A government-backed pay rise of 4.2% for police officers in England and Wales “barely treads water”, the association representing front-line officers says.
The Police Federation said the pay rise was “worth the price of a Big Mac per shift” and would not stop “record levels of resignations, record mental health absences or the record number of assaults on officers”.
The organisation, which represents more than 145,000 officers, said it would now ask its members whether they accept or reject the award.
The home secretary said the increase, which is marginally above the current rate of inflation of 4.1% and is recommended by an independent review body, was “a clear signal of our gratitude”.
The amount is also above the 2.8% proposed by ministers in December, for which police forces budgeted.
It will mean the starting salary for a police constable will go up by £1,256 to £31,164. The typical salary for a constable who has been in post for six years will be £50,256 and the average salary for a chief superintendent will be £98,500.
In addition, on-call, away from home and hardship allowances will be increased by £10 and London weighting will also rise by 4.2%.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Our brave police officers work day and night, often making enormous sacrifices to keep us safe.”
She added: “We are committed to investing in the front line and supporting officers who work every day to tackle crime, keep our streets safe and protect our communities.”
The pay award will be supported by £120 million from the Home Office to “help protect police force budgets”, the government said.
The Police Federation said while it welcomed the government’s decision to reject police chief constables’ calls for a pay rise of 3.8%, the award was not enough.
Deputy national chair Brian Booth said: “After more than a decade of real terms pay cuts, this award does little to reverse the long-term decline in officers’ living standards or address the crisis policing faces.”
British Transport Police Federation chair Stuart Cowan said 4.2% “is simply nowhere near enough”.
He said: “Officers who are battered and bruised and stretched to their physical and psychological limits are worth so much more than repeated paltry pay increases.”
But the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said the 4.2% increase was above inflation and “it is essential that we attract and retain the best people into policing through competitive pay”.
NPCC lead for pay and conditions, Asst Ch Officer Philip Wells, said the pay award “is what we believe our officers deserve and reflects the nature of the work they are required to undertake to keep our streets safe”.
He added it was “vitally important that additional costs for pay are fully funded if we are to maintain services and be able to continue to invest in areas such as neighbourhood policing and technology”.