GMB union said yesterday that it had “reluctantly” accepted a 3.2 per cent pay offer for school support staff to “avoid delays which could have meant sanctions on members reliant on universal credit.”

It previously rejected the “real-terms pay cut,” saying it was a disgrace that the proposed increase was less than the 4 per cent teachers received and that 77 per cent of 150,000 balloted members had voted against the pay offer from the Local Government Association.

GMB national officer Kevin Brandstatter said that the union, Unison and Unite, which also represent support staff, “will now concentrate on a review of the local government pay spine which is being impacted by increases to the national living wage.”

Unison said that its committee is due to meet later this week to decide whether it backs the deal, with an update due next week, while Unite has rejected the deal.