First aiders payment policy

Paying first aiders a small annual amount is a useful motivational tool, as well as an acknowledgement of the valuable contribution they make. Use our policy to set out your basic rules.

A motivational tool

You’re not required by law to make an additional payment to first aid personnel. However, by making a small payment you can motivate your staff both to volunteer for a first aid role and to take their first aid responsibilities seriously. It also demonstrates you are committed to ensuring you provide appropriate first aid facilities and people and recognises the contribution that your first aiders are making to ensuring health and safety in the workplace. Employers typically make an annual payment of around £150 to £300.  As you probably only have around one first aider for every 100 staff employed or part thereof (if your work activities are low hazard) or one first aider for every 50 staff employed or part thereof (if your work activities are higher hazard), these nominal payments aren’t going to break the bank. Our First Aiders Payment Policy then makes it clear that first aiders won’t be paid any further additional sums for attending first aid training (although they will, of course, get paid time off work for attending) and neither will they get any extra financial reward for actually giving first aid to someone who becomes ill or is injured while at work.

Annual payment

As the payment is small, it’s better to pay it annually rather than dividing it into twelve equal monthly instalments. Our policy provides for the employee to receive the payment in arrears in the month of the anniversary of their appointment to the first aid role. The payment will be subject to deduction of income tax and NICs in the normal way. We’ve also provided that if the employee leaves the first aid role for whatever reason, their first aid payment for that year will be calculated on a pro rata basis.