PCS to ballot Home Office members on three-year pay deal

PCS has received final proposals for a three‑year pay award covering more than 50,000 staff in the Home Office. An online ballot will open on 9 March and close on 30 March.

If members vote in favour of the offer, the lowest paid staff in the Home Office will move to £14.36 per hour this year and above £15 per hour next year. The agreement will run until 2028. In return for some staff giving up certain terms and conditions, the proposal includes pay increases that go beyond the standard pay remit guidance.

Headline points

• 3-year pay deal (2025-28)
• Starts 1 July 2025, payments will be backdated (excluding a 3% interim payment that has already been paid in December 2025)
• By 1 July 2027, the lowest‑paid staff in the Home Office (AA grade national) will move onto £29,050, just over £15 per hour. And £4000 more for AA’s in London.
• Up to 21% consolidated increases for AOs and EOs in frontline operational roles (around 67% of the workforce).
• AO spot rate will be £30,920 (national) from 1 July 2026 moving to £32,360 in 2027. With the London spot rate set at £4,000 higher.
• EO spot rate to be introduced in 2027 at £36,000 national and £40,000 London
• Guaranteed underpin of 6% in 2025/26, 5.5% in 2026/27, and 4% in 2027/28 (either fully consolidated or a combination of consolidated and non‑consolidated elements).
• Actual percentage increases will vary by region and position on the pay range.
• A break clause activates if the pay remit exceeds 5.5% in 2026 or 3.6% in 2027.

The pay award is meant to be cost neutral and will mean some terms and conditions changes:

• Move all staff to modernised terms and conditions from July 2026 with non‑consolidated compensation of between £3000-£5000, that will be pensionable (in years 2 and 3) for staff moving from pre-modernised terms.
• Annualised Hours Allowance reforms phased to April 2027.
• Reduction of 300 agency workers; conversion of 200 to Home Office staff.
• Phase out of Gatwick pay range with £1,500 compensation.
• Removal/reduction of certain allowances and some allowances move to being non-pensionable.

Several proposed efficiencies were removed after PCS challenged them. 

On balance the group executive committee believes this is a good deal and is recommending members accept the offer.

Read full details of the offer.

Non‑members who join PCS by noon on Tuesday 17 March will receive a ballot paper by email.

The online ballot runs until noon on 30 March.

Replacement ballots can be requested by logging into your PCS Digital account from noon on Friday 13 March until noon on Thursday 19 March.