The decision by the permanent secretaries of government departments to give up their 'bonuses' this year has been hailed as "an act of leadership" by the FDA, the union for senior managers and professionals in the public service.
FDA chief Jonathan Baume said those in the Civil Service were working harder than ever because of increased pressure on departments and the services they run, such as Jobcentre Plus.
"This decision should be commended as an act of leadership by the heads of government departments at a time of economic crisis in the UK," he says. "The jobs of permanent secretaries are highly demanding and complex, and they are often paid a lot less than other comparable jobs in both the private and public sector."
That might be a fair point, but recent figures show these senior officials do enjoy their fair share of freebies. There were 1,800 example of hospitality received by 180 officials.
Sir Brian Bender, permanent secretary at the Department of Business, was one of the worst offenders, accepting invitations to 52 events, including the Proms, Premiership football and the Chelsea Flower Show.
So he might lose out on this year's bonus, but at least he's getting a few jollies along the way by way of compensation.
