Despite soaring inflation of 9% this year, police officers have been awarded just a 2% pay uplift. [3] It comes in the context of nearly a decade of pay freezes.
Because of this, the London Assembly has today urged the Chair of the London Assembly to write to both the Home Secretary and the Police Remuneration Review Body to review the current situation in light of the cost of living crisis.
Unmesh Desai AM, who proposed the motion, said:
“Police pay needs urgently addressing. This year officers are getting a 2% uplift, while inflation has soared by 9%. [3] A series of pay freezes amounts to a 20% pay cut in real terms in the past decade.
“Hardworking officers who keep us and our city safe are being let down. They deserve appropriate pay, especially in the face of the unprecedented cost of living crisis.
“It is so vital Ministers provide a proper, multi-year funding package for our emergency services in the next settlement so they can effectively plan for the challenges ahead.”
The full text of the motion is:
The Assembly notes the hard work of the Metropolitan Police Service and the risks they endure in protecting Londoners from crime and making our city a safe place to live and work. Our police officers have worked tirelessly these past two years in often gruelling circumstances managing the COVID crisis and our return to normal with professionalism and dedication.
The Assembly further notes that despite soaring inflation of 9% this year police officers have been awarded a mere 2% pay uplift. This uplift comes in the context of nearly a decade of pay freezes which amounts to 20% real terms pay cut for the hard working police officers in the Met.
The Assembly urges the Chair of the Assembly to write to the Home Secretary and the Police Remuneration Review Body – particularly in light of the comments heard by the Home Secretary at the Police Federation conference - to ask them to get back round the table and come up with a solution that will help to address the stark reality that the cost of living crisis has imposed on some police officers.
Notes to editors
- Watch the full webcast.
- The motion was agreed unanimously.
- *Correction* (13/06/22)
The police pay award for 2022/23 has not yet been finalised, though Home Office evidence to the Police Numeration Review Body recommends an uplift of “at least 2%” in the 2022/23 financial year. The Police Remuneration Body considers and makes recommendations to the Government on the appropriate level of pay and allowance. The Government will announce its decision in due course. We also look to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) to make a strong case on affordability if they believe funding for a higher award is available. - Unmesh Desai AM, who proposed the motion, is available for interview.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
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