PCS pay campaign

Our successful campaign of industrial action won an increased pay remit, £1500 cost-of-living payment and guarantees on redundancy terms. It also forced the Cabinet Office into a series of talks with PCS on pay and staffing.

In late 2023 and 2024 our industrial action, including targeted industrial action with specific groups of members, and three all-out one day strikes involving all members, led to an offer from the UK government with concessions on pay, redundancy terms and promises of further talks on pay and job security.  The pay offer included a lump sum of £1500 and an increase in the headline pay remit figure from 2% to 4.5%, with an extra 0.5% for the lowest paid, for 2023/24.

View our timeline of strike action.

In August 2023 members voted to support the recommendation of our national executive committee to pause strike action apart from where employers were refusing to pay the £1,500 cost-of-living payment, to allow for pay talks to be held in departments, and to continue our campaign.

Talks with the Cabinet Office have taken place and we have now submitted our pay claim for 2024/2025.

Our pay demands for 2024/25 to the UK government include:

  • a cost-of-living rise, plus pay restoration for previous years
  • pay equality across departments on the best possible terms,
  • a living wage of £15 a hour,
  • London weighting provision of a minimum £5,000 a year,
  • 35 days annual leave minimum,
  • a significant shortening of the working week with no loss of pay.

Following a consultation of members between 20 February and 5 March the NEC took the decision to ballot members in 171 civil service and related areas for strike action. The ballot opens on Monday 18 March. Members in the Scottish Sector are not included in the ballot as they are agreed a two-year pay deal last year.

Read our Q&A on the national campaign.

Read our FAQs on the national ballot.

Check our resources and guidance for PCS reps and branches to get ballot-ready.

We took our case on pensions to the Court of Appeal in February and are awaiting the findings of the court.

Donate to our strike fund to support PCS members taking action.

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