Disappointment over Home Office’s pay submission

8 March 2019

POLFED Web

National Chair John Apter has dismissed the late publication of the Home Office’s response to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) as ‘not worth waiting for’.

The Federation evidenced the need for three-year pay deal of 5% uplift in police officer pay this year, followed by a further 5% in 2020/21 and again in 2021/22, as a start on the road to rectifying years of below-inflation pay awards.

However in its PRRB submission, which comes nearly a month after it was expected, the Home Office says it will only make £70 million available, which equates to a pay rise of just 1.3% - considerably less than the recent 2.7% increase awarded to MPs.

John Apter, said: “I wish I could say it was worth waiting for. I wish I could say it had taken the additional weeks to read our published evidence and concede that, in the face of such comprehensive research and analysis, it had decided to agree with us and suggest officers receive 5% per year for each of the next three years. I wish I could, but I can’t.

“Unfortunately, we have waited an additional month to see nothing more than a Home Office PR list of supposed achievements, and no firm recommendations on police pay.”

He continued: “Even the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has done better than 1.3%, as its submission includes options of up to 4.5% this year. Given that the NPCC say this, maybe we can take some hope from the fact the Home Office states it will ‘undertake another assessment of affordability’.

“We have written to the PRRB to express our anger, disappointment and concerns. However, the Home Office submission itself and its lateness will do nothing to instil confidence in police officers that it takes seriously the pay review process.”

Last month (11 February) the Police Federation of England and Wales and the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s made a submission which included options of up to 4.5% this year.

The full Home Office submission to the PRRB can be read here.