Police Officer Pay: “Our members should have a pay deal that is reflective of what they do, what they can’t do and the risks they take”
19 July 2022
All police officers will receive a £1,900 pay rise from 1 September, the Government has announced.
The rise equates to an 8.8% increase for the lowest paid officers – and is equivalent to a 5% overall pay award when all ranks and pay scales are taken into account.
The Home Office said it has accepted the recommendations of the Police Remuneration Review Body in full, saying it reflects “the vital role police officers have on the frontline making our streets safer”.
Mike Reed, Chair of The City of London Police Federation, said: “ “This is most definitely the biggest police pay rise in over 10 years… but then zero – which we have received over too many years - has never been hard to beat.
“A headline grabbing 8.8% pay rise… no that’s not correct. This is only if you are young in service and on a wage that doesn’t reflect the role and responsibilities that you carry. So not really what it says in the tin again.”
“Inflation is at an all-time high, the country struggling…but we have had that excuse for the past 15 years
“Cops up and down the country form the back bone of a system that’s understaffed, undervalued and underpaid.
“But we need to be clear… Police Officers are using foodbanks.
“Now I never class myself as better than others and look down on other services, but our members should have a pay deal that is reflective of what they do, what they can’t do and the risks they take.
“That together with the ever-growing demand placed on them by other failing services where they become the focal point of blame and shame via seconds of edited social media.
“It’s disappointing and divisive that we ‘policing’ are the service that a percentage isn’t applied across the board. Officers on higher pay scales are paid so to encourage retention and they are often the ones with greater financial commitments through partnerships and children. Their cost of living hasn’t been frozen like their wages have for many, many years now.
“It’s no wonder that policing is in crisis, the uplift a lie as people don’t see it as job worth the risk of joining and we now see schemes offering ‘payments’ above this offer to join or transfer… The money can be found when it’s a target or a financial penalty to the force but not for the fair recompense of a hard and often thankless job!
"It’s time for the Police Federation of England and Wales to take action. That’s what cops I speak to want, they want action.”
The Government also announced it has raised the starting salary for officers joining on the Degree Apprentice programme to £23,556 – also from 1 September.
The Dog Handlers’ Allowance will also be increased by 5%.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “It is right that we recognise the extraordinary work of our officers who day in, day out, work tirelessly to keep our streets, communities and country safe.”
In its recommendation to the Government, the PRRB noted concerns about the cost of living on junior ranks.
The Home Office said it would be supporting forces with an additional £350 million over the next three years, from within its existing budget, to help cover the associated costs of the pay award.
