Civil servants getting £1500

[FragrantBumFluff]

Sorry if there is already a thread.

Has anybody had this yet or had any confirmation of the details?

My department has basically confirmed that it’s in the pipeline but not when, or who is eligible, if it will be pro rata’d for those who work part time etc.

I know I should be patient but it would be very welcomed!

Which department are you with?

It’s part of the pay offer.
It comes out of the pay budget

Its money that will be paid once only and not available in subsequent years

Its ‘allowed’ because employees need to be paid for the work that they do
It is also subject to agreement within each government department under the current offer, which also comes as part of the entire pay package and employment terms

This has not yet been accepted by all departments / unions - and the offer has various terms which may or may not be affordable within individual department budgets - the lowest paid in each department must get a rise in line with the minimum wage, if there is a high proportion of low paid grades in a specific department then that cuts then balance available to other grades in that department

For some departments the final answers are known, for others it isn’t - hence the various responses in this thread

@Amboseli I can't speak for the whole service not probation staff, have a huge responsibility, have case loads way to high and don't get paid anywhere near enough what they should.
Same can be said for the majority of the public sector mind.

@supersonicginandtonic I have a couple of friends in Probation; their workload measurement tool routinely shows both their caseloads are between 170-180%.

For those who aren’t familiar with that metric: 100% = 1 x full time member of staff. Two people are expected to do the work of 3.5 people. They’re by no means unusual in Probation, according to them. Trainees already have caseloads greater than 100%, apparently.

Dft are paying in July

Usually negotiations start for my department (Justice) in July and pay award is made between august and October. I’d expect the same.

I would expect our operational branches (courts, prisons, probation) to be prioritised for the pay so don’t think most AA-G6s will see the full 4.5%. I’d hope they’d be prioritised anyway - although their pay has improved a lot in recent years it’s still a bit rubbish especially given the shit HMPPS put up with.

No idea how the money will be found from the department’s actually pretty small budget.

Oh yeah and Justice have confirmed July for the £1500.

In some departments, the £1500 plus 4.5% will push G6 salaries over SCS1 salaries! Home Office comes to mind.

SCS1 is becoming an increasingly untenable grade. I know quite a few G6s who've decided it's just not worth going for an SCS1 role, particularly as quite a few departments/ALBs are now paying some of their G6s above the start of the SCS1 band.

And I know of a few departments that are struggling to recruit SCS1s either internally or externally because the pay and conditions (even with the pension) just aren't competitive.

I am DWP and we have been told it will be paid in the July wage.

@RandomCatGenerator thank you, my last department was always around October/November, this one is smaller and tends to be quicker, they're aiming for August salaries (was September last year) but not sure if union discussions will thwart that. I wish we were told what was put forward to unions, annoying being in the dark.

I never understand why the pay discussions take so long. We rarely (never?) get more than the initial offer. In DWP when Schofield (not THAT one) took over, he gave us all the pay rise in July and then said anything over and above the initial offer would be paid after negotiations with the unions, but he didn't think it fair to keep us waiting for the agreed rise. Sadly we got no extra and he didn't do it again.

@RumNotRun I think it's how they apply the award as there is a little flexibility in how it is applied but yes frustrating. The military is incredibly frustrating, their financial year is supposed to be April and for the last part of a decade or so their pay awards are announced in July and applied in September salaries (that's half the year!) they were supposed to "get back on track" around 2020 but of course they then had Covid to blame (how I don't know) and seemingly have no intention of trying to get back on track again. And with Sunak now saying he will likely reject whatever the armed forces pay body recommend we are anxious as to what will be awarded, a sector that is poorly paid but no rights to strike or challenge it.

Sorry bit of a digression!!

There is an update today on DefNet for MOD Main.
Hoping to be paid in August, pro rated for part time staff.

Colleagues in DE&S said they were getting theirs in July.

Larger department here (don't want to say which) been told July pay packets and it'll be pro-rated for part time staff which is causing a bit of an outcry as that wasn't stated in the original communication. people can also ask for it in instalments so doesn't affect benefits.

My understanding is pay rises are 4.5% (as long as your department usually follows guidance) with an extra 0.5% leeway for lowest paid (though unsure about whether than means only AA and AO for example or the lowest end of each pay grade). Most of my colleagues are thrilled about it though admitedly still waaay below inflation

Also remember you have to pay tax and NI on the £1500 so don't go spending it all before you have it!

What are the SCS1/DD salaries? I've never seen them listed anywhere. I have seen release of salaries but only seem to include SCS2 and above and SCS1 is blank???

Be interested to know

@Bells3032 it's 4.5+0.5% of the pay bill though, not for individuals, the department I'm in distributes it differently to benefit lower grades and those at the bottom of the scale (so some people end up with more than 4.5%, others less), so until we get the announcement we won't know what it is.

@Bells3032 SCS1 is £73k out of London I believe, I'm nearly on that as a G6.

Ok so assuming in london will prob be close to 80k but still. that's not even 10k more than a G6 and by the time you pay tax etc only 5k more for a lot more responsbility

Cabinet Office publishes them here.

I'm out of the game but there weren't separate scales for London/outside when I was in the SCS.

And you lose any allowances, etc you might have had as a G6 if you work on call, etc.

I've always supported the idea of higher pay rises going to delegated grades over the years particularly post pay freezes but it has introduced an anomaly here.

Anyone heard for hmrc yet?

We’re getting it in July. Welsh arms-length CS dept, not to be pro-rated for PT employees.

ahh thanks!!

We are an arms length org.

we got ours in June’s pay. As I’m only 60% FTE it wasn’t a gigantic amount after tax.

but they are still negotiating our pay award for July 2022. Over a year. It’s ridiculous.

And we have massive recruitment and retainment issues. Which is not surprising, as they prefer you to have a STEM PhD for the equivalent of an HEO role.

I wonder if we work for the same ALB as my org is also still waiting for the 2022 pay award to be agreed by Treasury, and has the same issues with employing & keeping staff. It is a completely ridiculous situation🙄

@lookslikeitsgoingtosnow I wonder if I'm with you as well! Retaining staff is a huge issue and the 2022 pay award is still with Treasury...