Secretary of State for Justice (): I am today announcing the
Government’s decision on pay awards for prison staff.
The Prison Service Pay Review Body (PSPRB) has made its
recommendations for the 2021-22 pay award. The Government values
the independent expertise and insight of the PSPRB and takes on
board the advice. Prison staff make an essential contribution to
public service and their ongoing efforts, particularly in the
challenging context of the Covid-19 pandemic, have been greatly
appreciated.
As such, I am today announcing that we are accepting in full the
recommendations made by the review body for implementation in
this financial year. For clarity these are recommendations 2, 3
and 4 on which the Government provided evidence to the PSPRB.
Accepting recommendations 2, 3 and 4 will deliver a pay rise for
over half of our prison service staff, according to internal
estimates. This pay award will be paid this Autumn and will be
backdated to 1 April 2021.
This award reflects the Government’s original proposals to the
PSPRB which were developed in the context of the public sector
pay pause for 2021-22, announced at the Spending Review (2020).
The pay pause has enabled Government to protect public sector
jobs and investment in public services, prioritising the lowest
paid. The pay pause aims to assist in getting public finances
back onto a sustainable path after unprecedented Government
spending on the response to Covid-19.
The PSPRB recommended that those with the lowest pay should be
uplifted by £250. This means that all prison staff with a basic
salary below £24,000 (on a full-time equivalent basis) should
receive a consolidated pay award of £250. The Government has
accepted this recommendation, recommendation 2, in full.
The Government has also accepted recommendations 3 and 4, meaning
that eligible prison staff who have not reached the top of their
pay band will also continue to receive progression pay of up to
5%. Of this group, some of our lowest paid staff are also
eligible for the £250 uplift under recommendation 2.
The PSPRB also made a further two recommendations,
recommendations 1 and 5, which are not applicable to the current
financial year. These recommendations concern matters on which
fall outside of the PSPRB’s remit for the 2021-22 pay round. In
the circumstances, while the Government is grateful for these
additional recommendations, there is no obligation on Government
to formally respond, but we will consider them further.
The report has been laid before Parliament today, 19th
October, and a copy is attached. I am grateful to the Chair and
members of the Review Body for their report.
