A quoted day rate is only useful if you know what it covers. Compare the role, paid hours, holiday arrangements and payroll method before deciding whether two offers are alike.
IN PLAIN ENGLISH
Ask for your gross pay before your own tax, National Insurance and pension deductions. An umbrella assignment rate is a different figure: it includes costs that are taken out before your gross pay is calculated.
There is no single UK supply rate
Your rate can depend on the role, location, duties, booking and employment arrangement. A classroom-teaching role and a cover-supervisor role may have different pay. Ask for a written breakdown rather than treating an advertised maximum as a promise.
National teacher-pay arrangements also differ. England’s School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document applies to maintained schools; it is not a universal agency day-rate tariff. Wales has its own document, Scotland has SNCT arrangements, and Northern Ireland publishes separate pay circulars. Links are below.
Direct employment and agency work
If a school employs you directly, ask which pay framework and contract apply. If you work through an agency, ask how the rate was set and whether you have qualified for equal treatment under the Agency Worker Regulations. Do not assume an annual teacher salary can be converted into your agency rate using a single universal formula.
Agency payroll and umbrella payroll
Under agency payroll, the agency normally pays you through PAYE. With an umbrella arrangement, the umbrella normally employs and pays you through PAYE. “PAYE or umbrella” can be misleading: both can use PAYE.
An umbrella assignment rate can fund the company’s margin and employer costs before your gross wages are calculated. Your own tax, National Insurance and any employee pension contributions then affect take-home pay. Ask for the key information document and an illustration showing each step. GOV.UK explains umbrella pay.
Check how holiday pay works
Ask whether holiday pay is set aside and paid when you take leave, or paid as an additional amount with wages where the rules permit this. Do not assume that a headline rate includes an extra holiday payment.
In Great Britain, rolled-up holiday pay is permitted for qualifying irregular-hours and part-year workers under the rules for leave years beginning on or after 1 April 2024. It must be shown separately on the payslip; paying it this way does not remove the right to take leave. Eligibility depends on the working arrangement. See the government’s holiday-pay guidance.
Longer placements and pensions
After the qualifying period, eligible agency workers gain equal-treatment rights relating to basic pay and certain working conditions. This is not a guarantee of every benefit received by directly employed staff. Keep records and ask the agency to explain its comparison.
Ask which pension scheme is offered and what contributions apply. Do not assume that working in a school means your pay goes into the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. Pension membership and agency-worker equal treatment are separate questions.
What this means for you
- Confirm whether a quote is gross wages or an umbrella assignment rate.
- Compare the same duties, hours and payroll arrangement.
- Ask whether holiday pay is included, added or paid later.
- Check the first payslip against your written agreement and raise differences promptly.
- Budget for gaps between bookings and check cancellation terms.
Frequently asked questions
Is the highest day rate always the best offer?
Not necessarily. Check the duties, travel costs, paid hours and payroll breakdown. A larger umbrella assignment rate may not mean larger gross wages.
Will I be paid during school holidays?
It depends on your contract and holiday-pay arrangement. Distinguish holiday pay you have earned from any guarantee of wages when there is no booking.
Can my agency wait until the school pays it?
An agency cannot refuse to pay you for work simply because the hirer has not paid. If a timesheet is missing, it can take a reasonable time to establish the hours worked. GOV.UK explains agency payment rights.
This is general information, not personal financial, tax or legal advice. The holiday-pay explanation above concerns Great Britain; check Northern Ireland’s separate rules if you work there.
Related guides
Sources and further reading
- DfE: teacher pay and conditions in England
- Welsh Government: teachers’ pay and conditions
- SNCT: Scottish teacher-pay arrangements
- Department of Education: Northern Ireland pay circulars
- GOV.UK: working through an umbrella company
- GOV.UK: holiday-pay reforms
- GOV.UK: agency-worker pay
- Acas: rights after 12 weeks
Last reviewed: 19 September 2026. Rules and guidance can change.