Pay & Allowances
Complete 2026 pay scales, allowances calculator, salary progression modelling, and PFEW pay campaign updates.
Unofficial independent resource — always verify with official sources (College of Policing, your force, PFEW).
2026 Pay Scales
UK police officer pay scales including London weighting and South East allowance. Click column headers to sort.
| Rank | Pay Point | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Constable | On appointment | £32,820 | £39,871 | £35,661 | £33,900 |
Constable | Pay point 1 | £35,310 | £42,361 | £38,151 | £36,390 |
Constable | Pay point 2 | £37,812 | £44,863 | £40,653 | £38,892 |
Constable | Pay point 3 | £40,194 | £47,245 | £43,035 | £41,274 |
Constable | Pay point 4 | £42,792 | £49,843 | £45,633 | £43,872 |
Constable | Pay point 5 | £45,666 | £52,717 | £48,507 | £46,746 |
Constable | Pay point 6 | £48,660 | £55,711 | £51,501 | £49,740 |
Constable | Top of scale | £50,257 | £57,308 | £53,098 | £51,337 |
Sergeant | On promotion | £50,982 | £58,033 | £53,823 | £52,062 |
Sergeant | Pay point 1 | £52,338 | £59,389 | £55,179 | £53,418 |
Sergeant | Pay point 2 | £54,012 | £61,063 | £56,853 | £55,092 |
Sergeant | Top of scale | £55,899 | £62,950 | £58,740 | £56,979 |
Inspector | On promotion | £62,604 | £67,047 | £65,445 | £63,684 |
Inspector | Pay point 1 | £64,458 | £68,901 | £67,299 | £65,538 |
Inspector | Pay point 2 | £66,426 | £70,869 | £69,267 | £67,506 |
Inspector | Top of scale | £68,921 | £73,364 | £71,762 | £70,001 |
Chief Inspector | On promotion | £68,921 | £73,364 | £71,762 | £70,001 |
Chief Inspector | Pay point 1 | £70,116 | £74,559 | £72,957 | £71,196 |
Chief Inspector | Top of scale | £74,706 | £79,149 | £77,547 | £75,786 |
Superintendent | On promotion | £83,532 | £87,975 | £86,373 | £84,612 |
Superintendent | Pay point 1 | £88,356 | £92,799 | £91,197 | £89,436 |
Superintendent | Pay point 2 | £89,880 | £94,323 | £92,721 | £90,960 |
Superintendent | Top of scale | £93,732 | £98,175 | £96,573 | £94,812 |
Chief Superintendent | On promotion | £97,668 | £102,111 | £100,509 | £98,748 |
Chief Superintendent | Top of scale | £103,020 | £107,463 | £105,861 | £104,100 |
Allowances Calculator
Estimate your total annual package including location allowance, overtime, and unsocial hours supplement.
Adds ~10% supplement for regular unsocial hours working
Dog Handler
+£2,388/yr
Firearms (AFO)
+£3,561/yr
Detective
+£1,260/yr
Allowance amounts vary by force. Figures shown are typical. TOIL may apply instead of payment in some forces.
Estimated Total Annual Package
Tax estimates: 2026/27 personal allowance £12,570 | Basic rate 20% to £50,270 | Higher rate 40% above £50,270 | NI ~12% included in estimate.
Overtime & On-Call Guide
Overtime pay rates, on-call allowances, mutual aid rules, and key regulations for police officers in England and Wales.
Overtime Pay Rates
Current overtime rates under Police Regulations 2003 (Annex O).
| Situation | Rate |
|---|---|
| Duty day overtime (beyond rostered hours) | Time-and-a-third (×1.33) |
| Rest day working (fewer than 15 days notice) | Double-time (×2.0) |
| Rest day working (15+ days notice) | Time-and-a-half (×1.5) |
| Public holiday working | Double-time + day off in lieu |
| Recall to duty | Minimum 4 hours at applicable rate |
Key Rules
- Overtime must normally be authorised by a supervisor
- Some forces restrict overtime availability to manage budgets
- TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) may be offered instead of payment — you can usually request your preference
- Overtime is pensionable in the CARE 2015 scheme
“Hands Off Our Rest Days” Campaign
NPCC has proposed reducing rest day compensation from the current minimum 4 hours at time-and-a-half to time-and-a-third. PFEW is strongly opposing this through the “Hands Off Our Rest Days” campaign. As of March 2026, the current rates still apply — check with your force and PFEW for the latest position.
On-Call Allowance
- Typically £15–£22 per on-call session (varies by force)
- Must be available to respond within a set time (usually 1 hour)
- If called out, overtime rates apply for actual hours worked
- Common for: CID, dog handlers, firearms, public order
Mutual Aid
- Deployment to another force area (e.g., major events, protests)
- Travel time counts as duty time
- Overtime rates apply as normal
- Some forces pay additional mutual aid supplements
- Accommodation provided by requesting force
Force Variation: Overtime policies vary significantly between forces. Some forces have overtime budgets that limit availability. Always check your force's overtime policy and consult your Federation representative if you have concerns.
Salary Checker
Check your expected 2026 base salary by rank and pay point. Optionally compare against your actual gross salary.
Your Details
Select your rank, years at that rank, and location allowance.
2026 Base Pay Rates
All pay points by rank (before location allowances).
PC
0 yrs
£32,820
1 yr
£35,310
2 yrs
£37,812
3 yrs
£40,194
4 yrs
£42,792
5 yrs
£45,666
6 yrs
£48,660
7+ yrs
£50,257
Sergeant
0 yrs
£50,982
1 yr
£52,338
2 yrs
£54,012
3+ yrs
£55,899
Inspector
0 yrs
£62,604
1 yr
£64,458
2 yrs
£66,426
3+ yrs
£68,921
Career Earnings Projection
Cumulative earnings across three career scenarios based on 2026 pay scales. Assumes no pay awards or inflation adjustments.
Stay as PC (25 yrs)
£1,213,722
Promote to Sgt at Year 8
£1,324,938
Promote to Insp at Year 12
£1,494,174
2026 PFEW Pay Campaign
Tracking the Police Federation of England & Wales pay claim through the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) process.
PFEW submits 7% multi-year claim + P Factor recognition
PRRB evidence gathering
PRRB report to Home Secretary
Home Secretary announces 4.2% award
Applied to pay
P Factor Recognition
PFEW continues to push for formal recognition of the “P Factor” — the unique demands placed on officers including danger, unsocial hours, and restrictions on personal freedom. This would establish a permanent premium above standard public sector pay, reflecting that officers cannot strike and face unique risks on duty.
NPCC Counter-Proposals
NPCC has proposed either 3.5% (fully government-funded) or 2.5% for 2026/27 — significantly below PFEW's 7% claim. The PRRB will weigh evidence from both sides before making its recommendation to the Home Secretary.
“Copped Enough”
PFEW's national pay campaign highlighting the real-terms pay erosion officers have faced since 2010, officer attrition, and the cost-of-living crisis. Demands fair pay that reflects risk, restriction, and responsibility.
“Hands Off Our Rest Days”
PFEW campaign opposing NPCC proposals to reduce rest day overtime from double-time to time-and-a-third. Officers argue this would cut already-stretched take-home pay and worsen retention.
Historical Pay Awards
Police officer pay awards 2020–2026, as recommended by the PRRB and accepted by the Home Secretary.
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2.5% |
| 2021 | 0% (frozen) |
| 2022 | £1,900 flat |
| 2023 | 7.0% |
| 2024 | 4.75% |
| 2025 | ~2.5% |
| 2026 | 4.2% |
Mortgage Affordability Calculator
Estimate how much you could borrow based on your police salary, with both standard and specialist lender calculations.
Your Details
Select your rank or enter a custom salary.
Your Results
Total Annual Salary
£32,820
Standard Lender (4.5×)
Max Borrowing
£147,690
Max Property Price
£177,690
Est. Monthly Repayment
£821/mo
Stamp Duty Estimate
£0
Specialist Lender (5.5×)
Max Borrowing
£180,510
Max Property Price
£210,510
Est. Monthly Repayment
£1,003/mo
Stamp Duty Estimate
£0
Police Mutual and other specialist lenders may offer up to 5.5× salary for serving officers.
Key Worker Living schemes may be available in your area — check with your local authority.
This is an estimate only — always get a formal mortgage offer from a lender. Stamp duty shown is for residential purchases (not first-time buyer relief).