Publishing the decisions of three pay review bodies – those for teachers, police officers and police chiefs – Hands confirmed that the increases in 2016/17 would remain within the 1% Whitehall cap.
“Our teachers and police officers do a fantastic job in challenging roles but pay restraint remains a crucial part of our plan to put the public finances back on track,” he said.
“The independent Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that 200,000 public sector jobs have been protected thanks to our average 1% pay policy so we can continue to deliver vital public services.”
For teachers, the School Teachers’ Review Body recommended the 1% uplift to both the minimum and maximum of all classroom teacher and leadership pay ranges and allowances in the national pay framework. It also recommended the school teachers’ pay and conditions document be amended to make clear that schools can use a salary advance scheme for rental deposits as part of recruitment and retention incentives and benefits, which has now been accepted.
On police pay, there will be a 1% increase to base pay for all ranks, as well as 1% increase to the London weighting payment and increased flexibility for South East forces to vary location-based allowances.
Home secretary Theresa May said pay bodies had “brought forward affordable proposals while balancing the need to recruit and retain the very best officers”.
She added: “I am grateful for their work and pleased that we are able to accept their recommendations in full. We continue to support work being led by the College of Policing and chief constables to review police pay structures, to strengthen the link between professional development, skills and pay.”
The news comes after similar caps were agreed for the NHS and armed forces of an average of 1%. Local government employers also offered most council staff a 1% increase in each of the next two years, which will be implemented.
