Guidance

Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance: Addendum Guidance 2023/24

Updated 2 June 2023

1. Summary of changes

This addendum sets out additional flexibility above the parameters in the 2023/24 pay remit guidance. This year, Civil Service departments^{[footnote 1]} are able to make average pay awards up to 4.5% with further flexibility to make awards up to an additional 0.5%, to be targeted at lower pay bands. In addition to this, for 2023/24, departments covered by the Pay Remit Guidance have flexibility to make a fixed non-consolidated [gross] payment of £1,500 per full-time employee for those in delegated grades, subject to eligibility.

2. Scope of the non-consolidated payment

The pay remit guidance covers pay setting arrangements for civil servants throughout the Civil Service, including departments, non-ministerial departments and agencies, as well as for public sector workers in non-departmental public bodies^{[footnote 2]} and other arm’s length bodies.^{[footnote 3]} Where reference is made to civil servants, it also includes references to other workers employed in an organisation covered by this guidance.

In addition to the parameters in the pay remit guidance, under this Addendum, departments are able to award civil servants a fixed non-consolidated payment of £1,500 per full-time employee, subject to eligibility.

The cost of implementing the non-consolidated payment can be met outside departments’ pay remit for the 2023/24 year only. Payments are expected to be non-pensionable.

For civil servants to be eligible for this payment, they need to have been in post both on 31 March 2023 and still in post on the date of payment.

Departments must ensure that the further flexibility for non-consolidated payments is affordable within their Spending Settlements, and must be aware of the need to balance other budgetary pressures, with consideration of the wider economy and the Government’s macroeconomic framework.

3. Additional factors to consider

Date of implementation

Departments making such payments will take the usual steps necessary, including discussions with their recognised trade unions, with the aim of finalising any decisions as soon as possible.

Departments currently seeking approval for pay flexibility above headline range set out in pay remit guidance may implement the one-off non-consolidated payment before approval of the pay flexibility business case is sought.

Departments in multi-year deals

Departments currently in a multi-year deal for 2023/24 can make a non-consolidated payment in accordance with the parameters set out in this guidance, without any further approvals from Cabinet Office or HM Treasury.

Part-time workers

Departments should have regard to their policies on part time working and making the non-consolidated payment on a pro rata basis.

Senior staff

Senior civil servants (SCS) and NDPB equivalents are not included within the scope of this non-consolidated payment. The pay of the SCS is covered by the Senior Salaries Review Body’s (SSRB) remit and is set centrally by the Cabinet Office. Pay for senior staff in NDPBs is not covered by the SSRB’s remit, nevertheless NDPBs have an important leadership role in following public sector pay policy, therefore, any annual pay increase or decision to award performance-related pay to such staff must be considered alongside and according to the same principles that apply to SCS. Sponsor departments are responsible for enforcing this.

4. Approvals and processes

Departments should follow their usual pay approval and governance processes in relation to the non-consolidated payment, and payments should be made subject to any necessary negotiation with recognised trade unions. No further approval from the Cabinet Office or HM Treasury is required.

5. Contacts

Any queries in relation to this guidance should be emailed to the Cabinet Office in the first instance:

Email: civilservicepay@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Civil Service Pay, Policy and Pensions
Government People Group
Cabinet Office
6th Floor
10 South Colonnade
Canary Wharf
London
E14 4QQ

For queries on WPR reporting: WPR@hmtreasury.gov.uk

For other queries: civilservicepay@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Workforce, Pay and Pensions Team
HM Treasury, Zone 2 Red
1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ

1. Throughout the guidance the term “department(s)” includes all organisations (ministerial and non-ministerial departments, agencies and NDPBs) that come within its scope, unless the context clearly implies otherwise. ↩

2. See footnote 1. ↩

3. Organisations should contact their parent or sponsorship department to seek guidance from the Cabinet Office (contact details found in section 6 if unsure whether they are in scope of the guidance. ↩