We finally got our new pay offer after months of delay and it was certainly not worth the wait. The pay increase is only 2% while inflation is currently at 4.6% and the pay rise for our grade is appalling. It seems TPTB concentrated on the next grade up from mine because they are trying to keep hold of their staff and that grade has the highest turnaround. It’s quite a kick in the teeth when you consider employees of the same grade at the Scottish Executive are getting paid £2,000 more a year. The union are staying neutral and leaving it up to the members to decide but chances are if we reject the pay offer now, we may be forced to take it 6 months from now anyway despite further industrial action.

The general public seem to be under the impression that civil servants all have cushy salaries and fat pensions to look forward to on retirement. While I don’t dispute the fact that we are better paid than most office workers, we are definitely not living in the lap of luxury and I can’t even afford to buy or even rent my own home. House properties in my area alone are well out of reach of most first time buyers and when you are single like me - all you can do is dream. The govt seem to be always giving out rewards and benefits to families and while I don’t begrudge them it, part of me very much resents it. Don’t I have the right to get on with my life too?