A 4.75% increase to pay for staff working across policing in Scotland has been agreed and will be backdated to 1 April 2024.

As part of this progressive award, those on pay grades three, two and one will receive increases of between 5% and 16.34%.

The offer includes increases to call out/standby rates and a commitment to review and improve current working practices in relation to the application and approval of annual leave entitlement. The agreement also includes the continued commitment to no compulsory redundancies in line with Scottish Government policy.

The award is the highest pay increase offered in the Scottish public sector, excluding NHS and is over twice as high as the level of inflation based on consumer price inflation at April 2024.

The agreement recognises the valuable contribution police staff make supporting and keeping people and communities across Scotland safe.

Welcoming the agreement, following a ballot of UNISON members, the Authority’s Chair, Martyn Evans said:

“Police staff play a vital role supporting policing in Scotland and I am pleased we have been able to reach an agreement on pay that recognises their valuable contribution.  I am grateful to the trade unions for their constructive dialogue.”

Chief Constable Jo Farrell said: “Police staff provide crucial support to officers to deliver our vital public service and I’m hugely grateful for the dedication, professionalism and goodwill our people demonstrate every day.

“It is right police staff are fairly recognised and rewarded and I want to thank the unions who have contributed to constructive discussions that have led to an agreed pay award.”

Police staff will receive the pay award and backdated allocation in their February 2025 salary.

Negotiations in relation to a pay award for police officers are currently subject to an arbitration process which we expect to conclude in February.

Full details of the police staff offer agreed:

April 24 – March 25 (effective from 1 April 2024)

Pay

Changes to Grade 1: Reduce number of increments at Grades 1 from 1 April 2024 through removal of SCP 1 and SCP 2 to create a two point pay scale

• The first scale point of Grade 1 will be set at £27,373
• The second scale point of Grade 1 will be set at £28,057

Changes to Grade 2: Reduce number of increments at Grade 2 from 1 April 2024 through removal of SCP 5 to create a three point pay scale

• The first scale point of Grade 2 will be set at £28,197
• The second scale point of Grade 2 will be set at £28,902
• The third scale point of Grade 2 will be set at £29,625

Changes to Grade 3: A minimum uplift ranging from £1,415 (bottom point) to £1,524 (top point) for Grade 3 from 1 April 2024

• The first scale point of Grade 3 will be set at £29,711
• The second scale point of Grade 3 will be set at £30,117
• The third scale point of Grade 3 will be set at £30,622
• The fourth scale point of Grade 3 will be set at £32,000

Changes above Grade 3:  A 4.75% increase to all grades and pay points and an additional £76 added to SCP 13 to maintain an appropriate pay gap between the top of Grade 3 and the bottom of Grade 4 with SCP 13 being set at £32,160.

Terms and conditions

Call-out/Standby rate to increase to £35 from 1 April 2024.

An increase by 4.75% on the following allowances:

• Disruption
• Overnight Disruption
• Additional Disruption
• Minimum Standards
• Unsocial Hours Payment
• Dog Handler Allowance

Agree settlement with the joint trade unions to buyout all staff TOIL in excess of 35 hours with the detail and approach to be agreed through collective agreement.

For clarification the existing policy/procedure for staff TOIL will remain unchanged.

A commitment to review and improve current working practices in relation to the application and approval of annual leave entitlement in line with policy. Proposed provision of call-out payment where an accredited trade union representative is called out outwith normal working hours in relation to Post Incident Procedures. This would be in line with those who receive a call-out payment that are not on a contractual standby roster, but are called out due to an unplanned, or unforeseen event.

Continued commitment to no compulsory redundancies.

Commitment to jointly consider the merits or otherwise of reintroducing the Distant Islands Allowance within the JNCC Terms and Conditions Sub-Group.

Commitment to jointly consider the merits or otherwise of increasing annual leave entitlement for staff within the JNCC Terms and Conditions Sub-Group.

Commitment to work jointly to reach agreement on a set of enhanced family friendly and equality provisions by no later than the 31 December 2025 with a focus on but not limited to:

• Maternity/Adoption Provisions
• Fostering and Kinship Care Provisions
• Maternity/Adoption Support Provisions
• Disability Leave
• Neonatal pay and Leave
• Miscarriage pay and leave
• Carer’s Leave
• Ante-Natal Appointments for partners
• Fertility Treatment leave for partners