The BBC has struck a pay deal with its staff that will see the majority given a 4.2% pay rise in August followed by 1% later in the year.
Under pressure after two years of minimal pay increases, the deal will not apply to senior leaders, whose pay is subject to a different process.
Describing the move as “a fair deal to licence fee payers and staff,” the BBC said the increase, which is well below the 7% rate of inflation, has been made possible due to “cutting staff numbers and saving costs.” The BBC’s employee number feel by 1,200 last year.
Last year’s annual pay increase was 1% and in 2020 there was a pay freeze across the BBC due to the impact of the pandemic, meaning the 4.2% rise is the biggest jump since 2019.
“We would rather have fewer people paid closer to the wider media market,” said the corporation. “The BBC will never be able to meet the levels of pay at some of our rivals – and nor should we be expected to – but we are operating in a global market for talent, and without that talent, there are no programmes or content.”
The BBC has also updated its approach to parental support, providing consistency of approach for maternity and paternity leave, along with providing support for carers and women experiencing the menopause.
Director General Tim Davie said: “The BBC is smaller but we also need to attract and retain world class talent, within a reformed, modern and efficient organisation, that provides great value to audiences.”
The corporation has to make savings of around £1.5BN ($2BN) over the next five years and will set out how it intends to do this later this month.