The NPCC recommends a two per cent pay increase for officers in 2018/19

The recommendations made in the submission include a pay increase of two per cent for all officers.  The PRRB will analyse the submissions made to them before making their recommendation to the Government.

National Police Chiefs' Council Lead for Pay and Conditions, Chief Constable Francis Habgood said:

“It is always a difficult challenge to balance our desire to see our officers suitably recognised for their hard work with the need to maintain services to the public within budget. We believe that our proposal to increase salaries by 2 per cent strikes this balance – it is both affordable and appropriate.

“Although the overall police budget will increase next year if all Police and Crime Commissioners increase their precept by £12, the funding increase for individual forces will vary from 1.6 per cent to a maximum of 3.6 per cent.  These disparities, along with increased operational and inflationary demands, mean that the majority of forces would not be able to afford a pay increase of more than two per cent.”

An apprenticeship scheme for police officers is currently being developed and forces are likely to use this entry route for some of their applicants from late 2018. Apprentices will both earn and learn while training and studying for their degree.

CC Habgood said:

“All costs associated with their course will be funded by the organisation so we think that this is an attractive option for individuals. We therefore think that this new entry route should have a slightly different starting salary. Comparison with other apprentice schemes and research with potential applicants suggests that a salary range from £18,000 would be both appropriate and attractive. This compares to a starting salary for officers joining through non-apprentice routes of £19,971. It is recommended that forces will be able to set the actual starting salary based on local market factors and in line with national guidance.”

The full submission can be found here.