Civil Service Starting Pay. Any negotiation?

[Dogonahottinroof]

A while ago I saw a very niche professional role within the civil service. This role required someone to have had extensive public sector experience that could not be gained within the civil service.

The salary was pitched at SCS1 and listed as £71,000. This is £24,000-£39,000 less than similar public sector salary posts advertised recently. I last did a very similar role 10 years ago and was on about £80K

There is now a different post that I have seen (different department but same salary discrepancy)

Are these salaries set in stone? Can you negotiate? How are they set?

You can negotiate, but within a grade. The range within grades is pretty good though. Have a look here
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/902456/SCS_Pay_Practitioners_Guide_2020___1_.pdf

The general rule is that all posts are advertised at the bottom of a grade. You can negotiate as someone coming in from outside the CS, but not from within. If you are moving departments at the same grade (level transfer), your new dept is obliged to pay you what you were on in your old dept if their higher. The only way to be paid more is generally to progress.

@Levithecat

The general rule is that all posts are advertised at the bottom of a grade. You can negotiate as someone coming in from outside the CS, but not from within. If you are moving departments at the same grade (level transfer), your new dept is obliged to pay you what you were on in your old dept if their higher. The only way to be paid more is generally to progress.

Thanks. I will take a closer look.

The grade goes up to what would be the public sector rate for the post.

These are not posts from which there would be any progression (other than to move somewhere completely different in the civil service)

I assume you sit tight until you get offered the post and then negotiate on salary?

Just noticed my typo... anyway, yes unfortunately you don’t negotiate before offer. Sounds like you have a good argument about market rate. Good luck!

You would need to make your personal negotiation for a non standard level of pay, and ensure you are absolutely certain about what the real terms of any offer are. Take note if it’s your actual pay or an allowance top up from the scale bottom

Be aware that if you are not placed on one of the grades pay scale points that details of the non standard pay will be published in government documents & FOIs (but not your personal details in relation to that - some specific cases are named such as political advisors)

As a principle Civil Service salaries are set at the bottom of the scale and only get the annual negotiated percentage increase (if they get that)
In the past unless you were under disciplinary measures for performance then the Civil Service would rise up the spine points of the scale each year. That stopped and the CS remain on the point that they were when it ceased.
A pay rise is obtained via promotion to the bottom of the next scale.
Ultimately due to promotion, retirement or leaving all Civil Service will be paid at the bottom of their grades pay scale.

Friend of mine joined civil service and negotiated a salary at the top of the SCS grade pay scale.

Thanks for the guidance. I have found the salary of the last post holder online- it is what I would expect it to be in the public sector.

@Dogonahottinroof

Thanks for the guidance. I have found the salary of the last post holder online- it is what I would expect it to be in the public sector.

If your initials are MH and your predecessors initials were NW, and you’re on a 5 year contract then your appointment has been announced on the internal network

I hope to never need your services !