All you need to know about the DWP ballot

Over half of all PCS members in the DWP voted in a consultative ballot on pay last September. 

The message you sent the employer was clear: you were willing to take action to secure a better deal. That is why we have moved to a statutory ballot for industrial action, which will run from 19 January until 23 February 2026. 

What is the dispute about?   

PCS rejected the DWP's final pay offer for 2025–26 because it fails to address the serious issue of chronic low pay. For the fourth successive year, April 2026 will see the National Living Wage (NLW) overtake AA and AO pay. 

The civil service pay remit allows for average awards of up to 3.25%, with an extra 0.5% to deal with low pay. PCS pressed DWP to use this flexibility to protect the lowest paid and to build a buffer between AA and AO pay, and the forecasted 2026 NLW. The employer said no. 

Instead, the DWP again chose to focus on fixing structural issues for SEO, Grade 7 and specialist roles, making them more competitive with other departments. This means that our members in the junior grades - those that are central to delivering the government’s transformation programme - will remain stuck at the bottom of the pay ladder. 

The remit guidance allowed for departments facing recruitment or retention risks to submit a business case to the Treasury for more pay. DWP clearly qualifies, and PCS were robust in our demand for this to happen. 

Again, the executive team said no, despite admitting that £6.6m from the bonus pot could have been redirected if a case was approved. Other departments have submitted cases year after year. DWP simply refused to ask. 

Offers elsewhere in the civil service show how far behind DWP is: Department for Education (up to 7.88% for AOs), Ministry of Justice (5.6% for AAs, 5.7% for AOs), and HMRC (4% for AOs and EOs). 

The ballot period has been pushed back. Why has this happened? 

The ballot was originally scheduled to start on 5 January but will now open on 19 January and close on 23 February.

The DWP are using Tory anti-union legislation to put barriers in the way of you having your say. The Tories’ Trade Union Act 2016 introduced a requirement for unions to provide employers with the number of ballotable members within every office.

PCS served notice to DWP, informing them of our intention to ballot on pay on 12 December. On New Years eve, at the 11th hour, the employer issued a challenge to our ballot notice.

PCS gave notice of 766 offices that were to be balloted. The DWP challenge is based on its outdated HUB Strategy, which has seen hundreds of offices close, the majority of which have simply changed address. 

There is no legal requirement for PCS to provide every office address, since the law works on a ‘reasonable knowledge’ basis.

DWP bosses have unconvincingly told us that we provided information that senior managers cannot understand. Yet instead of allowing them to tie us up in litigation, we have decided to pull back for a short period.

We believe this is a blatant tactical move to delay the ballot, because the employer knows that members are angry about pay and are ready to take action to win better.

When will ballot papers arrive?  

As the ballot opens on 19 January, this is when ballot papers will be sent to you at your home address. Members must complete the ballot paper and return it by post, as required by law.

What are PCS’s demands?

Our reasonable pay demands were not met by the DWP in the 2025/26 pay offer. We are asking that the department: 

• Immediately reopens pay talks for 25/26
• Submits a business case to increase spending on pay across the department
• Works with PCS on modelling that will see an uplift for members, with the maximum possible awarded to their lowest paid workers.

Why has PCS decided to ballot for action? 

Because DWP members like you have spoken - and your union has listened. Your union is now taking the necessary next step after the strong consultative ballot result, and balloting members for strike action.

By law, trade unions must conduct a formal statutory ballot before any legal industrial action can take place. These ballots must be carried out by post. Over 80% of participating members in the consultative ballot said they were prepared to take action to secure a better deal. 

Strike action is always the last resort. Members want to work: we are proud of the job we do in DWP because we know our work is of great value to society.  But this level of poverty pay is not sustainable. 

Members across the department have told us that they are struggling – both financially as debt spirals, and in terms of their workload as work-based stress increases and people’s mental health further deteriorates.

Taking a stand in this ballot will bring us one step closer to winning on pay and creating a workplace that values hard working staff like you.

Can I vote online?

No, this is a postal-only ballot. Unlike a consultative ballot, which isn’t legally binding, this vote must be conducted via post. That means, from 19 January you’ll receive a letter from PCS with your ballot paper. You have not voted until you have posted your ballot paper.

What will strike action achieve?

In 2022/23, our united action broke the 1% pay cap, won a £1500 cost-of-living payment, and protected redundancy terms. By sticking together, you and your colleagues won a better deal.

PCS believes that taking industrial action, or the threat of it, will force DWP to deal with the issues of low pay in the department.

The 2026 pay remit guidance will be announced in April next year so again, securing a strong mandate for industrial action in the DWP will put pressure on the government to set out a pay remit guidance that is fair for all civil servants, particularly the lowest paid.

How will members be kept updated during the ballot period?

PCS is a democratic organisation, and every member has the right to take part in this ballot,  it is imperative that your union can contact you throughout the ballot period to update you on the campaign, and to check that you have had the opportunity to vote.

PCS is unable to contact you about industrial action using DWP systems or via your work email address, so it is important that we hold an up-to-date personal email, phone number and home address for you.

How can I update my personal details?

You can update your details by logging onto PCS Digital and adding or updating any missing contact information.

How can I get a replacement ballot paper? 

If you have not received a ballot paper in the post, you can order a replacement from PCS.

Members that require a replacement ballot paper must request one online by logging into their PCS Digital account, where they can check and update their details if necessary.

Ballot replacement requests will open at noon on Saturday 24 January, while the deadline for requesting a replacement is 10am on Friday 6 February.

I’m not a PCS member. Can I vote in the ballot? 

No, only PCS members can vote in the ballot. However, any new member who joins PCS before 10am on 3 February will automatically be included in the ballot. 

After joining and providing us with your home address, we will send you a ballot paper.

As a PCS member, what can I do to win better pay?

The single most important thing you can do as a PCS member is vote in the ballot and let us know you’ve voted. Once you’ve posted your ballot paper back, log in to PCS Digital and let us know. That way, we can ensure that reminders only go to your colleagues who need it. 

Encourage your colleagues to vote, too. Every single vote counts in sending a strong message to your employer that you deserve better.

Encourage any of your colleagues who are not PCS members to join. Explain the importance of unity at this time, and how much support PCS can offer in the workplace. The more members we have, the stronger the PCS voice is - in every issue we raise with management.

You can also consider becoming a PCS advocate. Advocates aren’t reps. As an advocate, you can play a more informal role where you can do as much or as little as you feel able to. 

Full training and support is available for the role, and the work that advocates do is invaluable. Speak to your local rep for more details.