This incredibly challenging year has presented no end of difficulties for practically everyone. One area that has felt immense pressure and a heavier workload burden, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is the Public Sector. Because of this, the HM Treasury tributes this year’s pay rise to the ‘enormous effort’ made by the public sector staff. The nearly 900,000 public sector workers including teachers, doctors, police and prison officers will see a pay increase of up to 3.1%.

• School teachers will be seeing the largest salary increase of 3.1%
• Doctors and dentists will see a 2.8% increase
• Police and prison officers will be getting 2.5% pay increase
• Armed forces personnel, senior military, senior civil servants and members of the Judiciary will be receiving a 2% pay rise

The pay awards to the armed forces, prison officers, senior civil servants and NHS staff will be backdated to April 2020, whereas the pay increase for teachers and police was to be implemented in September 2020, as they have a different pay year. The government has also revealed recruitment goals of various areas of the public sector, including 6,435 new police officers, 16,340 Regular Armed Forces recruits and an additional 12,220 nurses and health visitors for the NHS in 2020.