Officers Get ‘Raw Deal’ As Pay Is Again Influenced By Government

12 February 2024

The police pay system is set up so that officers get a raw deal and have no meaningful process to negotiate, the Chair of Norfolk Police Federation has said.

He was speaking after Home Secretary James Cleverly wrote a letter to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB). In it, he reminded the PRRB that last year it recommended “historically high pay awards” for police officers and that this year it was vital that pay review bodies consider the “Government’s affordability position”.

Norfolk Police Federation Chair Andy Symonds said that this proved the PRRB was not independent. The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) withdrew from the PRRB process in 2021.

Andy said: “Once again I find it frustrating that the so-called independent pay review body can have its terms of reference set by the Government. This is not a fair system for deciding on officers’ pay and conditions.

“In fact the pay award in September was still below-inflation, so in real terms it was a pay cut. Police officers have seen their pay and conditions being eroded over many years – our pay has declined by over 20% since 2010. 

“This is why PFEW is seeking the views of its members on whether there should be a significant change to the pay review process – we need a seat at the negotiation table.

“We feel, as do all of the members we’ve talked to, that the system is set up so that police officers get a raw deal and we have no meaningful process to negotiate our pay and conditions.

“That’s unlike pretty much every other worker. We’ve seen the Government go back to the negotiating table with nurses and doctors – something that police officers are unable to do. We have no industrial rights whatsoever. So all we’re asking for is a form of industrial rights that gives us a seat at the negotiating table, like others have.”