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What you鈥檒l get

The targeted retention incentive ranges from 拢3,000 to 拢6,000, for the 2025 to 2026 academic year, depending on the school you teach in.

You can apply from autumn in the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

Eligible teachers of the following subjects can claim a targeted retention incentive payment for teaching in eligible state-funded secondary schools:

• chemistry
• computing
• mathematics
• physics

When to apply

You can apply from autumn in the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

Use the table to find out when you can apply for a targeted retention incentive payment. If you completed postgraduate initial teacher training (ITT), use the academic year your ITT course started. If you completed undergraduate ITT, use the academic year your ITT course finished.

ITT course start or finish	Academic year in which to apply
2020 to 2021	2025
2021 to 2022	2025
2022 to 2023	2025
2023 to 2024	2025
2024 to 2025	2025

The聽academic year normally runs from 1 September to 31 August. Some ITT courses may start slightly earlier, such as from 1 June, but should be treated as starting in the following academic year. Applications open in September of the year shown.

You will not be able to make a claim for a specific year once the application window for that year has closed.

Eligibility criteria

You must meet the eligibility criteria to be able to claim any additional payments.

From autumn 2025, you鈥檒l be able to answer some questions to find out what additional payments you鈥檙e eligible to claim.

Learn more about what additional payments are available.

School eligibility and payment amount

Targeted retention incentive 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鈥檒l receive a higher payment.

(CSV, 703 KB)

We have produced a (PDF, 118 KB, 2 pages) that 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 or computing on the JACS 3.0 principal subject codes or with a relevant (ODS, 9.25 KB)
• 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鈥檒l be eligible if you completed one of these qualifications.

QTS and QTLS

You must have either:

• qualified teacher status (QTS)
• qualified teacher learning and skills (QTLS) status and membership of the Society for Education and Training

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

If you鈥檙e employed by a 16 to 19-only academy or school, you should check your eligibility for the targeted retention incentive for FE teachers.

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 and independent school teachers

If you鈥檙e a supply teacher, you must:

• be employed directly by the school
• have been working for at least one term before applying

If you鈥檙e employed by a private supply-teaching agency or teach in an independent school, you鈥檙e not eligible.

Part-time teachers

If you鈥檙e a part-time teacher, you鈥檙e eligible for the same targeted retention incentive payment amount as a full-time teacher.

You still need to meet all the eligibility criteria.

Breaks in teaching

You鈥檙e still eligible if you have some breaks in your normal employment such as:

• sickness
• maternity, paternity, parental or adoption leave

You should apply for payments as usual during these breaks before the claim window closes each year.

Performance

You must not currently be subject to any:

• formal performance measures as a result of continuous poor teaching standards
• disciplinary action

Payments

We make the payment in one lump sum.

If you鈥檙e eligible for both the targeted retention incentive for FE teachers and the targeted retention incentive for school teachers, you can only claim one of these additional payments in the same academic year.

However, if you鈥檙e eligible to聽claim back your student loan repayments, you鈥檒l be able to claim these as well as a targeted retention incentive payment.

Taxable income and National Insurance

We鈥檒l pay National Insurance and basic rate Income Tax for the payment on your behalf. If you are or become a higher-rate taxpayer, you鈥檒l need to pay any Income Tax at the higher rate through PAYE.

The payment is not part of your salary from your employer. You, your employer or the government will not make a contribution to your pension as part of this payment.

Your payment, along with the Income Tax and National Insurance contributions paid on your behalf, will all count towards your income. You should consider how this will affect any other benefits or tax credits.

Student loan deductions

If you have a student loan you鈥檙e currently paying off, a deduction will go towards repaying it. This is automatically taken from your payment.

Contact

For any queries about targeted retention incentive payments, email:
[email protected].