The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has called for officers to receive a thank you payment for their hard work and the extreme risks they have taken policing the pandemic. 

The request forms part of PFEW’s annual submission to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB), the independent body which advises the Government on police pay.

In conjunction with the Superintendents’ Association, this year’s submission calls for officers to be awarded a 3 per cent pay increase and receive a special payment which recognises the risks they have taken to protect the public during the Covid-19 pandemic.

PFEW National Secretary, Alex Duncan, said: “We know that calling for an increase in officer pay when the Chancellor has already announced that there should be a public sector pay freeze may seem fruitless.

“However, police officers have been at the forefront of this pandemic and continue to put themselves and their families at risk, working long hours every day to keep the public safe during these unprecedented times.”

PFEW has questioned whether the decision taken by the Government to not award a pay increase is one of economic necessity, especially when the Spending Review awarded forces sufficient money for officers to be recognised for the work they have done in protecting the public.

Alex Duncan continued: “The Home Secretary states in the remit letter that the Government has only taken this decision in extraordinary circumstances, however, this is the fifth out of seven PRRB rounds that vital evidence has been completely disregarded. You cannot blame us for questioning whether this process is effective.

“Vital work goes into informing submissions made to the PRRB, and it is disheartening to see this being ignored time and time again.”

On the basis that there is scope in a budget for an uplift, and that the private sector has rewarded its key workers with thank you payments, PFEW seek that a 3 per cent pay rise is awarded to all officers and advises the Government to strongly consider a thank you payment to recognise the selfless and relentless work police officers do every single day.

You can find out more information about the work of the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) here.

View PFEW's full submission here.