8 MARCH 2023 | NEWS
The Police Federation of England and Wales has this evening announced a demand for a sizeable pay increase, citing restrictions on their right to strike as one reason why police officers’ salaries are lower than they expect.
On behalf of the over 139,000 officers it represents, it claimed the Government could “no longer sit by and ignore our members’ basic needs”. It referred to research by the Social Market Foundation to describe its demands as a “wake-up call to policy-makers”.
The research shows that police officers’ salaries have been around 20% short of inflation for the past two decades, with starting salaries for new constables remaining consistently lower when measured across the national workforce.
The PFEW further noted a 4% rise in MPs’ salaries over the same period.
Another observation was that an inability to take industrial action for these staff creates a “distinct disadvantage” compared to other emergency service professions, adding that there are unique obligations shouldered by law enforcement officers that should be fairly compensated, in its view.
The development follows a wave of pay demands and strike action by a range of trade unions, including teachers, doctors and public transport staff, since the cost-of-living crisis became apparent.
The Chair of the Federation, Steve Hartshorn, said: “For a long time now, the Police Federation of England and Wales has been working to achieve better pay and working conditions for our members.
“Police officers put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect their communities.
“That is why today our National Council has taken the decision to call for a minimum of 17% increase in pay for our officers.
“The Government can no longer sit by and ignore our members’ basic needs and must recognise the impact of this independent research.
The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB), as the independent body for making recommendations on police officer pay to the Government, has made its recommendation to this effect and the Government is due to respond in July. It provides independent advice to the Government on pay and conditions for police officers at or below the rank of Chief Superintendent.
While the Government is obliged to take its submission into account, it is not required to implement it.
The development follows similar advice given in the PRRB’s report from last year, in which it recommended a pay award for all police officers in 2022/23, along with a £1,900 increase in annual salary across all pay points for all ranks.
The Home Office has noted that this recommendation of £1,900 was implemented for that financial year, being equivalent to a 5% pay rise overall. It added that “at least £350 million” in additional funding was to be provided to police forces over the present Spending Review period.
It further observed that an additional 16,753 police officers had been recruited out of its planned total of 20,000 by the end of last year, and that it is on track to meet its target of 20,000 – as announced in the Government’s 2019 Manifesto – by the end of this month.
But Mr Hartshorn responded saying that: “Police officers deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, and that begins with better pay – pay that not only reflects the cost-of-living crisis that many of us face but puts right the 17% decline since 2000 and compensates officers for the dangers they’re exposed to as part of the job.
“They must be compensated fairly for doing a job that is so important and unique that they do not have access to industrial rights.”
The Home Office has not yet commented further.
