Public sector pay policy 2024 to 2025

Foreword by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government

I am pleased to set out the Scottish Government's pay policy for 2024-25. The Scottish Government is proud to support our public services and are committed to maintaining high quality services that people in Scotland need.

The most valuable and important asset of public services is the public sector workforce. Spending on workforce pay now accounts for over half of the entire Scottish resource budget. That reflects the importance we place on having a highly skilled and remunerated workforce.

This pay policy balances flexibility with fairness and affordability, and offers multi-year pay metrics above forecast levels of inflation from 2024-25 to 2026-27. A multi-year, above inflation approach provides certainty for the public sector workforce and an opportunity for Scottish Government, employers and Trade Unions to plan for and transform our public services to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

I am proud that our approach to public sector pay in recent years means that people in key public sector roles in Scotland are now paid more than in the rest of the UK and that we have supported public sector workers during the cost of living crisis. This framework for a multi-year pay policy continues our commitment to the public sector workforce with pay metrics set above forecasted inflation rates and continues our journey to build and boost the Scottish economy and create the prosperity necessary to support people in Scotland.

This pay policy sets a framework which individual bargaining units can use to take forward negotiations on pay and non-pay elements relevant to their sector and workforce.

The Scottish Government operates on an effectively fixed budget, limiting what can be delivered through pay policy. Changes to the settlement received from the UK Government will be required to deliver any change to Scottish public sector pay policy.

Shona Robison MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government