Government to raise public sector pay for police and prison officers over cap

Downing Street announced on Tuesday that it would approve pay raises for police and prison officers in excess of the 1% public sector pay rise cap.

Prison officers were in line to receive a 1.7% increase while police officers, who would still officially be capped at the 1% mark, would see an additional 1% come to them in the form of a bonus paid out of their departmental budgets.

Number 10 also noted that the 1% pay cap on the sector would require a thorough review to allow more room to move in the future.

The TUC said the "derisory" pay rises would do very little to address staff shortage and retention issues, and Steve White of the Police Federation of England and Wales said the announcement would leave many in the force "angry and deflated" as they were still "taking home about 15% less than what they were seven years ago."

White and the Federation which had called for a 2.8% increase to basic pay said, "We were not greedy in what we asked for," while the Prison Officer's Association had requested a 5% rise.

Despite the TUC and other union groups greeting the announcement with much chagrin, Liberal Democrat party leader Sir Vince Cable said, "It is good to see the government finally recognise that the public sector pay cap is no longer sustainable."

"The cap must now be lifted across the board so all public sector workers are given the pay rise they deserve."