This morning, OFGEM, the UK government regulator for electricity and gas markets, approved an 80% increase in the energy price cap. This mean the average household utilities bill is going to increase to £3,549 in October – that’s a £2,149 increase from the same time last year.

UCU represents staff on Grades 6 to 9 and the Professoriate – and for all those on the pay scale (and even above), UCEA’s pay offer of 3% in May 2022 won’t even cover the extra amount you’ll be paying for your gas & electric alone in October – let alone in January and then April, when analysts predict the energy cap will rise to over £5,000.

UCU Bath committee looked at the figures and here is how far the 3% offer set to be implemented will help you meet your increased energy needs:

• At Grade 6, you will only get an extra £838. Less than half of what you need.
• At Grade 7, the £1,060 you will receive is still less than half of what you will need.
• At Grade 8, the £1,302 increase will get you more than halfway, but still around £900 short.
• At Grade 9, your raise of £1,601 will be getting you closer, but still no cigar.
• Even if you are employed at the highest level of the Grade 9 salary scale, the £2,026 increase will still leave you short of what you need.

And that’s just energy.

Households are facing an annual average food bill increase of £454.

Inflation is running at around 12%, predicted to rise to 19% in the new year. Rental costs are going up.

Everything is going up – except our real terms pay.

We are living at a time where a 3% pay increase means a dramatic and, for many, devastating pay cut.

We literally cannot afford to accept a 3% pay “rise”!

We deserve a better deal.  And together, we can win one.