MILLIONS of workers are set to enjoy a four per cent boost to their pay packet.
The government today accepted independent recommendations for public sector staff to receive pay rises averaging around 4.5 per cent, with some workers bagging even more.
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All police officers will see their income rise by £1,900 from September.
NHS doctors and dentists will get a 4.5% boost to their pay packets, while the lowest paid in the health service – such as porters and cleaners – will receive up to 9.3%.
The average basic pay for nurses will increase from around £35,600 to around £37,000, backdated to April this year.
Meanwhile, the basic pay for newly qualified nurses will rise by 5.5%.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Pay awards this year strike a careful balance between recognising the vital importance of public sector workers, whilst delivering value for the taxpayer, not increasing the country’s debt further and being careful not to drive even higher prices in the future.”
Unions have lashed out at the pay increases confirmed by government and demanded any rise should be above inflation, which is set to exceed 10%.
Some unions say they will ballot members over whether to strike in protest at the pay rises on offer.
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Laurence Turner from the GMB Union said: “An offer below inflation is a cut by another name. Recruitment and retention problems are now severe across the public sector and Ministers are failing to invest in the services that the economic recovery needs.
“Real NHS wages have fallen by 15% since 2010 and workers are risking their lives to protect patients. Key workers have been driven to loans and food banks to make ends meet – they deserve so much better than this.
