Any civil servants around? Salary question.

[Otterses]

This is going to be a really thick question so I apologise in advance.

We're relocating in a few months, and I've seen a job with MOJ that looks fantastic. I'd love to apply, but the wording about salary is making me a bit wary.

It says it's £22-£27k. I can't afford to earn less than £25k a year, as it is, it would be a significant drop in pay for me. Is salary based on experience with scope for negotiation? Or is more like a band system?

I really don't want to call up and come across as money grabbing, so I thought I'd ask on here, as there's no point in me applying if I'm going to end up wasting everyone's time.

The default position is that you start at the bottom of the pay scale if you are new into Civil Service. In theory you can negotiate your way to starting further up, but this would be based on directly relevant and transferable experience - eg you have worked in Intelligence in the private sector and you get a job in Intelligence in CS. However TBH I've never known it actually happen!

Be warned, most departments have stopped contractual pay progression so you'd be stuck on the minimum for a long while, probably getting 1 or 1.5% a year until the government sees fit to actually increase our wages decently. The pay scales are only really relevant if you're an existing CS getting promoted, then you will usually be appointed at the top of your new pay scale or somewhere in between.

There are plenty of CS jobs starting at or above £25k though.

You will 100% be started at the lowest. They only advertise the range in case someone applies on level transfer from another civil service position with a higher salary. Its a con really.

You will not get pay progression either. Only a 1-2% rise every year if that.

Actually I do know someone who negotiated himself a higher starting salary than the minimum (MOJ too), coming from the private sector. Relatively recently. But as others have said, assume you would get the minimum and would not progress up the scale. Would it be worth looking for a higher grade job instead?

(For example, would you consider going for the HEO role instead?!)

You will be expected to start on the bottom of the range although people with direct relevant experience can be started on a higher point but not the top. You wouldn't get an offer more than the mid point of the range. Moj is the lowest paid govt department and most staff have been subject to a 1% pay cap for the last 7 years. Moj offered a pay deal last year amount to 11% spread over 5 years but staff rejected it overwhelmingly because it depended on an increase in working hours and compulsory weekend working. Don't be afraid to negotiate pay if you get a job offer. Worst they can do is say no which leaves you no worse off than if you hadn't applied.

You would be started at the lowest. I was naive about this myself once. Trying to leave a job where I had been earning £X,000 and applied for a civil service job with advertised range going from a couple of thousand below to a couple of thousand above what I was already getting from previous employer. They offered me the job at lowest point of salary scale, I asked them to match my current salary. They wouldn't budge. Only way to get higher would be if I already had years of experience in that exact job. It was bottom of scale or nothing. Said take it or leave it. I left it and carried on job hunting. (The right job came along in the end)

I’m a current civil servant, not moj. The salary will increase year on year within the pay band until you reach the max. Any pay increase is negotiated by the trade union side annually, but nil to 1% is the current outlook. One thing to consider however is t&cs, due to lack of pay rise these have improved, I currently get 31 days annual leave plus bank holidays and 2 privilege days. (Like bank holidays, eg the queens birthday in may), I also work flexi time, was able to go part time when I needed to, hours are family friendly, lots of colleagues do condensed hours (ie 37 hour wk over 4 days), comprehensive employee support services (counselling and stuff), access to wide range of training, finally promotion prospects are generally good, so you can advance a couple of grades quickly (2 to 4 years).

May be worth leaving this one then I think! Sadly, good T&C's aren't going to pay the mortgage or the childminder I'll keep my eyes peeled though.

Thank you all!

You can negotiate the starting band but only if you have the experience to justify it.