Home Office supports 3.5 per cent police pay award

24 February 2023

Police officers across England and Wales are facing yet another real terms pay cut this year with most public sector workers in line for a pay increase of 3.5 per cent.

Suffolk Police Federation chair Darren Harris has called on Home Secretary Suella Braverman to make police pay a priority after more than 10 years of low or zero increases.

He backed Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s calls for a 10 per cent pay offer and urged other chief constables, including Rachel Kearton at Suffolk, to do the same.

“Some of our members are struggling to make ends meet because of the cost of living crisis and some have decided to quit policing and look for better paid jobs elsewhere,” said Darren.

“Police pay should be a priority for the Government and Home Secretary and it’s not good enough to say ‘we might be able to stretch to 3.5 per cent’ when inflation is running at nearly three times that figure.

“Our members didn’t join the Force to get rich but they do expect to be properly rewarded for the jobs they do and should not have to worry about paying their bills or feeding their families.

“And I think the Home Secretary has to grasp the nettle and bring police pay in line with inflation.

“The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has warned his Force will struggle unless its officers get a 10 per cent pay rise and that applies to every force across England and Wales so I would urge all chiefs to follow his lead and call for such an increase across the board.”

The Home Office has made its formal submission to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) and suggested a 3.5 per cent increase would be affordable.

The PRRB will now consider the evidence before reporting back to ministers with its recommendations in May.

The Police Federation withdrew its cooperation with the PRRB two years ago after questioning its independence in the wake of a zero per cent award.

In its written submission to the PRRB, the Home Office said it was working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) on assumptions on pay and other anticipated pressures. 

It said considering the additional funding available from £17.2 billion 2023/24 police funding settlement, and forces seeking to maximise efficiencies, there was scope for forces to budget up to a 3.5 per cent pay award.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman urged the PRRB to take inflation into account before publishing its final recommendations.

She said: “Pay awards must strike a careful balance - recognising the vital importance of public sector workers while delivering value for the taxpayer, considering private sector pay levels, not increasing the country's debt further and being careful not to drive prices even higher in the future.

“In the current economic context, it is particularly important that pay review bodies have regard to the Government’s inflation target when forming recommendations.”

The NPCC called for a fair deal for officers in its submission to the PRRB.

Pay and conditions lead Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan said: “Police officers deserve fair pay that reflects their unique duties and contribution to society, including their responsibility to run toward danger, as well as recognising that they are restricted in taking on second jobs and are not allowed to strike.”