When the 2020/21 pay increase came into effect on 1 September this year significant and important changes were made to the pay scales of Sergeants.
The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) agreed the lowest pay point on the sergeants’ pay scale would be removed. The intention of this change is to increase the gap between the top pay point of the constables’ pay scale, and the bottom point of the sergeants’ pay scale.
This change was made to address difficulties found in recruiting constables into the rank of sergeant. The increase in pay being seen by potential sergeants as not being attractive enough to take the steps needed to attain the higher rank.
This issue has been further highlighted by Operation Uplift, the current recruitment program, which aims to recruit 20,000 new officers by March 2023.
PFEW welcomes this change between the pay scales as it is a positive way of encouraging career progression.
The following approach has been taken to implement the removal of the lowest sergeants’ pay point and will ensure there is no leapfrogging:
• Pay point 1 on the sergeants’ pay scale is removed with effect from 1 September 2020
• On 1 September 2020 all sergeants who were on pay point 1 were moved to pay point 2 – this will become their new incremental date (i.e. they will move to pay point 3 on 1 September 2021 having reckoned 12 months’ service on that pay point and subject to a satisfactory PDR or equivalent)
• Constables promoted to Sergeant after 1 September 2020 will be placed on what was pay point 2 and will move to the next pay point once they have completed 12 months’ service on that pay point and subject to a satisfactory PDR or equivalent. (This will usually be the anniversary of their promotion but may be earlier if they have previously undertaken periods of temporary promotion in the rank of sergeant)
• There will be no change to incremental progression in respect to pay points 3 and 4: ie officers have to complete 12 months’ service at each pay point & subject to a satisfactory PDR or equivalent.
