Police Negotiating Board for Scotland: annual report 2025

Review of the year

This is the third annual report of the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland. This report covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2025.

PNBS in 2025 ~ by month

Month / Milestone

January

• Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI) continued stage 1 of the research into police officer pay and benefits, relating to wage growth
• Pay 2024/25 negotiations continued through the arbitration process with Acas

February

• Acas arbitration hearing took place in relation to 2024/25 pay negotiations on 6 February
• A 4.75% pay deal for police officers in 2024/25 confirmed following the outcome of a formal arbitration process
• Circulars with details of the 2024/25 pay agreement published
• FAI completed stage 1 of the research into police officer pay and benefits, relating to wage growth

March

• Members review of PNBS ways of working initiated, following conclusion of the 2024/25 pay agreement
• FAI presented findings of stage 1 research into police officer pay and benefits, relating to wage growth to PNBS members and stakeholders

April

• Staff Side submitted 2025/26 pay claim on 1 April which includes an increase of 4.5% for all officers
• Members review of PNBS ways of working continued
• PNBS Chair, Official and Staff Side representatives met FAI to develop the scope of stage 2 research on pay and benefits
• Sides met weekly to negotiate 2025/26 pay

May

• Meeting of the PNBS on 2 May
• Members agreed to changes to the PNBS ways of working following review
• Stage 1 of the FAI research into police officer pay and benefits, relating to wage growth published
• Technical Working Group provided update to members that the Sides have reached agreement on family friendly provisions
• Sides met weekly to negotiate 2025/26 pay

June

• Meeting of the PNBS on 19 June
• Meeting of the Technical Working Group on 20 June
• Sides met weekly to negotiate 2025/26 pay

July

• Official Side made a pay offer for 2025/26 and 2026/27 which included an inflation guarantee to ensure the increase is a minimum of one percentage point higher than the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate for the year
• PNBS Chair and Side representatives met FAI to discuss the scope of stage 2 of the research
• Sides met weekly to negotiate 2025/26 pay

August

• Staff Side accepted the Official Side offer and pay negotiations for 2025/26 and 2026/27 were successfully concluded
• Circulars providing details of family friendly provisions published
• PNBS Chair and Side representatives continued met with FAI to ensure the stage 2 report delivers on requirements
• Sides met weekly to discuss pay, terms and conditions

September

• Circulars providing details of the 2025/26 and 2026/27 pay agreement published
• Meeting of the PNBS on 30 September
• PNBS Chair and Side representatives continued to engage with FAI to ensure the stage 2 report delivers on requirements
• Sides met weekly to discuss pay, terms and conditions

October

• PNBS Chair and Side representatives continued to engage with FAI to ensure the stage 2 report delivers on requirements
• Sides met weekly to discuss pay, terms and conditions

Novemb er

• Meeting of the Technical Working Group on 6 November
• PNBS Chair and Side representatives continued to engage with FAI to ensure the stage 2 report delivers on the requirements
• Sides met weekly to discuss pay, terms and conditions

December

• PNBS Chair and Side representatives continued to engage with FAI to ensure the stage 2 report delivers on the requirements
• Sides met weekly to discuss pay, terms and conditions

PNBS in 2025 ~ in summary

Police officer pay 2024/25

Following a failure to agree in October 2024, the Staff Side and Official Side began conciliation and arbitration in November 2024 which continued into 2025.

Stage 1 conciliation with the Chair concluded on 30 November without resolution despite considerable efforts by both Sides. Stage 2 conciliation commenced thereafter with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) and concluded without resolution in December 2024. The Sides then entered into Acas arbitration. An independent arbitrator appointed by Acas considered written and verbal evidence from the Official Side and Staff Side on 6 February 2025. Following detailed consideration of the evidence, on 14 February 2025 the independent arbitrator confirmed the award of 4.75% to pay and relevant allowances for all police officers backdated to 1 April 2024.

Although members were disappointed negotiations ended in arbitration, the Staff Side and Official Side reiterated their commitment to continuing to work together in a respectful way with the aim to reach a positive outcome in 2025/26.

The Chair was grateful to both Sides for the way they approached the arbitration process, and for swiftly implementing the outcome of arbitration which ensured officers were awarded the backdated pay in their March salaries.

Police officer pay 2025/26 and 2026/27

In April 2025, pay negotiations for 2025/26 began with a Staff Side claim of 4.5% for all officers. The Sides met weekly and worked diligently throughout the negotiation period and in August 2025 the pay negotiations between the Staff Side and Official Side successfully concluded to deliver a two-year pay agreement which included:

• A 4% increase to pay and relevant allowances with effect from 1 April 2025
• A 3.5% increase to pay and relevant allowances with effect from 1 April 2026

The agreement included an inflation guarantee to ensure the increase in pay each year is a minimum of one percentage point higher than the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate for the year.

This agreement was supported by a commitment to a joint review of annual leave and on-call provisions following completion of the Fraser of Allander Institute phase two research. The aim would be to have a joint agreement on the appropriate regulatory approach to these elements by 1 April 2027. In accepting the offer, the Staff Side emphasised the central importance of the commitments surrounding the Fraser of Allander Institute phase two research.

The Chair expressed her appreciation to all members of the Staff Side and Official Side on reaching agreement for 2025/26 and 2026/27, acknowledging the hard work, commitment and positive approach from all involved.

Improving our ways of working

Following conclusion of the 2024/25 pay agreement, the Chair engaged directly with members in March and April 2025 to review the negotiation process and explore how this could be improved in the future. Four key themes were identified with scope for improvement:

• Duration of negotiation time
• Internal and external communication
• Attendance at PNBS meetings
• Conciliation process

At the PNBS meeting in May, the Chair presented the findings which members supported. Members agreed to take forward actions to improve the process including:

• Publish a monthly pay update agreed with the Sides on the PNBS website
• Side Secretaries to arrange a monthly meeting during negotiations
• Commitment to working together to improve communications
• Members to avoid communicating within their own organisation or outwith which prejudices negotiations
• Sides to discuss and agree on membership of full meetings going forward in terms of numbers and representation

During 2025 changes have been implemented and have had a significant positive impact. The effort, time and commitment by both Sides has been excellent. Meeting weekly has supported a clarity and a positive way of working. The improvement in communications and shortened duration of negotiations has also been appreciated by members.

The Chair was grateful to all members for their honesty and openness in providing feedback and their commitment to improving the process which has played a key role in delivering positive outcomes in 2025.