london british government soften seven-year grip public-sector pay police prison officer set get increase percent cap media report report suggest british prime minister theresa may finance minister philip hammond want take cautious approach increase pay public sector workers police account around percent 5.1 million public sector workers britain prison staff represent small group base calculations institute fiscal study increase pay police match britain current 2.6 percent inflation rate would cost 145 million pound 191 million year small extra strain budget likely show deficit 58 billion pound government give public sector workers 2.6 percent increase year additional spend would rise nearly billion pound ifs analyst jonathan cribb say news report publish late sunday say minister expect accept recommendations big pay rise week pave way similar increase government employees future high increase police prison officer base recommendations independent pay-review body recruitment retention problems cite case prison officer bbc say ask monday public sector pay cap still place prime minister spokesman say pay review process continue spokeswoman finance ministry decline comment report public-sector pay freeze low earners 2010 increase limit percent year 2013. may increase pressure minister lawmakers end cap since party lose majority parliament elections june britain inflation rate rise sharply since last year brexit vote hit value pound likely reach percent soon squeeze spend power households bank england watch sign pay growth consider raise emergency-level interest rat first time since global financial crisis decade ago britain lift pay cap police prison officer media