Police staff in England and Wales offered seven per cent pay increase, Unison confirms
Police staff in most forces in England and Wales – including those in witness support, data teams and cleaning roles – have been offered a seven per cent pay rise, Unison confirmed on Thursday (August 10).
If accepted, the increase proposed by the police staff employers would take effect from September 1 this year.
It means the hourly rate for the lowest paid police staff would rise from £10.62 to £11.46 an hour. That is an increase of £1,446 a year and would see the lowest annual salaries rise from £20,655 to £22,101, said Unison.
In addition, the police staff employers – the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and the Home Office – are offering a seven per cent rise on payments to employees who are asked to be available for work outside their normal hours.
This would see the hourly rates for ‘standby’ allowances rise from £32.23 to £34.49.
Unison is recommending its members vote to accept the offer, which is the same percentage wage rise that the Government announced for police officers last month.
The union’s police staff committee discussed the proposed pay rise and decided it was “the best that can be achieved by negotiation”.
Unison national police and justice officer Ben Priestley said: “This offer recognises the vital role police staff play in keeping communities safe and helping bring offenders to justice.
“It’s now up to police staff to decide if they want to accept the offer. If they don’t, the only alternative will be to ballot for possible industrial action.”
Unison will be running a digital ballot on the offer, which closes at noon on August 30.