Staff at the cash-strapped University of East Anglia (UEA) will not receive an annual pay-rise after bosses opted to defer the offer as a cost-cutting measure.

University workers nationally are poised to be given a boost in pay for the 2023/24 academic year - although the precise offer is still under negotiation.

However, bosses at the UEA have confirmed its staff will not be included in any rise, whether an agreement is reached nationally or not.

In a move hoped to reduce the need for redundancies, bosses at the university have agreed to defer its staff pay award by 11 months.

It will mean initial payments scheduled to have been made last month, won't be received until January 2024 - and the remainder until July 1 of the same year.

Acting vice-chancellor Christine Bovis-Cnossen said: "This is a very difficult decision and it is not one we wanted to take.

"But if it means we can minimise the need for any compulsory redundancies, then it is the right decision to make at this time.

"We are committed to keeping this under review and should our financial outlook improve, we would like to implement the pay award sooner."

Prof Bovis-Cnossen added that compulsory redundancies remain "a last resort" - but that cost-cutting measures were being finalised and an update was expected at the end of April.

Eastern Daily Press: Michael Kyriacou, of the UEA branch of the UCUMichael Kyriacou, of the UEA branch of the UCU (Image: Michael Kyriacos)

Michael Kyriacou, chairman of the UEA's branch of the Univerity and College Union, said the situation was "complex".

He said: "As a union our stance remains zero redundancies and we will be doing everything in our power to negotiate that.

"The pay offer deferral is complex, because on a national level negotiations are ongoing.

"The university is within its legal right to defer it, but I would have liked the opportunity to put it to my members."