CIRC 052: CLOSED GRADE STAFF

The 2023 Prison Service Pay Review Body England and Wales report has now been laid in Parliament https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/psprb-twenty-second-report-on-england-and-wales-2023

 

Closed grade staff are rightly infuriated about the recent HMPPS pay recommendations and the approval from the Pay Review Body that they will not now or in the future receive another pay increase. Members are reminded that the National Executive Committee asked for a 12% increase for all grades including closed grades. This request was obviously ignored. The Executive agree that this insult to our most experienced staff is a disgrace. As an Executive we are working behind the scenes so we may exhaust all options to support closed grades.

The Pay Review Body agreed with HMPPS that there should be a one tier workforce subject to the same pay scales and have decided to incentivise closed grades to opt into Fair and Sustainable pay scales so it can be achieved. F&S in the majority of cases for closed grades now increases band 3 pay above that of closed grade pay.

There is a lot of misinformation surrounding the transfer from a closed grade to F&S pay scales.

The following is factual and is devised to assist closed grades consider their options:

If a closed grade member of staff transfers into Fair and Sustainable they retain their existing terms and conditions.

If you currently have your leave in days you may continue to retain your leave in days and do not have to convert it into hours. 

If you are not subject to fitness testing you will not be subject to fitness testing now or in the future just because you transfer to F&S.

Your pension stays the same. You have not accepted a retirement age of 68 by transferring into F&S.

You may still go part time or partially retire if you transfer into F&S.

If you are currently partially retired or draw your legacy pension and work part time transferring into F&S may give you a pay rise. Before transferring it is important you speak with your pension provider so they may provide you with an accurate estimate of any pension abatement you may be subject to if you accepted an increase in salary.

If you are entitled to 6 months full pay when absent due to sickness you will continue to receive that entitlement.

The only thing that changes is the way your pay is calculated. Your existing terms and conditions as a closed grade remain the same even if you accept F&S pay scales.

The unsocial hours element of pay F&S staff receive will never be removed or reduced unless you transfer to a different role that does not pay unsocial hours 

You transfer into F&S on a 39 hour per week contract which is pensionable. You may, if permission is granted, work a 41 hour per week contract but only 39 hours will be pensionable. Similarly, if you get permission to only work 37 hours per week you would lose the additional 2 hours pensionable pay you would have received on a 39 hour per week contract.

Accepting F&S will give you £1383 per year extra (National pay scales 39 hour week) which amounts to a 4% pay rise. Closed grades will move from £32915 to £34298.  If you accept you will receive back pay from April 1^st.

All closed grades who will benefit financially will receive an opt in letter from the employer outlining how the transfer will benefit them financially.

Your opt in letter will confirm the following:

I recognise that some people are concerned that by signing up they are giving something away. Rest assured; the only change is that you are paid more for doing your job.

 How your pay is made up does change, as follows:

 At the moment your full-time pay is a single rate for a 39-hour week inclusive of unsocial working hours.

• In F&S this is automatically split into a 37-hour base pay, a payment for 2 Additional Committed Hours that are pensionable (ACHP) to maintain your total 39 hours and an Unsocial Working Hours payment which is paid at 20% of your total contracted hours. 

However, we have been really clear that these working arrangements won’t and can’t be changed without agreement.

 Let me be clear and confirm that in your uniformed Officer Band 3/ 4 / 5 role:

• The right to work two additional (and pensionable) hours in excess of a standard 37 hour working week will be retained and never involuntarily removed. There will be no attempt by HMPPS now, or in the future, to deny you the entitlement to work, and receive payment for, these additional two hours whilst you remain in a role that qualifies for the payment of ACHP and are working full time hours.
• The entitlement to work and therefore receive payment for unsocial hours (at 20% of all contracted hours worked) will never be involuntarily removed.
• Your pension scheme membership is not affected by these changes.

 All of your other contractual terms and conditions are unchanged, including any individual protection e.g. whether you are required to take a fitness test.

No member of staff in the remit group (staff like us who are subject to a pay reviewer body) is receiving the Civil Service cost of living payment of £1500.

There are a small number of closed grade staff, who probably receive historical local pay allowances, who will not benefit financially from opting into F&S. They will not receive an opt in letter. The Pay Review Body have awarded these closed grades a one off non-consolidated, non-pensionable £1500 payment.

I understand that there are probably many more questions closed grades wish to ask or seek clarification about. I am determined to answer each and every question you have and that is why I will personally do so.

Any closed grade member of staff who has a question should forward it to the following email address so I may assist:nc@poauk.org.uk

In solidarity to you all.

 

All the best.

Mark Fairhurst
National Chair