Public sector pay to rise for 1m as PM set to scrap cap

THERESA MAY is set to scrap the public sector pay cap with teachers, soldiers, doctors, police and prison officers in line for wages increases of as much as 3.5 per cent, it was reported last night.

A million public sector workers could benefit from the hikes, with many expected to see a two per cent boost on their salaries.

Some staff can expect to see rises as high as 3.5 per cent, The Sun reported. The move is an overhaul of David Cameron’s public sector pay cap of one per cent, introduced in 2012, that came two years after his government introduced a pay freeze. Union chiefs have been pushing for bigger increases to help subsidise almost a decade of below inflation pay rises.

It is understood the pay increases will be paid for by departmental savings. A Whitehall source told The Sun: “Our outstanding public servants work hard for us all – that’s why we’re announcing new pay awards.”

In September last year, the Prime Minister rewarded police with a one per cent pay rise and a one per cent bonus as she announced her intention to scrap the cap. In March this year, NHS workers were given a 6.5 per cent pay rise over three years. In July last year, firefighters were offered a two per cent basic pay rise, with a potential further three per cent in line for April 2018, but this was rejected by their union.

It comes after Britain’s biggest civil service union – the PCS – was forced to drop plans for a national strike over pay after less than half of its members voted on a strike ballot.