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!

Ah, there we are. This is brilliant.

I made the jump from senior civil service to the private sector a while back. I've had a few roles since then.

Without exception the private sector roles have been much better remunerated (even taking pension into account), less stressful, fewer hours, better work life balance, many more benefits and perks. It's less fulfilling work, to be honest, but the personal benefits induce me to hold my nose and take the good stuff (and the civil service under this shower of a government has become a lot less fulfilling.)

I know a lot of people from quite a few departments, at grades from HEO upwards, who've made the leap. They all report likewise. And it tends to be borne out by very swift ascents up the corporate ladder.

Survive? We're thriving, dear.

I work in a devolved administration and we are getting no cost of living payment. We did get the civil service wide email telling us we were getting it though, which was lovely. Most of us got no pay rise either - this was the pay deal our fabulous union recommended.

I don't believe you in the slightest.

Everyone I know who has joined the private sector from the public sector has been a whinger and a whiner and complained about everything. Most of them were sent packing in fairly short order, a few of them grew up and became adults.

@Florenz what do you do?

Good for you. I couldn't care less, and you clearly derive comfort from the narrative you've created for yourself despite lack of evidence or personal experience.

It's true - either that or I've constructed a complex and layered MN persona over many years just waiting for the moment that I could hoodwink a reactionary poster on a thread about civil service discretionary payments. I mean I'm pretty capable, either is possible.

Do you have an answer to that question you've been asked several times, incidentally?

Just been doing a LinkedIn scroll through some former colleagues. A couple of partners and directors at Big 4 firms and quite a few others in senior jobs in consulting land. One heading up a major business rep org (that isn't the CBI). Some who are making out like bandits in corporate law. One chief executive of a big communications firm, another comms director for a major bank. Several who made the jump from MoD to defence industries. One running employee relations for a global construction firm. And loads more with mid-senior level jobs at household name multinationals. A couple have set up their own consulting firms are are doing well.

There are shit civil servants, of course there are. And there are massive structural issues within the civil service that hold back productivity and performance gains. The Institute for Government has written some particularly good papers on the need for, and different models of, civil service reform which is desperately needed. I won't argue with you that the system desperately needs change. I will argue with you that the problem entirely, or even mostly, lies with the people (though it does partly lie in a system that is sclerotic at managing poor performance and equally sclerotic at managing talent and progression.)

And there is a serious and growing issue that the civil service, particularly at the more senior levels, becomes less and less attractive as a place to work, and it is the more talented, driven and innovative who leave because the frustrations become too great.

Well, I'm more polite than you, and I won't say that I think you're a liar. How would I know?

Perhaps you are in a location or business that appeals to the worse performers? Or maybe just not terribly competitive for the better performers and you're getting the less good folk. As I say, there are crap people. I've had to sack both public and private sector people over the years.

It sounds like your organisation isn't very good at recruitment, though?

And are you talking about civil servants, or wider public sector?

There are huge issues in the CS; it is massively inefficient in areas, it is painful to see the way money is spent, politics are rife, ministerial ignorance and interference makes it feel like you're trying to work with your hands tied behind your back half the time, but most of that is not the fault of civil servants. Most of the civil servants I have worked with have been intelligent, passionate and hard working. Not all of them of course, some are mediocre just doing their job at an acceptable level, some are not good...but despite what some people think we can actually get rid of people through management processes, I see it regularly, especially on absence. The worst thing I find about the public sector is how much money is made from it for the private sector, the money spent on contracting is disgusting and we should all be angry about it, but it lines the pockets of the important people and politically keeps head count low for people like Florenz who don't understand how government works. The change needs to come from the top, blaming all civil servants is like trying to blame drs and nurses for the state of the NHS, or teachers for the issues in schools. We are political victims too. I don't think this current government is good for anyone, public or private (except those at the very top of the food chain benefitting from mass profits in this crisis).

The consultancy spend is scandalous, but is in large part a symptom of a decade of eradicating in house capacity and expertise and the acceleration of short-termism in politics and policymaking.

"I want this delivered in a month!"
"You defunded all the parts of the department that could have done that for you."
"Call Deloitte!"

@JassyRadlett yep, when the recruitment freeze came in last year what did we do instead? Spend 7 figures on consultants, some of whom were absolutely NOT worth the money (have also worked with some excellent consultants, I can see the value in some projects or gapped roles, especially when we have skills gaps, but they're used far too much when it should be a permanent CS role).

It seems to have got so much worse since 2019. I'm sorry. 😞

Clinging on to the hope it'll get better with a new government!

Everything bloody crossed. It might even tempt me back. I always loved working un government and public service is certainly more rewarding than creating cash for shareholders.

I'm due to receive my £1500 in August. According to the Listen to Taxman calculator, it will push me into the 40% tax bracket for 1 month. I won't even see £1K.

@brunel12 as a higher rate tax payer on plan 1 student loans I got £735 you may get taxed too much this month but if you're under the higher rate for the year you'll get the overtaxed amount back.

Thanks. Thats less than half, what a joke! I'm an HEO grade, so normally under the 40% tax bracket, which is why its a shock. Any idea when I might get the overtaxed amount back?

@brunel12 I'm not sure sorry, when it happened to me a couple of years ago it was towards the end of the tax year, I logged into my HMRC account after the tax year ended and it enabled me with withdraw it. I'm not sure if anything automatic happens part way through the tax year or if you can contact HMRC to get it sooner (I think the app allows you to enter what you think you'll earn for the year) hopefully someone here is from HMRC and might know!

I'm an EO and with student loan etc, I got just over £800. I know it's better than nothing blah blah, but DAMN!!!

I’m part time. I got £500.

How do you know if you've gone into the 40% tax bracket? Is there a simple way of checking?

i Am on maternity leave at the moment. Can anyone tell me what has been negotiated as the pay rise for Grade 6s in Ministry of Justice please?

You only pay 40% on the portion of income in that bracket not the whole amount

I work 24 hours and got around 640, don't know how much UC will drop yet though

If your annual income is increased above the bracket then the higher 40% rate will apply just for the excess

But if due to PAYE you exceed the proportioned threshold for the tax year so far then in that month you would pay the higher rate for the excess, but in subsequent months when the one off is no longer paid you may pay less tax

Each month your earnings to date are compared to a proportion of your tax allowance, the tax due to date is recalculated and you only pay in month the balance due

If you subsequently stop working mid year, (or reduce income) then you become eligible for a rebate as the tax year progresses