Department For Education
We will be opening the service on 25 September this year, as we are working on improvements to make it easier and quicker for you to submit your application.
Register your interest to receive updates about levelling up premium payments if you teach one of the following subjects:
- chemistry
- computing
- mathematics
- physics
Payment
The levelling up premium payment ranges from 1,500 to 3,000, depending on the school you teach in.
You can apply from September in the 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 academic years.
Eligible teachers of the following subjects can claim a levelling up premium payment for teaching in eligible state-funded secondary schools:
- chemistry
- computing
- mathematics
- physics
When to apply
Use the table to find out when you can apply for a levelling up premium payment. If you are a postgraduate, use the academic year your ITT course started. If you are an undergraduate, use the academic year your ITT course finished.
ITT course start or finish | Academic year in which to apply |
---|---|
2018 to 2019 | 2023 |
2019 to 2020 | 2023 and 2024 |
2020 to 2021 | 2023 and 2024 |
2021 to 2022 | 2023 and 2024 |
2022 to 2023 | 2023 and 2024 |
2023 to 2024 | 2024 |
The academic year runs from 1 September to 31 August. Applications open in September of the year shown.
Eligibility criteria
You must meet the eligibility criteria to be able to claim any additional payments.
From 25 September 2023 to 31 March 2024, you will be able to answer some questions to find out what additional payments you are eligible to claim. Even if you are eligible to claim more than one type of additional payment, you will only be able to claim one such payment per academic year.
Learn more about what additional payments are available.
School eligibility and payment amount
Levelling up premium payments are offered to teachers in schools identified as having a high need for teachers. If you teach in an eligible school in an education investment area, you will receive a higher payment.
.
Methodology
We have produced a
which explains our funding approach.Qualifications
To claim, you must have completed at least one of the following:
- an ITT course specialising in mathematics, physics, chemistry or computing
- a UK undergraduate or postgraduate degree related to mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing on the JACS 3.0 principal subject codes or with a relevant
- an equivalent non-UK degree
If you were awarded qualified teacher status (QTS) through assessment only or overseas recognition in an eligible academic year, you will also be eligible.
QTS and QTLS
You must have either:
- QTS
- qualified teacher learning and skills (QTLS) status and membership of the Society for Education and Training (SET)
Employment
You must be employed as a teacher in a state-funded secondary school (or middle-deemed secondary school) in England when you apply for the payment. State-funded schools include:
- local authority-maintained secondary schools
- academies, free schools or multi-academy trusts
- local-authority-maintained or non-maintained special schools
You must have spent at least 50% of your contracted hours allocated to teaching one or more of the eligible subjects at the time of the application.
Supply, independent school and sixth-form college teachers
If you are a supply teacher, you must:
- be employed directly by the school
- have been working for at least one term before applying
If you are employed by a private supply-teaching agency or teach in an independent school or sixth-form college, you are not eligible.
Part-time teachers
If you are a part-time teacher, you are eligible for the same levelling up premium payment amount as a full-time teacher.
You still need to meet all of the eligibility criteria.
Breaks in teaching
You are allowed to have some breaks in your normal employment. These include:
- sickness, maternity, paternity, parental or adoption leave
- annual leave
- time between unfair dismissal and being reinstated
- military service for example, with a reserve force
- temporary lay-offs
Performance
You must not currently be subject to any:
- formal performance measures as a result of continuous poor teaching standards
- disciplinary action
Payments and deductions
Number of payments
The Department for Education (DfE) makes the payment in one lump sum.
You can only claim one additional payment in each academic year, even if you are eligible for more than one type of additional payment.
For example, if you are eligible for both the levelling up premium and early-career payments, you can only claim one of these additional payments in the same academic year.
However, if you are eligible to claim back your student loan repayments, you will be able to claim these as well as a levelling up premium payment or an early-career payment.
Taxable income and National Insurance
DfE will pay Income Tax up to basic rate (currently income of 12,571 to 50,270, taxed at a rate of 20%) and National Insurance for the payment on your behalf.
If you become or already are a higher rate taxpayer, any additional Income Tax and National Insurance contributions for this payment over the higher rate will remain your responsibility. The higher rate is currently income of 50,271 to 125,140, taxed rate 40%.
DfE is not liable to reimburse tax at the higher rate.
You can review the tax bands updated on Income Tax rates and personal allowances.
The payment is not part of your salary from your employe