Doctors and teachers offered 4% pay rise

Doctors and teachers will be given a 4% pay rise after the government accepted recommendations from independent review bodies.

The salary increases, announced by ministers on Thursday afternoon, are 2.8% above what the government had originally budgeted for.

The 4% rise is above the current rate of inflation, which increased from 2.6% in March to 3.5% in April.

It will apply to all doctors and teachers in England and Wales.

But both the British Medical Association (BMA) and National Education Union (NEU) have threatened further strike action following the government's announcement, claiming the increases do not account for historical pay freezes.

Other NHS workers in England, including nurses, midwives, and physiotherapists, will get a 3.6% pay increase effective from 1 April, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said.

He added that junior doctors would be offered an average increase of 5.4% as a result of a further £750 top-up.

Senior civil servants will get a 3.25% pay increase, the Cabinet Office added, but there are still changes to be made to higher salary bands within the civil service.

Prison officers and managers will get the same 4% pay rise as doctors and teachers, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said.

Military personnel are being offered a 4.5% rise following their own independent pay review. Senior military officers will get a slightly lower increase of 3.75%, with Defence Secretary John Healey saying the changes "recognises their dedication to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad".