Public service officers can anticipate receiving their 3% pay rise in their September 2024 salaries, with the increase being backdated to April of this year.
The 3% pay rise was awarded to the public service effective from April 2024. However, recent changes to tax rates have led to a delay in the process.
The Head of the Public Service, Governor Sarah Tucker, explained that the “tax rates have now been updated in the system which makes the payment of the increase more complex as the teams involved needed to run tests to ensure the calculations are correct, and that taxation is at the appropriate levels.”
Governor Tucker added that, while the delay is not ideal, it was essential to ensure the necessary checks are conducted to reduce the likelihood of errors in the payment process.
“I hope the work that Inland Revenue, Finance and Human Resources Management Unit (HRMU) has done will minimise errors and avoid overpayments of salary or tax that then have to be corrected,” stated Mrs. Tucker.
Public officers are therefore advised to check their salaries carefully in September to confirm correct payment. The HRMU will provide a contact point for any queries nearer the time and will seek to ensure swift resolution.
Additional funding to provide for the 3% pay increase was approved by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) following budget support mission discussions on Montserrat with Ministries and Departments.
