Public Servants to Receive Salary Bonus in January 2026

Press release. Updated 5:17 p.m., Tuesday, December 23, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Public Servants can expect to be paid more money in January 2026 as a bonus on salaries will be paid at a date to be decided.

Speaking on radio today Tuesday December 23rd, Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday said the government’s proposed salary bonus for public servants is designed as an equity-based cost-of-living relief measure, aimed at providing the greatest benefit to those at the lower end of the pay scale.

The Prime Minister stressed that the payment is not a traditional bonus but a salary bonus, structured to ensure fairness across the public service.

He noted that the payout was always intended to be a salary bonus as the idea is to use a flat rate across the board, so that most public servants will experience what feels like a double salary, while some will actually receive more than that.

Dr. Friday explained that under the proposed structure, public servants earning lower wages will benefit proportionately more than those at the higher end of the salary scale. He noted that this approach is rooted in principles of equity, which typically favour higher earners.

The Prime Minister said that if someone earning $9000 gets an additional $9000, and someone earning $1500 gets $1500, the impact is not the same so that is why a flat-rate approach ensures that persons at the bottom of the scale see the greatest benefit.

The Prime Minister indicated that preliminary estimates suggest close to 50 percent of public servants could effectively see their salary doubled for the period, with lower-paid workers potentially receiving more than double.

Addressing concerns about possible dissatisfaction among higher earners, Dr. Friday expressed confidence that public servants would understand the intent of the initiative.

“I think people are reasonable,” he said while adding that most public servants know the purpose is to put money back into people’s pocket to help deal with the cost-of- living pressures.

Dr. Friday emphasised that the salary bonus represents a deliberate policy choice by the government to provide targeted support during challenging economic times, while still ensuring that all public servants receive the same flat-rate benefit from the public purse.

He added that final details of the initiative are still being refined, but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and meaningful cost-of-living relief for workers.

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This information was sourced from a press release by the Agency for Public Information.