Pay rises coming for NHS staff, teachers, police and armed forces - see how much money you'll get

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that public sector staff including teachers, police officers and NHS workers will receive pay rises.

She said she will accept in full the recommendations from independent pay review bodies (PRBs) on how much wages should increase. Ms Reeves told MPs in the Commons: "That is the right decision for the people who work in and, most importantly, the people who use our public services, giving hardworking staff the pay rises they deserve while ensuring that we can recruit and retain the people we need."

Private sector pay has risen by four per cent since 2010 when adjusted for inflation, while public sector wages are 2.5% lower. Unions have repeatedly warned that public sector pay has been squeezed since 2010, which they say is exacerbating staffing issues in schools, hospitals and other key services, reports the Mirror.

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More than two million workers are set for pay rises. Here are more details of who gets what.

NHS staff

Junior doctors have been locked in dispute over their pay for 20 months, taking part in 11 walkouts as talks with the previous Government stalled. The British Medical Association has argued that a 35% hike would make up for years of pay squeezes.

In a major breakthrough, junior doctors have struck a deal with the Government which would see their wages rise by more than 20% over two years. Medics in training would see an increase of 4.05% for 2023-24, alongside an existing rise of between 8.8% and 10%. They will also get a further pay rise of 6% for 2024-25, topped up by a consolidated £1,000 payment. This is equivalent to a pay rise of over 8%. The BMA, whose members will now vote on whether to accept the offer, says the overall package represents around a rise of 22.3% on average.

NHS staff will receive a 5.5% pay hike. Around 1.36million health workers are represented on a huge variety of different salaries. For example, Band 2 roles like nursing assistants and domestic support workers currently earn only a penny above the £11.44 hourly minimum wage. Consultants’ basic NHS pay is between £93,666 and £126,281, with average full-time NHS earnings likely to be around £143,100.

But Unite pointed out it unfair that junior doctors were getting a bigger uplift. "Health workers being offered less than half of what junior doctors have been offered is not good enough. It will certainly not deal with the recruitment crisis in the NHS," the union said.

Teachers

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said she will accept a 5.5% pay rise recommendation. Former Education Secretary Gillian Keegan reportedly had the proposals before the General Election but had not made a decision.

The average teacher's salary is £43,801, according to the Department for Education. Following the accepted pay uplift, this would mean a £2,409 pay bump to £46,210. Graduate salaries were raised to £30,000 in last year's pay round, which would rise by £1,650 to £31,650.

Inflation was around 2% in May and June - well below the suggested figure. But teachers' pay has been squeezed under successive Tory Governments. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the average teacher's pay was 9% lower in September 2023 than in 2010.

Prison and police officers

Pay for prison officers varies massively based on which jail and how many hours someone works. For instance in Wandsworth prison in London, an officer working a 37-hour week currently has a starting salary of £36,164, while they earn £30,902 at Manchester prison.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a 5% base pay increase for all prison staff and a pay award of 6% for all judicial office holders - both of these will be backdated to April 2024. This will mean, for instance, the Wandsworth officer will see their salary go up by £1,808 to £37,972 and the Manchester officer by £1,545 to £32,447. But the prison officers union had been hoping for an 8.3% pay rise to take inflation into account.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said her department will accept the recommendation for a consolidated increase of 4.75% to all police officer ranks from September 1, 2024. Police officer pay also varies across the country and depending on seniority.

Civil servants

Officials were given a slightly lower pay hike than other parts of the public sector last year. Civil servants were handed a 4.5% rise, which was boosted to 5% for the lowest paid - along with a £1,500 cost-of-living payment to end industrial action.

The Cabinet Office has confirmed it will accept the pay body's recommendation for all members of the senior civil service to receive a 5% consolidated increase to base pay, which will be backdated to April 1, 2024. It also confirmed "delegated grades" below the senior level will also receive an average 5% pay award.

Pay in Whitehall varies hugely, from administrative assistants on £23,286 to more than £60,000 for more senior roles. The top jobs can range from £76,000 to £208,100.

Armed forces

Defence Secretary John Healey announced that this year’s award will provide a targeted and significant pay uplift for new recruits alongside a headline increase of 6%. All members of the senior military (two-star rank and above) will receive a 5% consolidated increase to base pay.

In a statement, he set out that accepting these recommendations represents an annual increase of around £2,800 in the nominal ‘average’ salary in the Armed Forces as well as an annual increase of £1,880 in the starting salary for an officer.