Bonus payments within the Ministry of Justice may be made either as “year-end” bonuses, which are paid to high performing staff to reflect their individual contribution throughout the previous performance year, or as “in year” bonuses, paid to recognise exceptional achievements during the performance year.
For the financial year 2007-08, a total of 2,535 “year-end” bonuses and 5,327 “in year” bonuses were paid. These payments to staff amounted to a total of £5,748,037.
This figure includes bonuses paid to senior civil servants, totalling £1,717,322, in the 2007-08 financial year. SCS bonuses were allocated in accordance with guidelines issued by the Cabinet Office following the Senior Salaries Review Body recommendations as recognition of achievement. The remaining amount of £4,030,715 was allocated to staff below SCS level.
The payment of bonuses, which are non-consolidated and non-pensionable, to high performing individuals, is a part of the Department's reward strategy. Such payments are a cost-effective means of encouraging and rewarding high performance. An additional amount of 0.02 per cent. of paybill is set aside for more general reward and recognition purposes.