A public sector pay freeze shows how easily the Government forget the hard work put in, says Federation

20 November 2020

Freezing the pay of millions of public sector workers – including police officers – would show how easily the Government has forgotten about their work combatting Covid-19, the Chair of Hampshire Police Federation has said.

It has been widely reported today that the Government is considering announcing a public sector pay freeze in next week’s Spending Review to cover the UK’s deficit in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.

Zoe Wakefield, Chair of Hampshire Police Federation, said: “It does feel like the Government have forgotten about the key role that police officers have played in this pandemic, the additional challenges they have faced and continue to face and the sacrifices they have made.

“To face a pay freeze, on top of 18% real terms pay cut police officers took from 2011 is clearly unfair. Police officers have put themselves and subsequently their families at risk in order to keep the public safe and for the Government to not recognise this, makes my colleagues feel like they are not valued.”

During the last recession, from 2011, public sector workers were subjected to a pay freeze and then a pay cap for a number of years.

This resulted in an 18% real-terms pay cut for hard working police officers.

Police Federation of England and Wales National Chairman John Apter said today: “During the pandemic, the Government has thanked and celebrated members of the public sector; to freeze their pay and penalise these same workers would be morally bankrupt, unforgivable and a betrayal.”

“Yes we’re in tough times, but this would be extremely damaging for those very key workers the Government has applauded over the past several months.

“After [nearly] a decade of public sector pay freezes/caps, this would be an unforgivable decision if it were to happen, the Government must stop and think before doing this.”

When questioned, the Treasury declined to comment on the reports but pointed to language used by Rishi Sunak in a letter about the Spending Review in July.

The letter outlined that in the "interest of fairness we must exercise restraint in future public sector pay awards, ensuring that across this year and the spending review period, public sector pay levels retain parity with the private sector".

It has been reported that nurses and doctors will be exempt from the future pay freeze.

In 2020, police officers received a 2.5% pay rise.