Chancellor Rishi Sunak stunned MPs today by announcing a pause on police pay rises for next year. Speaking in the House of Commons, Sunak said he “cannot justify an across the board pay increase for all public sector workers.” However, doctors and nurses will still receive a pay boost.
Public sector staff earning under £24,000 are set for a raise of at least £250, the Chancellor confirmed. This move aims to support lower-paid workers while pausing pay increases for other groups, including police officers.
Sunak indicated that “pay progressions and promotions will carry on,” suggesting that incremental rises may still apply to officers despite the freeze on general pay increases.
Zoe Wakefield, Chair of Hampshire Police Federation, criticised the decision sharply. She said, “Doctors and nurses have made a significant contribution during the pandemic, but the Chancellor has ignored the 130,000 police officers who worked through assaults, spitting, and COVID-19 risks.” Wakefield added, “This makes police officers feel very undervalued and unappreciated.”
She highlighted the ongoing dangers faced by officers, including repeated exposure to risks and the enforcement of constantly changing Covid laws.
In addition to the pay freeze, Sunak pledged £400 million to help recruit 6,000 new police officers, aiming to reach a total of 20,000 recruits on track. Despite this funding, the pay freeze has sparked anger among rank-and-file police forces.
Opposition politicians have also criticised the Chancellor’s decision. Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds described it as a “bitter pill for frontline workers who took on so much responsibility” during the crisis but now face falling spending power.
Dodds said, “Firefighters, police officers and teachers will know their spending power is going down. Meanwhile, private companies have pocketed a bonanza from government PPE contracts.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
