Inflation-busting pay rise for public sector workers

Nearly a million public sector workers will be given inflation-busting pay rises as a reward for their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.

Teachers and doctors will see the largest pay rises at 3.1 per cent and 2.8 per cent respectively, which the government said is to recognise their “efforts on the frontline during the battle against Covid-19”.

This compares with a 2.75 per cent rise last summer, and a 2.5 per cent rise for doctors.

Combined with previous funding promises, the announcement means some nurses will receive an average 4.4 per cent pay rise this year, the Government said.

Inflation was 0.8 per cent in June, according to the Consumer Prices Index, up from 0.7 per cent in May.

The Armed Forces will receive a two per cent wage rise – smaller than last year’s 2.9 per cent increase – while police officers will see their pay increase by 2.5 per cent, the same as 2019. 

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “These past months have underlined what we always knew – that our public sector workers make a vital contribution to our country and that we can rely on them when we need them.

“It’s right therefore that we follow the recommendations of the independent pay bodies with this set of real-terms pay rises.”