Legal Challenge mounted by Fed over Police Pay award

8 October 2018

Following the Home Secretary’s failure to honour in full the recommendations of the independent Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB), the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has started proceedings with the Home Office which could lead to a Judicial Review of the decision.

Andy Symonds, Chair of Norfolk Fed, said: "All officers want is for the Government to treat them with fairness and respect, unfortunately this years pay award is the exact opposite. Officers I speak with here in Norfolk are angry and frustrated by this pay award as they're working extremely hard having to pug gaps where once they had a colleague to support them. Officers are constantly late off, their family time has been hit, they are getting assaulted more often and the seriousness of the injuries are increasing. So we would like the Government to recognise this and award officers what the pay review body recommended, we don't want platitudes we'd like to be rewarded fairly."

John Apter, Chair of PFEW, said: “For the second successive year the Home Office has cheated police officers out of the pay increase they should receive; this year officers are being awarded a derisory 2% increase, despite the recommendation of the PRRB - the independent body established by this Government to make evidence-based recommendations on police pay - that it should be 3%.

“In response to this betrayal and based on legal advice, PFEW has instructed solicitors to start Judicial Review proceedings against the Home Secretary on the basis that he has stated that the pay decision was a Government decision and not his decision alone.

“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 challenge this unfairness legally.”