Government’s police pay rise proposal ‘disgusting’

24 February 2022

Polfed News

The Home Office’s recommendation on the minimum amount police officers could receive in a pay rise this year has been labelled ‘disgusting’.

That is the view of the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) as the Government confirmed police officers will finally receive pay rises over the next three years as the economy begins to recover from the pandemic.

According to its submission to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB), the recent funding settlement provides funding for a pay uplift of “at least two per cent” in the 2022/23 financial year.

But with policing forced to face more than a decade of pay freezes - and below inflation pay rises equating to a 20 per cent real terms pay cut since 2010 - two per cent would be unacceptable, and the bar needs to be set higher.

The situation has had a devastating impact on officers and their families. Our most recent Pay and Morale Survey, released last week, revealed more than one in 10 officers regularly struggled to cover the cost of essential items.

Disenchantment with current salary rewards was also clear, with a record 92 per cent of police officers saying they were not fairly paid for the stresses and strain of their job, while 66 per cent claimed they were unfairly paid compared to other key workers.

Of the 29,587 officers who responded, 95 per cent said their treatment had a negative impact on their morale, while 93 per cent stated they did not feel respected by Government.

National Vice-Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, Ché Donald, said: “Given that police officer pay has fallen by 20 per cent in real terms since 2010, I can only assume the Home Office recommendation of a two per cent pay award to the Police Remuneration Review Body contains a typo and missed out the much needed zero after the two to make 20.

“Anything else is not just grossly unfair, it is disgusting and shows just how little this Government really values police officers.

“After more than a decade of pay caps and freezes, the Police Federation of England & Wales’s Pay and Morale Survey reveals a worsening morale crisis in policing and acts as a health warning for anyone considering joining the service.

“The survey results make clear the financial pressure on police officers, their families and the stress this puts on them just to make ends meet, this is not anecdotal evidence, it is empirical.

“All police officers want is fair and equitable treatment in relation to pay, this recommendation of two per cent comes at a time when inflation is running at five per cent, with National Insurance increases and spikes in energy prices. We will continue to advance our plans to challenge this pay mechanism, which quite frankly, is nothing short of subjugation and servitude."