All Police Scotland staff will receive a 5% pay increase backdated to April this year following an agreement between the force, the SPA and Trade Unions Unison and Unite.

Pay packets as well as shift allowances will increase by 5 per cent for employees across all salary bands.

Parental leave will also be introduced; for each child born on and following 1 April 2022, four weeks paid parental leave and 14 weeks unpaid parental leave (per child) can be taken in line with current policy provisions.

Scottish Police Authority (SPA) said this offer represents “a significant improvement” on what was previously on offer.

The deal sees the introduction of a “dog transfer allowance” of £1,239 per annum for the movement of force service animals in a person’s own vehicle.

Police Scotland will also maintain its policy of no compulsory redundancies.

It follows an agreed pay increase of 5 per cent for all officers in Scotland which was decided in August but was also backdated to April.

Prior to the agreed rise, a pay dispute saw the Federation rejecting a “derisory” offer of £565 (1.4 per cent) and officers subsequently withdrawing goodwill by refusing to stay late, start shifts early or take radio equipment home with them. 

An agreement was made on pay along with further proposed enhancements to annual leave, disruption to rest and flexibility for caring responsibilities. 

Meanwhile, officers in England and Wales also obtained a a flat £1,900 salary uplift across all ranks earlier in the year (averaging at 5 per cent). 

Since then, however, the Fed told the Home Office it's "not enough" and called for them to be stripped of the power to set terms of the Police Remuneration Review Body. 

The Fed told Police Oracle today that there are no updates on the PRRB situation at the moment. 

Police staff in England and Wales had initially accepted a 2.1 per cent raise in May, reserving the right to re-open negotiations depending on the rate obtained by officers. 

Police Oracle understands that officer pay rise triggered re-negotiations between Unison and the Police Staff Council (APCC, Home Office, NPCC). 

UNISON police and justice lead Ben Priestley said: "Talks reopened over police staff pay in England and Wales as soon as officers received their £1,900 flat rate award earlier in the year.

"Those talks are ongoing. The hope is that there'll be an announcement soon about a wage rise that helps support staff better cope with the rising cost of living."

On today's news, SPA chairman, Martyn Evans, said: “I am pleased we have reached an agreement following constructive dialogue with the trade unions.

“Our staff make an essential and valuable contribution to the delivery of policing across Scotland and we are very grateful to them for that.”

The salary increases will be paid to staff in their November salaries, which will be paid on November 28.

Chief constable Sir Iain Livingstone said: “I know the high level of commitment to public service which has been demonstrated by our officers and staff during recent major operations such as the policing of Cop26 and Operation Unicorn, as well as throughout the coronavirus pandemic, and at all other times as well.

“It is crucial our people are properly recognised and rewarded.

“Officers and staff should be treated fairly and pay agreements must be affordable.

“I’m grateful to the unions and everyone who worked together to achieve an award which reflects those principles.”