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Liberal Democrats urge emergency measures to address English teacher workload and retention

A survey commissioned by the party found nearly half of responding teachers are considering quitting within five years, prompting calls for fully funded pay increases and working-hour limits.

Updated Aug 31, 2026 · 02:18 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • The Liberal Democrats have called on Education Secretary Lucy Powell to enact an emergency retention package for teachers ahead of the new school term.
  • A survey of over 900 education professionals conducted with the NEU and ASCL indicated nearly half of responding teachers plan to quit within five years, citing high workloads and burnout.
  • Proposed measures include fully funding a 3.5% September pay raise without drawing from existing school budgets, alongside limits on overtime and mandated flexible working policies.
  • The Department for Education defended its record, noting teacher departure rates last year were among the lowest since 2010 while acknowledging further action is required.

Key facts

  • A survey of more than 900 teachers, headteachers, and SENCOs in England, conducted by the Liberal Democrats alongside the NEU and ASCL, found that almost half of responding current teachers are considering leaving the profession in the next five years.[BBC News]
  • More than three-quarters of survey respondents reported feeling frequently or constantly burnt out at work due to high workloads.[BBC News]
  • Teachers in England are set to receive a 3.5% pay increase starting in September, with half of the increase currently designated to come from existing school budgets.[BBC News]
  • The Liberal Democrats urged the government to fully fund the pay raise, enforce mandated working hours, limit overtime, and require flexible working policies in schools, though they did not specify funding sources for these proposals.[BBC News]
  • The Department for Education reported that last year saw one of the lowest departure rates for teachers since 2010 and highlighted planned pay awards totaling nearly 17% over two years.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • It remains unspecified how the Liberal Democrats intend to fund their proposed emergency package for schools.[BBC News]

Sources