Pay offer recognises role of civil servants – Archibald

Finance Minister, Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA, has announced a pay offer which would see the majority of civil servants receive a 5% consolidated increase plus a one-off £1,500 non-consolidated payment.

The Department of Finance has made the pay offer following negotiations with recognised industrial and non-industrial civil service trade unions.

Dr Archibald MLA said: “Following meetings with recognised civil service unions last week, I am pleased to have been able to move quickly to make this pay offer for civil servants which recognises their role in the delivery of public services. 

“Civil servants, like other public servants, have been waiting some time for their 2023 pay award against the context of a cost-of-living crisis and pressures on their own household budgets. 

“I hope staff will look favourably on the offer and that unions’ consultation with their members will proceed as swiftly as possible so we can get pay to staff as soon as practicable.

“Our public sector workers are at the heart of service delivery. We have a challenging journey of enhancing services in the time ahead for which we will need the expertise of our staff.”

The offer includes:

1. a 5% increase to the majority of civil service pay scales;
2. bringing up the pay of the lowest paid staff (Administrative Assistant and analogous grades, including Industrial 1 staff) to the voluntary Living Wage Foundation rates of £12.00 an hour or £23,177 annually, a 10% increase;
3. performance-related progression; and
4. a £1,500 non-consolidated payment to staff eligible for the 2023 pay award, subject to the detail in the written offer to unions.

Unions will now confer with their members and the Department awaits the outcome of those consultations.

Notes to editors: 

1. Living Wage Foundation rates (For the real cost of living | Living Wage Foundation) are different from the National Minimum Wage for those aged 23 and over, which the Government calls the Living Wage.

2.Payment of the awards will depend on final decisions being made after unions have consulted their members.

3.The cost of the pay offer is around £101 million.

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