmental band should not be treated as a service-wide scale.
3
The SCS is managed separately
Senior Civil Service pay bands cover Deputy Director, Director and Director General levels, with Permanent Secretary pay handled through its own arrangements.
Why two salaries can differ
Employer, place and coverage
Department or agency
Below the SCS, each in-scope organisation decides how to structure and target pay within the delegated framework.
Location
Some employers publish London and national ranges or location allowances. The exact treatment must come from the vacancy and employer pay policy.
Profession and recruitment pressure
Approved allowances or targeted flexibility may apply to scarce skills, particular professions or recruitment and retention cases.
Newest verified update
Guidance published 21-22 May 2026
The 2026/27 headline figure is not an individual guarantee
The delegated-grade guidance sets a maximum 3.5% Increase in Remuneration Cost for 2026/27. That is a departmental paybill measure. Separate SCS guidance sets current band minima and its own award rules.
Before using a figure
Checks that make the number useful.
- Department: one grade can have different salary ranges across departments and agencies.
- Pay remit: the 3.5% figure is a paybill control, not a guaranteed individual raise.
- Progression: movement through a departmental band is not automatically time-served.
- Current rate: use the employing department's vacancy and pay policy for the applicable figure.
Official sources only
Verify the current rate at source
These links lead to the government or EU authority responsible for the structure, current table or employment framework.
Civil Service grades and salariesThe seven broad grade groups and an explanation that salary varies by department and role.Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance 2026 to 2027Delegated authority, the 3.5% paybill control and pay-flexibility rules.Senior Civil Service Pay Award 2026/27Current centrally managed SCS framework and pay bands.
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