What jobs are public sector? Workers eligible for 2022 pay rise

Rishi Sunak revealed on Monday, October 25, that the 12-month pay restraint which came into force last November and was imposed on workers between April 2021 and March 2022 will be lifted now, boosting pay for those in the public sector.

Despite Sunak’s explanation that the UK economy is “firmly back on track,” the Treasury could not confirm any hike to public sector pay will top towering inflation levels especially due to the supply chain crisis which is set to push food and energy prices up this winter.

The new measure will be announced at the Budget today, Wednesday, October 27, alongside an increase in living wages and more.

Who are public sector workers?

Public sector workers will receive a boost in pay one year after their pays were frozen due to the pandemic (Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

According to latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), around 5.68 million people are employed in the public sector, which has more than 300 different occupations within it.

Consisting of business and administration roles, to emergency services, social care and armed forces personnel, the public sector has a higher proportion of high-skilled jobs.

There are over 300 high-skilled occupations in the public sector who are eligible for a pay rise (Getty Images/Image Source)

Job roles within the public sector includes :

• Healthcare - which includes doctors, nurses, care workers, ambulance staff, dental nurses, dental practitioners, midwives, paramedics, physiotherapists etc, mostly all employed under the NHS, which is the healthcare sectors biggest employer.

• Law enforcement and security - such as police officers, armed forces personnel and fire service officers.

• Social care - including social workers, carers and probation officers.

• Education - which includes nursery, primary, secondary and higher education teachers, educational support assistants, school secretaries, education advisors and school inspectors.

• The civil service - including more than 170 government departments working across employment, pensions, healthcare, education and security.

Who decides public sector pay?

Pay for frontline workers such as nurses, police officers, prison officers and teachers is set by independent pay review bodies which make recommendations to ministers.

With the lifting of the pay freeze on the horizon, officials have said the Government would be requesting “full recommendations” from respective sector pay bodies, with awards to be announced next year.