Joint Trade Union Bulletin – £1500 one-off payment

JTU23-2023                                                                        7 June 2023

JOINT UNION STATEMENT ON £1500 ONE-OFF PAYMENT

On Friday 2 June the Head of the Civil Service e-mailed all civil servants, including Probation Service staff, with the message that:

‘…ministers have agreed to allow departments to make a fixed payment of £1,500 to civil servants in delegated grades in recognition of your public service and the challenges of the cost of living.’

Later that afternoon around 5pm it was confirmed by the MOJ Permanent Secretary that staff working for the Probation Service would receive the one-off payment of £1500.

The Government has also confirmed that the payment covers last year – the 2022/23 pay year which ended on 31 March 2023.

The trade unions were not informed prior to these announcements and since Friday there has been no formal communication with us from the Probation Service about the payment. As a result, we have very little information to give to members.

WHAT WE KNOW

In the absence of any information from the Probation Service, MOJ or the Government we assume (subject to confirmation) that the payment:

• is a one-off, non-consolidated payment, which means that it is not added to the value of your salary going forward

• will be paid to all Probation Service staff on pay bands 2 – 6 and A – D (staff on Senior Civil Service grades are excluded)

• will attract tax, national insurance and pension contributions

We don’t know when the payment will be made, or if it will be paid as a single lump sum or paid out monthly. We have asked the Probation Service for urgent talks to enable us to provide you with more information.

UNIONS SEEK TO RE-OPEN THREE YEAR PAY AWARD

Last year when we were negotiating the three-year pay award, we were told that there was no more money to improve the offer!

The £1500 payment announced last week shows very clearly that the Government has the money to improve the pay of Probation Service staff.

The unions have served notice on the Probation Service that we want to re-open talks on the three-year pay award which was agreed last year. With inflation still running at 11.4% in April, the three-year pay award is not keeping pace with the rising cost of living. Probation staff deserve better.

Ian Lawrence                   Ben Priestley                             George Georgiou

General Secretary            National Officer                         National Officer

Napo                                UNISON                                     GMB/SCOOOP