London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Public sector pay rises - who decides and how?

Public sector pay rises - who decides and how?

From nurses to rail workers, public sector workers across the board are striking this Christmas as most call for above-inflation pay rises to help with the cost of living crisis.

Public sector workers across several different industries are striking this Christmas as they call for better pay and conditions.

Unions say most of the pay rises awarded earlier this year are not enough for people to live on, especially with the current high level of inflation.

As those in the public sector, of which there are about 5.7 million, receive taxpayers' money, the amount they are paid is determined by their overall employer - the government.

However, there is a lengthy process to determine their pay before ministers ever see a number.

How are public sector pay rises determined?

Pay review bodies

Independent pay review bodies play an integral role in informing the government's final decision on how about 45% of the public sector gets paid - including teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers and members of the armed forces.

There are eight pay review bodies made up of experts in their field whose appointments are made on merit, not political affiliation.
Advertisement

The process begins when the secretary of state for the relevant area requests recommendations on employee pay from the pay review bodies.

They will set a timeline and parameters such as asking the bodies to consider issues such as affordability, retention, recruitment and the state of the entire labour market.

Departments' spending on pay is limited by the amount of funding they receive from the Treasury.



A range of sources, such as trade unions and their members, as well as employers, then submit evidence to the pay review bodies, who will usually visit staff from their sector to determine concerns and opinions.

The government then also submits its formal pay offer at this stage for all levels of staff affected.

After receiving all the evidence from the relevant groups, the pay review bodies then recommend what the level of pay should be.

What happens after the recommendations are made?


The government chooses when it will respond to and publish the reports made by the pay review bodies.

Secretaries of state usually respond to the recommendations by issuing a written ministerial statement in parliament.

On the whole, the recommendations are accepted by secretaries of state, but there have been times when they have overridden the recommendations.

Sectors can disagree with the pay changes and can strike over the decision, but the government has the ultimate say.

Are there pay review bodies for all public sector jobs?


No.

Civil servants not in the senior civil service have their pay set by individual departments, according to guidance issued by the Cabinet Office and the Treasury.

Local government staff (not teachers) have their pay determined by their employers and trade unions.

Firefighters' pay is set by a separate body that is part of the National Joint Council for Local Government Services, which tends to follow the Treasury's public sector pay policy, although it is not bound by it.

Devolved governments - Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales - set their own pay policy for public bodies under their control.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×