Winsor Review

In response to a commission from the Home Secretary, Tom Winsor conducted an independent review of police officer and staff remuneration and conditions. The majority of recommendations from Tom Winsor’s first report have been implemented and the Home Secretary has made decisions on a number of recommendations in Tom Winsor’s final report following discussions in the police negotiating machinery.

Existing pay system

The existing police pay system was designed over thirty years ago. Since then, the way police work has changed, but the way they are paid has not. In the late 1970s, for example, the vast majority of officers regularly worked unsociable hours. Now only around 60 per cent do.

Pay systems in the private and the wider public sector have changed over the last thirty years to recognise and reward skills. In the police service however, this doesn't happen enough. Skills, performance and successful crime fighting are not rewarded. Time served still determines how well most police officers are paid.

After a thorough and considered review, Tom Winsor provided the government with recommendations as to how a modern police pay structure could be achieved.

Read the terms of reference for the Winsor Review.

Part 1 of the Winsor review

The full Part 1 Report is available at the independent review website. You can also read the Home Secretary's written ministerial statement in response to the review.

In this first part of his review, published on 8 March 2011, Tom Winsor made a series of recommendations. After going through the police officer negotiating machinery, the Home Secretary decided to accept the recommendations made by the Police Arbitration Tribunal. The majority of these recommendations have now been implemented. This will affect a number of payments and conditions of service, including:

• a two year freeze on pay increments but with officers youngest in the police exempt from this
• abolishing Special Priority Payments
• introducing unsociable hours allowance
• retaining time and a third rate for casual overtime
• introducing a new £50 overnight allowance for officers held in reserve away from home

A list of changes has been published in Home Office circular 010/2012.

Part 2 - the final report

The Final Report is available on the independent review website. You can also read the Home Secretary's written ministerial statement, referring to the recommendations to the police negotiating machinery.

Read the key recommendations of the final report.