Originally Posted by
Jimlad1
Thats a basic pay chart - does that include X-Factor?
Also bear in mind that when on deployments a lot of allowances kick in, boosting pay, as does trade pay or specialist pay. I know of very few guys in the forces who only get the basic pay band. Add in fun things like boarding school allowances, missed meal allowances, free travel in London, subsidised accommodation, an excellent pension/gratuity etc and the packages value adds up considerably.
CS do not recieve X factor, are only paid for days worked and as such need a salary boost when deployed to compensate for the change in working conditions. Seems fair to me - I can imagine the screams of protest were the MOD to do away with X Factor for personnel who deploy.
As you said, you should know the system ("Having spent plenty of time in and out of uniform"), so you should know that X Factor is included in all pay scales as a matter of course, and that "trade pay" or "specialist pay" is a misnomer unless you are actually doing a specialist job. You have also managed to forget about the allowances that the CS get - relocation packages, education allowances, assistance with travel, loans for bicycles, loans for season tickets, etc. The CS are NOT paid for days worked, they are paid an annual salary. You are also part of a pension scheme. Why would the MOD do away with X Factor for people who deploy? Stupid statement. Nice to see that the politicos are looking at a change in the Income Tax rules for deployed personnel. The CS are poorly paid, but you get what you pay for - we should know as we are on the receiving end of the monkey-on-the-typewriter on far too many occasions.
Let me guess, judging by your in depth knowledge of the system, and in keeping with the ususal CS competentices, you work in SP Pol with responsibility for Pay and Allowances?