Police Update

Suella Braverman Excerpts

Thursday 13th July 2023 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Suella Braverman)]

The ninth report of the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) was published today. The review body considered the pay and allowances for police officers up to and including the chief officer ranks in England and Wales. The Government thank the Chair and members for their independent and expert advice.

Our police officers work tirelessly to keep this country safe and play a vital role in society. The Government are grateful for their dedication.

The PRRB has recommended a consolidated increase of 7% to all ranks up to and including assistant chief constables and commanders, with a corresponding increase to London weighting and the dog handlers’ allowance; removal of pay point 0 of the constables’ pay scale to bring starting salaries for constables up to £28,551; and an increase to pay point 3 of the chief superintendents’ pay scale by £2,838 from 1 September 2023 and £2,837 from 1 September 2024.1 have accepted these recommendations in full.

The 7% consolidated pay award will support forces to continue to maintain their officer workforce, following the successful recruitment of 20,000 additional officers.

The PRRB considered proposals for a new pay structure for chief constables and deputy chief constables. It recommended it is implemented for new appointments with effect from 1 September 2023, with existing chief constables and deputy chief constables transitioning to the new structure over at least three years. It recommended those transitioning to the new structure receive a pay increase of between 5% and 7%. To ensure the pay differentials between chief constables, deputy chief constables and other chief officer ranks in the Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police are maintained, the PRRB further recommended those ranks receive a pay increase of between 5% and 7%.

I have accepted the recommendation to implement a new pay structure in principle, subject to the development of a full and coherent implementation plan. In the interim, all chief constables and deputy chief constables, and ranks above commander in the Metropolitan Police Service and City of London Police, will receive a pay award of 7% in line with that for all other ranks.

As of 31 March 2023, there are 149,572 officers that will receive a consolidated increase of 7% to their pay as a result of the Government’s acceptance of the PRRB’s recommendations.

In determining the 2023-24 police pay award, the Government have carefully considered the PRRB’s report. However, the recommendations the PRRB makes are above affordability and therefore the Government have had to make difficult trade-offs in accepting this award whilst ensuring it is consistent with the Government priority to halve inflation.

Police officers across England and Wales play a critical role in reducing crime and keeping the public safe. The Government are committed to maintaining the additional 20,000 police officers recruited under the police uplift programme, and therefore the Home Office will provide additional funding for police forces over the spending review period of £330 million in 2023-24 and £515 million in 2024-25. This comes on top of the funding confirmed at the police funding settlement at which we announced that funding available to police and crime commissioners will increase by up to £550 million in 2023-24, including an increase of £174 million in Government grants.

The Home Office will achieve this by striving for offsetting savings in other programmes and working with forces to make efficiencies in meeting these exceptional financial pressures. The independent policing productivity review is due to report to the Home Secretary this autumn, and we expect policing to take all opportunities, including those identified by the review, to improve productivity and maximise the impact of the significant investment made in policing. The Home Office is also working hard to maximise its other income streams in order to reduce reliance on taxpayer funding in other vital areas of delivery.

The PRRB also asks policing parties to bring forward proposals for a review of the existing power of PCCs to increase and decrease base pay of chief constables by plus or minus 10% on appointment. While I am content to receive proposals on this matter, I do not accept the PRRB’s recommendation that the Home Office should issue guidance to PCCs advising them against exercising their power to vary starting salaries on appointment until the review is concluded. It is right that PCCs continue to use their discretion while this matter is considered.

The PRRB further recommends the relocation allowance for chief officers is amended as proposed by the chief officer remuneration review; and that the impact of the scheme is reviewed within three years of implementation. I accept the recommendation in principle, subject to the development of more detailed proposals to inform the amendments to the Police Regulations 2003.

I welcome the PRRB’s recommendations that: policing parties should bring forward proposals to improve the independence, transparency, and consistency of determining and reporting on chief officer pay and allowances, including proposals on how to place in the public domain on an annual basis a consistent set of data on the total pay and allowances received by each chief officer in each force; and that the National Police Chiefs’ Council should provide an interim report by 30 November 2023 on its progress to develop a long-term pay and reward strategy, which should include an update on the work on constable base pay and a back to first principles review of the P-factor.

[HCWS945]