Following the outcome of the December monitoring round, the Justice Minister, Naomi Long, has confirmed that the necessary funding for PSNI recruitment and the full, recommended pay uplift for police officers has been secured and will now be made available.1

The Department of Justice has been allocated a total of £11.6 million. This crucial funding package includes £7m earmarked specifically for PSNI recruitment and £4.7m to cover the cost of the uplift to police pay.

Minister Long emphasised the importance of the decision, stating: "It is crucial that the PSNI can recruit and retain highly skilled and motivated people - and pay plays an important role in achieving this. I am, therefore, pleased that following my representations, police officers have been recognised on the same basis as our health and education colleagues in the December monitoring round, as a result I am now able to fund this year's police pay uplift in full." The Minister described the allocation as a positive development, confirming her immediate next step: "This is a welcome step forward and I will now work with the Chief Constable to get this much-deserved uplift into officers' pockets as quickly as possible."

Minister Long also used the opportunity to pay tribute to the force's personnel: "I want to acknowledge the dedication and professionalism of PSNI officers, who demonstrate the best of policing under significant pressure. Officers and staff have shown tremendous resilience in keeping our communities safe in difficult circumstances, and I am hugely grateful for their service and commitment."

Furthermore, the Minister welcomed the £7m allocated to fully meet the costs associated with Year 1 of the PSNI's workforce recovery plan.

The Minister reaffirmed her commitment to rebuilding the service's strength: "I have been absolutely clear that rebuilding policing capacity is one of my highest priorities and am pleased to have been able to secure this funding to meet Year 1 of the PSNI's workforce recovery plan. Looking ahead, policing requires sustained multi-year funding, to enable the Service to plan, recruit, train and retain with confidence, and I will continue advocating for this as part of the 3-year budget setting process."