MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Only 5.26 percent of the UK prison officers will get a pay allowance of up to 5,000 pounds ($6,270) despite the Ministry of Justice's February promise that it would benefit thousands, the BBC broadcaster reported Saturday citing internal documents.
According to the internal briefing note only 1,617 prison officers out of more than 30,700 staff working in public-sector prisons would get the pay rise.
The document also reveals that the new allowances, worth between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds, replace existing payments of 2,500-4,000 pounds.
The National Offender Management Service revealed that, in February, the UK government had announced it was investing 12 million pounds ($14.89 million) to increase salaries of prison officers, as well as to hire new staff in order to cope with the personnel shortages.