Legal challenge on pay review

25 January 2019

The Police Federation’s application to lodge a Judicial Review over the Government’s failure to fully implement the pay review body’s recommendation on officers’ pay increase in 2018 has been accepted.

A hearing is likely to be heard in the summer.

National Federation secretary Alex Duncan said yesterday: “We welcome this positive news and will now be working hard to prepare and plan for this important issue.”

The Police Remuneration Review Body had recommended a three per cent rise from September last year but the Government only awarded two per cent, though the Federation has argued this is only worth 0.85 per cent in real terms.

At the time of announcing the Federation was seeking legal redress, national Federation chair John Apter said: “Police officers must be treated fairly and have confidence that any independent pay recommendations will be accepted in full by the Home Secretary.

“I know the deep sense of anger felt by many of our members about the way they have been treated. This is why we have taken this action and make no apology for doing so. Doing nothing was simply not an option and it is right and proper that we legally challenge this unfairness.”

• The 0.85 per cent is derived from the fact that only one per cent of last year’s two per cent increase was consolidated. That one per cent has now been removed by the Government for this year’s pay award so, taking into account pension contributions, the actual uplift is worth approximately 0.85 per cent to constables.