Chair reacts to NPCC pay award recommendation

19 February 2025

Branch chair Steve Butler says the pay rise recently proposed by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) would be a step in the right direction but maintains there is a long way to go to fully address the long-term erosion of police pay.

Earlier this month, the NPCC announced it had submitted evidence to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) and the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB), advocating for a 3.8 per cent rise in officer pay across all ranks, as well as raising entry-level constable salaries and reviewing pay scales to match skills and experience.

This will help inform the PRRB’s overall pay award recommendation to the Government, which is due to be submitted in the spring of this year.

The NPCC argued its proposed changes would help officer recruitment and retention, which would in turn, give meaningful backing to government projects such as the Safer Streets Mission and the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

West Mercia Police Federation chair Steve Butler.

Steve said: “This is a step forward. Finances are still tough, and policing is no exception - a pay raise of any kind should be welcomed. However, you also have to weigh it up in real terms, and inflation and long-term pay cuts mean there is still a lot of catching up to do."

Within the NPCC’s recommendation package was also an acknowledgement of the high expectations, dangers and restrictions of working in policing and, therefore, the need for the profession to become a more competitive career choice again through better pay.

Pay reform

NPCC Lead for Pay and Conditions, Assistant Chief Officer Philip Wells, said inadequate salaries pose ‘a significant challenge to attracting and retaining’ police officers who are talented but also have ‘the values and standards we need in policing’ – and only a combination of both is good enough to meet the demanding nature of the job.

Echoing these sentiments, Steve added: “This is why we need pay reform over the long term. I appreciate what the NPCC is aiming for and looking towards in this recommendation.

“We want policing to be recognised for the unique challenges it brings, and for this to be reflected in a sustained uplift in pay - firstly because that is simply what officers deserve, and secondly, because it will help recruit and retain officers.

"A pay reflective of the job will motivate the right people to join the Force and - if base pay for all ranks and pay scales are continuously improved - encourage them to progress and grow as officers.”

Evidence base

Meanwhile, the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) is currently in the process of building its own evidence base and preparing a case for this year’s pay award, which is generally applied from 1 September each year.

While no longer having a formal input into the PRRB’s action after withdrawing in 2021, the PFEW still puts forward a case independently on behalf of its membership.

Believing the PRRB process takes government views and financial limitations into account before a recommendation has even reached the point of review, the PFEW has stated it felt the perspectives of its members were too often overlooked and insulated against.

Asked about the possibility of the PFEW taking up a formal relationship with PRRB once more, Steve said: “I think it would be interesting to see how many Federation members across England and Wales feel we should be part of the PRRB process.

National Council

“Has the mood changed? Is the process better now, having withdrawn from the PRRB? If members across the country can’t vote, then I would suggest we get the views of the National Council, to see if we all agree with our current position.

“My priority is ensuring our members’ views are listened to. Ultimately, they deserve a salary that reflects the job they do, the risks they take and the sacrifices they make on a daily basis.”