Leicestershire Police Federation reacts to Home Secretary contacting PRRB with their "remit" for police officer pay rise

8 December 2021

Leicestershire Police Federation reacts to Home Secretary contacting PRRB with their "remit" for police officer pay rise

“We are in a cost-of-living crisis with inflation sitting at 4%, fuel prices at their highest on record and utility prices climbing… if my colleagues receive what will essentially be yet another cut to their pay in 2022 I am genuinely concerned people will leave the service.”

That’s the message from Leicestershire Police Federation Chair Adam Commons, who was speaking after Home Secretary Priti Patel contacted the Police Remuneration Review Body this week with their “remit” for advising on a police officer pay rise in 2022/23.

Police officers were given no pay rise in 2021 when the Home Secretary tied the PRRB’s hands under the guise of public sector pay restraint. Either way, whatever the PRRB advises Government, it is up to the Home Secretary to decide what the police officer pay rise award should be.

In her letter to the PRRB, The Home Secretary states: “I ask that your recommendations and observations are considered in the context of the Government’s commitment to increase police officer numbers by 20,000 over three years” and “The Government must balance the need to ensure fair pay for public sector workers with protecting funding for frontline services and ensuring affordability for taxpayers’”.

Both the Police Federation of England and Wales and Superintendents’ Association have backed out the PRRB process following last year’s pay freeze.

Adam said: “Not that we needed further proof, but I think this shows my colleagues again why we have pulled away from the PRRB process. No “independent” body would or should allow themselves to be swayed by the Government and it’s time they said something rather than hiding behind their report in the summer.

“We are in a cost-of-living crisis with inflation sitting at 4%, fuel prices at their highest on record and utility prices climbing. We simply can’t take this anymore.

“I’ve never known morale as low as it is now and if my colleagues receive what will essentially be yet another cut to their pay in 2022 I am genuinely concerned where that will leave us - in terms of people exiting the service.”