THE Government has confirmed it is pressing ahead with raising pension contributions next year for teachers and civil servants, even though there is no agreement with unions.

Up to 2m public sector workers went on strike last month in protest at the controversial pension changes, and intensive talks have since been held to try to break the deadlocked row.

The Education Department and the Cabinet Office announced last night that changes from next year would go ahead, although further talks will be held about future arrangements.

Unions attacked the announcement, saying increased contributions were being imposed without agreement.

Most teachers will contribute more under the changes, which ministers said were part of the Government’s long-term reforms to control the increased costs of people living longer and to “re-balance” the contributions paid by scheme members and taxpayers.

The changes, which will save £314m from the teachers pension scheme next year (2012-13), are part of the wider £2.8bn savings from public sector pensions by 2014-15 which the Chancellor announced in last year’s Spending Review.

A civil servant on an average salary of £23,760 would lose almost £1,500 next year through the increase in contributions and the public sector pay freeze alone.