GG - At the risk of going off target here, let me explain the so called bonus. The MOD does its pay deals for civilians in three year tranches, and the last one was signed up to in 2008, to cover 08-11.
About 12 years ago, to reduce the overrall pensions bill, the MOD was forced by HMT to siphon off a wodge of cash that would normally have been included in the pay award and instead of paying it as payrises, pay it instead as a non consolidated 'performance award'.
This meant that at my level, instead of getting a £500 pay rise, which then added to my annual salary each year, and in time would contribute to my final pension, I instead received a taxable grant each year of roughly £500 (in reality far lower as I was more junior back then), which did not add to my salary, and did not count towards my pension. The result is that my annual salary is £5-£6000 below where it would have been, and my pension is also impacted.
So, its not a bonus - it never has been a bonus, its not coming out of additional funding, its coming out of same wage pot of money that pays all the CS salaries. Its a very devious means of saving money, and has also managed to cause immense
PR damage as people associate 'bonus' with fat boy bankers rewards.
The specific DT example is of an SCS, who is on completely different T&C of employment, and also the DT has a long standing and well known agenda of reporting a very interesting interpretation of anything to do with the MOD CS, and in particular trying to make out that anything CS get or do should be shown in the worst possible light.
If it makes you feel better, there is no current pay deal in place, and there is to my knowledge no performance award being offered this year.