Are public sector workers getting a pay rise or not?

The government has heralded a pay rise for public sector workers, but unions warn more cuts are on the way. What’s really going on? Ben Chu looks at the numbers

Teachers will be among those public sector workers receiving a pay rise this year (Getty Images)

The government announced on Monday night that some 900,000 public sector workers will receive a pay rise this year.

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak suggested this was a recognition of the immensely valuable job these workers had done in the pandemic.

“These past months have underlined what we always knew – that our public sector workers make a vital contribution to our country and that we can rely on them when we need them,” he said.