Federation backs Met chief’s call for 10 per cent police pay uplift

23 February 2023

Nottinghamshire Police Federation is backing calls by the head of the Metropolitan Police for a 10 per cent pay rise for officers this year.

Branch chair Simon Riley said: “Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Commissioner, is saying he faces an impossible challenge to meet recruitment targets and hold on to his officers while police pay continues to lag so far behind inflation. He is dead right.

“We have seen police pay steadily eroded over the last decade and we now have colleagues who are protecting communities 24-7 and struggling to put food on the table. We know there is exceptional pressure on the public purse right now, but the police – unlike other public sector workers – cannot strike.  A 10 per cent rise in pay should be the minimum considered, to bring us into line with current inflation.  Even that though would not make up for the real terms pay cuts suffered by our members since 2010.

“We have to rely on Government to treat us with fairness, and so far this has not been happening. We welcome Sir Mark’s comments and would encourage other police leaders to speak out as well.”

Last year, officers received an average five per cent increase (still well below inflation) and in the Home Office’s submission to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) this year, it notes that funding provided through the 2023/24 police funding settlement is higher than agreed at Spending Review 2021, which included a provisional assumption of a two per cent pay increase.

The submission goes on to say that its assessment is “there is scope for forces to budget up to a 3.5 per cent pay award” so long as efficiencies are achieved.

The Police Federation of England and Wales no longer makes a submission to the PRRB, having withdrawn and called for the process to be replaced with a “truly independent” body.

In his comments, Sir Mark said he was being “ruthless” in removing rogue officers, but he also needed “to recruit, develop, motivate and retain the talent of tens of thousands of fantastic men and women,” adding, “This is becoming increasingly hard — perhaps not surprising when a cost of living crisis lands on top of a 17 per cent real terms decrease in pay over the past 10 years for frontline officers.”