Defra vs Environment Agency: a decision aid
The Environment Agency uses its own banded framework (EA Reward Framework). Mapping it to Civil Service grading: EA Band 4 is broadly HEO, Band 3 is SEO, Band 2 is Grade 7.
Grade mapping
EA Band 5 ≈ EO, Band 4 ≈ HEO, Band 3 ≈ SEO, Band 2 ≈ Grade 7, Band 1 ≈ Grade 6. The mapping is approximate; salary at the same nominal band varies because EA carries operational allowances (estate, on-call, equipment).
Reward Framework specifics
The EA Reward Framework allows market-supplement payments for scarce skills (hydrogeology, modelling) but rarely for general conservation specialists. EA conservation posts are also more often permanent than the Defra ALB average (about 18 percent FTC in our sample vs about 22-30 percent at Defra core and Natural England).
Day-to-day operational profile
EA operational roles often involve field-based regulatory and incident-response work; Defra core conservation roles are usually office or hybrid policy work. Career-moves between the two are common at SEO and above.
Pension
Both use alpha at 28.97 percent employer rate; pension parity is exact.