Civil Service Pay Award to be implemented
Date published:
The Department of Finance has announced implementation of a multi-year pay award for civil service staff.
The pay award, which was agreed by the Executive, will cost £44 million over two years – a 4.8% increase of the total paybill. It is in contrast to the position in England where there is a public sector pay freeze for 2021/22.
The retrospective pay award for 2020 provides a 1% increase on pay scales as well as a 3% non-consolidated, non-pensionable payment to staff in the lowest grades and a 1% non-consolidated, non-pensionable payment plus progression to staff eligible for the pay award at all other grades.
The 2021 pay award provides a further 1% increase on pay scales as well as a 3% non-consolidated, non-pensionable payment to staff in the lowest grades plus progression to staff eligible for the pay award at all other grades.
Finance Minister Conor Murphy said: “In the context of a standstill budget from Westminster, this pay award strikes a difficult balance between recognising the hard work of staff while ensuring sufficient budget is available for essential public services. The implementation of the pay award this summer will help fulfil the NDNA commitment for the Civil Service to become a Living Wage employer.
“The pay award makes a number of improvements to the terms and conditions of civil servants, such as increasing paternity pay from two days to two full weeks’ pay. This will encourage staff to take time off work to bond with, and assist in the care of, their child in the important early days.”
Minister Murphy added: “The pandemic has presented challenges but it has also presented opportunities in terms of new ways of working. It is important that we now look at reforms which help with the affordability of future pay awards whilst also improving the delivery of public service.”
The 2020 pay award is effective from 1 August 2020 and the implementation of the 2021 pay award is effective from 1 August 2021.
Notes to editors:
- Further information is available here.
- The 2020 and 2021/22 Public Sector Pay Policies can be viewed at:
- A formal offer which was agreed by the Executive and is in line with the 2020 and 2021 Public Sector Pay Policies was made to recognised trades unions on 14 April 2021.
- The pay offer was accepted by three of the four unions.
- Media enquiries should be addressed to the Department of Finance Press Office on email dof.pressoffice@finance-ni.gov.uk.
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- The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service For Media Enquiries Only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.