The National Education Union’s general secretary Daniel Kebede has warned that increasing the employer’s contribution to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) is “unacceptable”, after the government confirmed a 5% increase from next April, The Telegraph has reported.

State school pension increases will be funded by the government, but independent schools in the scheme will have to fund the rise themselves.

Kebede warned that independent schools that try to exit the TPS will face industrial action by teachers.

Kebede said: “The NEU will robustly support our members to take all necessary action to defend their terms and conditions.”

Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council, added: “Teachers are hugely valued as the most important resource for schools and nearly three-quarters of many schools’ budgets are spent on staff costs. However, leaders are facing numerous financial pressures, including energy price rises, cost of living pressures and the rise in employer TPS contributions to 28.6 per cent, all of which independent schools have to cover in full.”