Buckinghamshire Council rewards and recognises length of service not just continuous service. 

• 10 years' service is £100
• 15 years' service is £150
• 25 years' service is a gift to the value of £300

10 and 15 year awards - the 10 and 15 year awards are financial monetary awards and are paid alongside your salary.

25 year award - the 25 year award is a gift to the value of £300 and is funded from the schools budget. The Headteacher will need to follow the relevant process mentioned below to check if the employee is nearing an award.

Bucks Pay - for Bucks Pay employees in a Buckinghamshire Council School, the 10 and 15 years' service awards are paid automatically alongside the employee's salary in the month of the anniversary.

Teachers - the awards are not paid automatically for teachers.

Schools which have moved to Academy status should still pay the Service to Bucks Award to Bucks Pay employees as it is a contractual requirement.

Schools which have moved to Academy status may choose (as it is not contractual) to pay the Service to Bucks Awards to teachers.

Buckinghamshire Council schools

This process only applies to BC Schools that purchase the Buckinghamshire Council Payroll Service.

10-15 year service awards

These are paid automatically to Bucks Pay employees alongside your salary and are based on the service dates held on your employee record. If you believe you should have received an award please speak to your line manager in the first instance.

Process

The school will receive an automated email informing them of the employee’s anniversary and will the need to do the following:

1. Prepare a letter congratulating the employee on the long service award and confirm the amount of the award and how it is paid. 

Template Letter for 10 and 15 Years' Service Award (Schools) Download document

How it's charged

For schools that buy HR and Payroll Services from Buckinghamshire Council, the award will be charged directly to the School budget.

Schools that do not purchase HR and Payroll Services from Buckinghamshire Council will need to contact their current payroll provider to make the payment to the employee.

25 Year service awards

This is a gift to the value of £300

A cash award must not be given to the employee for the 25-year service award as it becomes taxable. The Employee chooses a gift to the value of £300. Employees should not buy the gift directly as reimbursing them for the cost will incur tax for the individual. See Financial Procedures.

Process

The Headteacher will receive an automated email informing them of the employee's anniversary and will then need to do the following:

1. Send a letter to the employee congratulating them on their long service and the value of the award and how to claim the gift. 

Template letter for 25 Years' Service (Schools) Download document

How it's charged

The school should be invoiced directly for the gift from the supplier. Employees should not buy the gift directly as any reimbursement from BC will incur tax for the employee.

Long service awards

Long Service Awards for those employed on School Teachers Pay and Conditions are not contractual.

Awards are made purely at the discretion of the Headteacher.

Payments will only be made on the instruction of the Headteacher to the Payroll service and will not be paid automatically.

Academy schools

This process only applies to Academy Schools that purchase the Buckinghamshire Council Payroll Service

10 and 15 Year service award

Human Resources will notify the Academy School when the employee is nearing 10 or 15 years' service.

Process

1. The headteacher to send an email to hrschoolemployeechanges@buckscc.gov.uk confirming the 10 or 15 Year service award.
2. The payment will then be made alongside the next available salary.
3. Prepare a letter congratulating the employee on the long service award and confirm the amount of the award and how it is paid. 

Template Letter for 10 and 15 Years' Service Award (Schools) Download document

25 Year service award

Human Resources will notify the Academy School when the employee is nearing 25 years' service.

Process

1. The headteacher to send a letter to the employee congratulating them on their long service and the value of the award and how to claim the gift. 

Template Letter for 25 Years' Service (Schools) Download document

How you will be charged

The School will arrange to purchase a gift on behalf of the employee to the value of £300 including VAT.

For the 25 years' Service Award, the employee chooses something to the value of £300. Employees should not buy the gift directly as reimbursing the individual for the cost will incur tax for the individual.