Hundreds of teaching staff across Sheffield have received compensation agreements after years of underpayment within the education sector.

Around 1,000 school employees across 38 schools were granted equal pay settlements on 23 April after receiving wage underpayment since 2018.

Sheffield City Council is expected to pay out millions of pounds in backpay in the summer for all workers who have been affected.

Ann Whittaker, Liberal Democrat Councillor and group spokesperson for the Education, Children and Families policy committee, said: “Obviously we want equality in pay for all sectors.

“Hopefully at the end it will all work out but it will be interesting to see how it all pans out.”

A staggering 90% of the wage concerns have predominantly affected women within the schooling sector, with teaching assistants and office workers being the main concern.

Teachers have reportedly not faced any pay inequalities.

The women who have suffered underpayment are known to have been doing equal work to men who had received the correct payment.

Coun Whittaker said: “Councillors are now committed to equity and better systems.

“It’s been a lot of work for the officers involved.”

All staff have now been contacted by the council.

Those affected could see up to five figures hitting their bank accounts, but all payments will be subject to tax and national insurance contributions.

Coun Whittaker added: “If you get a lot of backpay you’re going to think it’s wonderful but if not, then you won’t.”

All the schools were put under the Sheffield role review programme which is a council led initiative to address historic pay inequalities.

This comes after GMB raised the issue with Sheffield city council in September 2025.

The equal pay agreement was made last year in connection with three unions: Unison, GMB and Unite.

However, the list of schools to receive payments is now lower than was previously expected last year as six schools are now academies and eight schools have not completed the data assurance process.

Since 2025, Unison and the council have worked together to assess female roles against male roles to see if there was a pay inequality.

Trade unions also worked alongside Sheffield city council to identify where staff were legitimately eligible for repayments.