Police 2021 Pay Rise: Police officers have been slapped in the face, kicked in the stomach and stamped on by this Government

22 July 2021

“Police officers have been slapped in the face, kicked in the stomach and stamped on by this Government…”

Andy Symonds, Chair of Norfolk Police Federation, reacts to the police officer 2021 pay freeze announced by the Government yesterday – on the same day NHS colleagues were awarded 3% pay rise.

Andy said: "I’m not surprised in the slightest that my outstanding, committed and brave colleagues have not only been slapped in the face but kicked in the stomach and stamped on by this Government.

“Warm words mean nothing from the Home Secretary and the Police Remuneration Review Body.

“My colleagues have increasingly suffered both physically and mentally during this pandemic. They’re having to change shifts and short notice, work cancelled rest days, continually late off at the end of shifts just to make the system work. They give so much that goes unnoticed as they care about the vocation of being a police officer.

“Police officers believe in fairness and upholding the law along with integrity and a strong moral compass.

“However there is clearly the opposite set of attributes at work with the current so called independent pay review system that is akin to playing against a body of people who hold all the cards.”

Reporting today, the “independent” Police Remuneration Review Body stated “This year our remit did not include making an overall pay award recommendation” so it did not bother. It also rejected any notion of a “bonus” for officers for their hard work policing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Andy added: “Officers have no industrial rights and accept this with the caveat that we expect to have a fair and robust pay mechanism in which the goal posts cannot be moved at the whim of the Government of the day.

“If the system was truly independent then a pay review body should never be given an instruction from anyone that their remit does not include giving a recommendation on a pay uplift.

“We’ve seen that local government workers and firefighters have been awarded a 1.5% pay uplift and our brave NHS colleagues a 3% uplift.

“So you can understand why my colleagues and I hold the unwavering view that this Government hold us in contempt. The current pay review system is unfit for purpose and must be urgently changed.”

The Police Federation of England and Wales said: “The current pay system for policing is not fit for purpose. We are forced to enter into an inherently unfair process from the start, with the odds weighted firmly in favour of the Government where, it seems, a decision has already been made when they set the parameters for the pay review body.

“It is now essential that we review this process and look to find an alternative. A solution that has the best interests of police officer pay at heart. We will be seeking the views of our members and calling an urgent meeting with our 43 Federation branches from across England and Wales to discuss our next steps.”