Pay increase: ‘a step in the right direction’

22 July 2020

The 2.5 per cent pay award announced yesterday is just the first step towards improving police officers’ salaries after the years in which austerity measures saw their wages fall by 18 per cent in real terms, says the chair of West Mercia Police Federation.

Sarah Cooper welcomed the pay rise, which applies across the ranks and comes into effect on 1 September 2020, but also the fact that the Government had fully accepted the recommendations of the Police Remuneration Review Body (PPRB), something it has not always done in the past.

“It is encouraging that the Government has finally taken on board the findings of the PRRB in making this pay award,” says Sarah, “Back in February, the Police Federation of England and Wales and the Police Superintendents’ Association made a joint submission to the independent review body and, among other things, called for a five per cent pay rise.

“Since the submission the country has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic and the economy has suffered. However, it is absolutely right that the Government has sought to acknowledge the significant contribution made by my colleagues and other public sectors workers who made personal sacrifices and faced additional risk by remaining on the front-line to provide essential public services during the crisis

"This pay rise is a step in the right direction in terms of restoring officers’ pay to a level that adequately reflects their unique role in society, the dangers they face and their commitment to serving the public.

“The Police Federation will continue to fight for improved pay deals once the economy allows.”

Sarah’s views reflect those of the national chair of the Police Federation, John Apter, who said: “With the economic vulnerability we face as a country, many colleagues will be relieved to receive a 2.5 per cent pay increase - anything lower would have been completely unacceptable.”

The pay rise will mean a constable will receive an extra £1,100, taking into account salary plus allowances, of pensionable pay a year from 1 September this year.

The Government also announced: 

• London Weighting and the dog handlers’ allowance would increase by 2.5 per cent too
• The lowest point on the sergeants’ pay scale would be removed
• The maximum rate of London Allowance would increase by £1,000 to £5,338 a year for officers appointed on or after 1 September 1994 and not receiving replacement allowance.