Prime Minister announces public sector pay rise
Rishi Sunak will give millions of public sector workers pay rises of up to 6.5 percent.
The Prime Minister accepted the recommendations from pay review bodies, including 6.5 percent increases for teachers and six percent for junior doctors.
He urged unions to call off strike action and warned the offer was "final".
Mr Sunak told a Downing Street press conference: "Today's offer is final. There will be no more talks on pay. We will not negotiate again on this year's settlements and no amount of strikes will change our decision."
The PM said the accepted recommendations are a "fair deal for the British taxpayer".
Rishi Sunak will give millions of public sector workers pay rises of up to 6.5 percent (Image: PA)
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The Prime Minister said the pay hikes will not be funded by more Government borrowing - which he said would fuel inflation - or higher taxes.
Mr Sunak, who has made tackling inflation one of his top priorities, said: "Those bodies have considered a range of evidence about where to set this year's pay.
"And their recommendations to Government are for public sector pay rises to go up by a significant amount.
"Now clearly, this will cost all of you as taxpayers more than we had budgeted for.
"That's why the decision has been difficult, and why it has taken time to decide the right course of action.
"I can confirm today that we are accepting the headline recommendations of the pay review bodies in full, but we will not fund them by borrowing more or increasing your taxes."
The Prime Minister accepted the recommendations from pay review bodies (Image: PA)
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The Government set out some changes to raise around ￡1billion of additional money to fund the rises.
These include increasing charges for visa applications and for migrants to access the NHS.
But the bulk of the money will have to come from existing budgets.
Mr Sunak insisted "it's not about cuts" but about departments "reprioritising".
He said: "We are asking departments to reprioritise to support public sector workers and that will mean in other areas - it's not about cuts, it's just about focusing on public sector workers' pay rather than other things."
It comes as junior doctors began a five-day walkout - the longest in NHS history - today as part of the pay dispute.
Meanwhile, education unions indicated the new offer could allow them to call off strike action.
What pay rises will public sector workers receive under the offer?
Teachers - 6.5 percent
Junior doctors, consultants and dentists - 6 percent
Police and prison officers - 7 percent
Senior civil servants - 5.5 percent
Military personnel - 5-6 percent
What pay rises will public sector workers receive under the offer?
Teachers - 6.5 percent
Junior doctors, consultants and dentists - 6 percent
Police and prison officers - 7 percent
Senior civil servants - 5.5 percent
Military personnel - 5-6 percent
Teachers - 6.5 percent
Junior doctors, consultants and dentists - 6 percent
Police and prison officers - 7 percent
Senior civil servants - 5.5 percent
Military personnel - 5-6 percent
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