The UK Government has today announced that almost 900,000 public sector workers will see above-inflation pay rises, for the third year in a row, reflecting their dedication, hard work and contribution to our country through the coronavirus pandemic.
Teachers will receive the largest pay rise, with salaries increasing by 3.1%. This pay award is equivalent to a £1,250 increase to average classroom teacher pay.
In the NHS, doctors and dentists will receive a pay rise of 2.8%. Meanwhile more than one million NHS workers including nurses, will continue to benefit from the three-year Agenda for Change pay deal struck separately in 2018, under which the starting salary for a new qualified nurse has increased by over 12% since 2017.
Police officers will receive a 2.5% rise in pay. Police constables will earn up to £1,002 more this year. This comes as we’ve already recruited the first 3,005 officers as part of our plans to recruit 20,000 additional officers over the next three years.
Prison officers will receive a 2.5% pay rise. This pay award will benefit 11,655 fair and sustainable prison officers, and 6,152 closed grade prison officers.
And finally, the Armed Forces will receive on average a 2% pay rise. This comes as 16,340 new recruits have joined the UK Regular Armed Forces over the last year, up 30% compared with the previous 12 months.
Commenting on the announcement, Tomos Dafydd Davies said:
Public sector workers make a vital contribution to our local communities. And these last few months have been an incredibly challenging time for many of those working in public services.
As a country, we are incredibly proud of the countless acts of compassion and selfless public service we've witnessed across our nation during this unprecedented pandemic.
This year’s pay awards reflect the enormous effort made by those in the public sector during the coronavirus outbreak to support the most vulnerable in our society.
These past months have underlined what we always knew – that our public sector workers make a vital contribution to our country and that we can rely on them when we need them."
