The 2020 Reports by the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) and the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body (AFPRB) have been published today.
The SSRB, which makes pay recommendations for military personnel at 2-Star and above, and the AFPRB, which makes pay and charges recommendations for military personnel up to 1-Star officers have both recommended a 2.0 per cent increase in pay. The Government has accepted the recommendations in full, with the increase to be paid in September salaries, backdated to 1 April 2020.
Full details of the pay award are in the Directed Letter on Defence Net here (internal users only) and there are some useful Q&As below:
The Award
Q. What is my pay rise?
A. All personnel will receive a 2 per cent increase to pensionable pay, reflecting the recommendations made by the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body (AFPRB) for personnel up to 1-star level and the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) for those at 2-star rank and above.
Q. When will I see this in my pay packet?
A. This pay award will be delivered alongside September salaries and backdated to 1 April 2020.
Q. Why was there a delay to this year’s Pay Award?
A. The Government asked all public sector Pay Review Bodies to submit their Report containing their recommendations in April, which was later than the traditional submission for the Armed Forces. This has allowed all public sector pay awards to be considered by the Government together, rather than spread over a longer time period.
Q. Will the increase to starting salary be backdated?
A. Yes, as with the general pay award, the starting salary will be delivered alongside September salaries and backdated to 1 April 2020.
Q. Who gets the pay award?
A. All Armed Forces personnel, including those under training and within the Reserves, will receive increased rates of pay as a result of the pay award.
Accommodation Charges
Q. How much are accommodation charges going to rise?
A. For those in Single Living Accommodation, the rise (which includes the increase in charges for electricity, water and lighting) will vary from between one and six pence a day, and for those in Unfurnished CAAS Service Family Accommodation, the rise will vary from between one and twenty-four pence per day (all dependent upon Type, Band or Grade of accommodation occupied).