If you serve in the police, your salary is not negotiated personally. It is set by a national pay framework, reviewed each year by an independent body and applied force by force. For the 2026/27 pay year the figures are not yet settled, so the numbers you can rely on today are those that took effect on 1 September 2025. This guide sets out the published 2025/26 pay scales for officers in England and Wales, from Constable through to Superintendent, explains how progression works, and shows exactly how those figures translate onto a real monthly payslip.
We have flagged clearly where a number is confirmed and where the 2026/27 award is still pending, so you are never working from a figure that has not actually been announced.
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How police pay is structured
Police officer pay in England and Wales is governed by the Police Regulations 2003 and reviewed annually by the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB), an independent panel that recommends pay awards to the Home Secretary. For 2025/26 the Government accepted a 4.2% consolidated increase, applied from 1 September 2025 to all ranks up to and including Chief Superintendent.
A few principles shape every officer's pay:
- Rank sets the scale. Each rank (Constable, Sergeant, Inspector, and so on) has its own pay scale with a fixed set of pay points.
- Pay points set the position on the scale. New entrants start at the bottom point and move up one point a year, subject to meeting the Pay Progression Standard.
- Allowances sit on top. London weighting, the London allowance, regional South East allowances and role-specific payments (for example, the dog handler's allowance) are added to basic pay where they apply.
- The award is dated, not calendar-year. Pay rises take effect from 1 September each year, so the "2025/26" scale is the one running from 1 September 2025.
The figures below are the 2025/26 scales, effective 1 September 2025. They remain the latest officially published numbers until the 2026/27 award is announced (see the note at the end of this section).
Constable pay scale (pay points 0–6)
There are two Constable scales: one for officers appointed on or after 1 April 2013, and a separate, slightly higher legacy scale for those appointed before that date. Most serving and new officers are on the post-2013 scale.
New constables join at pay point 1 and move up one point each year. On completion of two years' service, an officer moves to the salary shown at the equivalent progression point.
Constable — appointed on or after 1 April 2013 (2025/26)
| Pay point | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| 1 (entry) | £31,164 |
| 2 | £32,472 |
| 3 | £33,789 |
| 4 | £35,106 |
| 5 | £37,737 |
| 6 | £43,038 |
| 7 (top) | £50,256 |
Source: Police Federation of England & Wales / Metfriendly 2025/26 pay scales, derived from gov.uk; effective 1 September 2025.
From 1 April 2025, a chief officer may, where necessary to meet local recruitment needs, assign new constables to pay point 2 on appointment rather than pay point 1.
Constable — appointed before 1 April 2013 (legacy scale, 2025/26)
| Pay point | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| 0 | £32,820 |
| 1 | £36,375 |
| 2 | £38,346 |
| 3 | £40,557 |
| 4 | £41,766 |
| 5 | £43,038 |
| 6 | £46,626 |
| 7 (top) | £50,256 |
Source: Police Federation of England & Wales / Metfriendly 2025/26 pay scales; effective 1 September 2025.
Sergeant, Inspector, Chief Inspector and Superintendent pay
Above Constable, each rank has its own short scale. Officers are promoted onto the relevant entry point and progress annually. The Inspector and Chief Inspector ranks have separate, higher London pay points; the figures below are the national (non-London) scales unless stated.
| Rank | Pay point | Annual salary |
|---|---|---|
| Sergeant | 2 (entry) | £53,568 |
| Sergeant | 3 | £54,660 |
| Sergeant | 4 (top) | £56,208 |
| Inspector | 1 (entry) | £63,768 |
| Inspector | 2 | £65,505 |
| Inspector | 3 (top, outside London) | £67,236 / £68,982* |
| Chief Inspector | 1 (entry) | £70,344 |
| Chief Inspector | 2 | £71,715 |
| Chief Inspector | 3 (top) | £73,149 |
| Superintendent | 1 (entry) | £84,177 |
| Superintendent | 2 | £88,449 |
| Superintendent | 3 | £92,955 |
| Superintendent | 4 (top) | £99,015 |
Source: Police Federation of England & Wales / Metfriendly 2025/26 pay scales; effective 1 September 2025.
*Inspector and Chief Inspector ranks have separate London pay points (for example, Inspector London runs £66,462 to £71,697; Chief Inspector London £73,062 to £77,004). Officers in post on or before 31 August 1994 may sit on different top points. Check your force's published scale for your exact figure.
For reference, the Chief Superintendent scale (the highest federated/superintending rank covered by the PRRB) runs from £103,797 to £115,785 in 2025/26.
London weighting and allowances
Where an officer is based affects total pay significantly. The main 2025/26 allowances, effective 1 September 2025, are:
| Allowance | Amount (2025/26) |
|---|---|
| London weighting | £3,150 per annum |
| London allowance (maximum) | £6,588 per annum |
| South East allowance (Beds, Hants, Sussex) | £2,000 per annum |
| South East allowance (Essex, Herts, Kent, Surrey, Thames Valley) | £3,000 per annum |
| Dog handler's allowance | £2,946 per annum |
| On-call allowance | £35 per day |
Source: Police Federation of England & Wales / Metfriendly 2025/26 pay scales; effective 1 September 2025.
The frequently quoted "£2,000 London-type allowance" refers to the lower South East allowance band; the London allowance itself can reach £6,588 and the London weighting adds a further £3,150. A Metropolitan Police constable therefore earns meaningfully more in cash terms than the same pay point outside London once these are stacked on basic pay.
Shift, overtime and unsocial hours
Basic pay is only part of the picture for most operational officers.
- Overtime is paid to constables and sergeants at time-and-a-third for most additional hours worked, with higher rates for short-notice or rest-day working as set out in the Police Regulations.
- Unsocial hours: officers receive an enhancement for hours worked between 8pm and 6am.
- Rest day and public holiday working attract higher multipliers and, in some cases, time off in lieu.
- Inspecting ranks and above are generally not eligible for overtime and instead receive a flat-rate allowance in recognition of additional hours.
These payments appear on the payslip as separate lines on top of basic pay, and they are taxable and pensionable only where the regulations specify.
Police Pension Scheme 2015 (CARE)
Almost all serving officers are now members of the Police Pension Scheme 2015, a career average revalued earnings (CARE) scheme. Each year you build up a slice of pension based on that year's pensionable pay, rather than your final salary.
- Accrual rate: 1/55.3 of pensionable earnings each year.
- Revaluation: active members' accrued pension is revalued annually in line with CPI plus a set addition.
- Member contribution rate (2025/26): tiered by pensionable pay — 12.44% (pay up to £27,000), 13.44% (above £27,000 up to £60,000) and 13.78% (above £60,000). Source: gov.uk member contribution rates for police pensions.
- Employer contribution: 35.3% of pensionable pay, set by the scheme actuary's valuation. Source: gov.uk / scheme valuation.
A constable on around £37,000 would fall in the middle tier and pay roughly 13.44% of pensionable pay into the scheme.
Note on contribution changes: a revised member contribution structure takes effect from 1 April 2026, designed to deliver an average yield of 13.7% (up from 13.48%). Most officers will see a small increase of around 0.44%, while roughly a fifth will pay slightly less. Check your force pensions administrator for your exact 2026/27 contribution tier once published.
How a police payslip reads — worked Constable example
Take a post-2013 constable at pay point 5 on £37,737 (2025/26), based outside London, with no overtime in the month. Pension contributions fall in the middle tier (13.44%). Figures are illustrative and rounded; your own payslip will reflect your exact tax code, region and any allowances.
| Line | Monthly amount |
|---|---|
| Gross basic pay (£37,737 ÷ 12) | £3,144.75 |
| Pension contribution (13.44%) | −£422.65 |
| Income tax (1257L, est.) | −£341.00 |
| National Insurance (est.) | −£185.00 |
| Net pay (approx.) | £2,196.10 |
Illustrative only. Income tax and NI are estimates based on the 2025/26 thresholds and the standard 1257L tax code; actual deductions vary.
Pension contributions are deducted before income tax is calculated, so the pension reduces your taxable pay — a point worth understanding when you read your own payslip.
Tax code notes
- Most officers have the standard 1257L tax code, giving a £12,570 tax-free personal allowance for 2025/26.
- A K code can appear where deductions exceed the allowance (for example, a taxable benefit), increasing tax.
- An emergency code (such as 1257L W1/M1) may apply when you first join or transfer force, taxing each month in isolation until HMRC issues a cumulative code.
- Overtime and allowances are taxable, so a month with significant overtime will show more income tax than a quiet one — this is normal, not an error.
If your code looks wrong, contact HMRC directly; your force payroll team applies the code HMRC issues but cannot change it themselves.
Pay progression example
Here is how earnings build over a career on the post-2013 scale, outside London (2025/26 figures):
- PC pay point 1 (entry): £31,164
- PC pay point 7 (top of scale): £50,256
- Promotion to Sergeant, entry point: £53,568
- Sergeant top of scale: £56,208
Moving from the bottom of the Constable scale to the top of the Sergeant scale represents an increase of just over £25,000 in basic pay, before any London weighting, allowances or overtime.
Action checklist
- Confirm which Constable scale applies to you (appointed before or on/after 1 April 2013).
- Check your current pay point and your next increment date.
- Identify which allowances apply to your force and posting (London weighting, London allowance, South East allowance, role allowances).
- Confirm your pension contribution tier for 2025/26 and note the structure change from 1 April 2026.
- Check your tax code against your payslip and query anything unexpected with HMRC.
- Watch for the 2026/27 PRRB award, expected to be announced in mid-to-late July 2026 and backdated to 1 September 2026.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
This guide covers England and Wales. Officers in Scotland are paid under scales negotiated through the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland and represented by the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), and officers in Northern Ireland serve under separate PSNI arrangements. The pay points and progression rules differ, so Scottish and Northern Irish officers should refer to their own federation's published scales rather than the figures above.
A note on 2026/27
At the time of writing (June 2026), the 2026/27 police pay award has not been announced. The Minister for Policing and Crime issued the remit letter to the PRRB on 19 February 2026, and the award is expected in mid-to-late July 2026, backdated to 1 September 2026. We have deliberately not published a 2026/27 figure, because no official number exists yet. The scales above are the latest confirmed (2025/26) rates and will be updated here once the new award is published.
Disclaimer
This guide is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, pension or employment advice. Pay scales, allowances and contribution rates change and vary by force, posting and individual circumstances. For advice specific to your situation, contact your Police Federation representative, your force payroll team, or your police pension administrator. PayslipIQ is not affiliated with the Police Federation, the Home Office or any police force, and is not a regulated financial adviser.
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Check My Payslip FreePayslipIQ provides educational information and estimated calculations only. It does not provide tax, legal, financial, payroll, accounting, pension, benefits or employment advice. Always verify your payslip, tax code, deductions and take-home pay with your employer's payroll department, HMRC, your pension provider, a qualified accountant, tax adviser or another appropriately qualified professional.
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