Police Pay Scales 2026/27: Every Rank and Pay Point
Police pay in England and Wales: constable to chief superintendent, every pay point, the 3.5% award from September 2026, and take-home after tax.
Which rates apply while the award is pending
Two sets of numbers are circulating, and mixing them up costs real money when you are budgeting or comparing an offer.
- From 1 September 2025 - the scale awaiting the determination that implements the 3.5% award from 1 September 2026. Every "from 1 September 2025" column below.
- Recommended from 1 September 2026 - the Police Remuneration Review Body's recommendation of a consolidated 3.9% increase, in its report published 15 July 2026. This was not accepted.
The review body recommends and the Home Secretary decides. On 15 July 2026 the Home Secretary awarded 3.5% rather than the 3.9% recommended, applying to all ranks and pay points from 1 September 2026. The revised pay points are not published: the statement gives a percentage and no tables, and the statutory determination that sets the figures is outstanding. We are not going to compute them - the 2025 award's determination was not made until nine months after that award took effect and not published until eleven months after, and rounding is a matter for the determination, not for us.
What that is after tax
Computed on the rates from 1 September 2025, the scale awaiting the determination that implements the 3.5% award from 1 September 2026, for an officer in England in the Police Pension Scheme 2015. Because the 3.5% award has applied since 1 September 2026, these are the pre-award baseline: pay actually due from that date is higher, but the revised points it will be calculated on are not published. The member contribution is banded on pay, so the rate steps up through the ranks. Pension is deducted before Income Tax, so relief is automatic.
| Rank and pay point | Gross | Pension | Take-home / year | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, pay point 1 (new joiner) | £31,164 | 12.88% | £22,747 | £1,896 |
| Constable, pay point 4 | £35,106 | 12.88% | £25,179 | £2,098 |
| Constable, pay point 7 (top of scale) | £50,256 | 13.88% | £34,123 | £2,844 |
| Sergeant, pay point 4 | £56,208 | 13.88% | £38,104 | £3,175 |
| Inspector, pay point 3 | £68,982 | 13.88% | £44,822 | £3,735 |
| Chief Inspector, pay point 3 | £73,149 | 13.88% | £46,892 | £3,908 |
Excludes London Weighting, regional allowances, overtime and shift payments, all of which are taxable on top. Officers resident in Scotland pay Scottish Income Tax rates.
Constable to chief inspector
Constable
Appointed on or after 1 April 2013. New constables join at pay point 1; a chief officer may assign new joiners to point 2 to meet local recruitment needs.
| Pay point | From 1 September 2025 | Recommended 1 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £31,164 | £32,379 |
| 2 | £32,472 | £33,738 |
| 3 | £33,789 | £35,106 |
| 4 | £35,106 | £36,474 |
| 5 | £37,737 | £39,210 |
| 6 | £43,038 | £44,715 |
| 7 | £50,256 | £52,215 |
Sergeant
| Pay point | From 1 September 2025 | Recommended 1 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | £53,568 | £55,656 |
| 3 | £54,660 | £56,793 |
| 4 | £56,208 | £58,401 |
Inspector
| Pay point | From 1 September 2025 | Recommended 1 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | £63,768 | £66,255 |
| 1 | £65,505 | £68,061 |
| 2 | £67,236 | £69,858 |
| 3 | £68,982 | £71,673 |
Inspector (London)
| Pay point | From 1 September 2025 | Recommended 1 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | £66,462 | £69,054 |
| 1 | £68,202 | £70,863 |
| 2 | £69,954 | £72,681 |
| 3 | £71,697 | £74,493 |
Chief Inspector
Pay point 1 is the entry point unless the chief officer assigns a higher point.
| Pay point | From 1 September 2025 | Recommended 1 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £70,344 | £73,086 |
| 2 | £71,715 | £74,511 |
| 3 | £73,149 | £76,002 |
Chief Inspector (London)
| Pay point | From 1 September 2025 | Recommended 1 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £73,062 | £75,912 |
| 2 | £74,427 | £77,331 |
| 3 | £75,855 | £78,813 |
Superintendent ranks
Superintendent
| Pay point | From 1 September 2025 | Recommended 1 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £84,177 | £87,459 |
| 2 | £88,449 | £91,899 |
| 3 | £92,955 | £96,579 |
| 4 | £99,015 | £102,876 |
Chief Superintendent
| Pay point | From 1 September 2025 | Recommended 1 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £103,797 | £107,844 |
| 2 | £107,226 | £111,408 |
| 3 | £115,785 | £120,300 |
Chief officer ranks (assistant chief constable and above) are set separately and are not part of the 3.9% recommendation, which covers ranks up to and including chief superintendent.
Allowances
The right-hand column is what Appendix F recommended from 1 September 2026. It was not awarded: London Weighting, the London Allowance maximum and the South East Allowance maxima were uplifted by 3.5% rather than 3.9%, and the revised amounts are not yet determined. Protection Allowance rates rose by £8 each, which happens to match what Appendix F proposed. The recommended column is kept because Appendix F is the citable published source for what was put forward, not because anyone will be paid it.
| Allowance | From 1 September 2025 | PRRB recommended (not awarded) | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Weighting | £3,150 | £3,273 | per year |
| London Allowance (maximum) | £6,588 | £6,845 | per year |
| South East Allowance (maximum) - Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, Thames Valley | £3,000 | £3,117 | per year |
| South East Allowance (maximum) - Bedfordshire, Hampshire, Sussex | £2,000 | £2,078 | per year |
| Dog Handlers' Allowance | £2,946 | £3,060 | per year |
| Protection Allowance - rate 1 | £40 | £48 | per qualifying shift |
| Protection Allowance - rate 2 (constable and sergeant) | £90 | £98 | per qualifying shift |
| Protection Allowance - rate 2 (inspecting ranks) | £125 | £133 | per qualifying shift |
| Protection Allowance - rate 3 (constable and sergeant) | £125 | £133 | per qualifying shift, red designated country |
| Protection Allowance - rate 3 (inspecting ranks) | £160 | £168 | per qualifying shift, red designated country |
Allowances are taxable earnings unless a specific exemption applies, so they are added to gross pay before Income Tax and National Insurance.
Pension contributions
The Police Pension Scheme 2015 member contribution changed on 1 April 2026: three bands rather than a single rate, and set by actual pay rather than the full-time equivalent, so part-time officers are no longer banded on what they would earn full-time.
| Relevant pay | Member contribution |
|---|---|
| £37,035 or less | 12.88% |
| More than £37,035 but less than £79,588 | 13.88% |
| £79,588 or more | 14.22% |
A constable at the bottom of the scale is in the first band and one at the top is in the second, so the rate steps up mid-career. Scotland sets its own rate and is not covered by these Regulations.
Related
Frequently asked questions
What does a police constable earn in England and Wales?
A constable appointed on or after 1 April 2013 starts on £31,164 at pay point 1 and progresses annually to £50,256 at pay point 7. Those are the rates from 1 September 2025: the scale awaiting the determination that implements the 3.5% award from 1 September 2026. London officers receive London Weighting on top, and forces in the South East pay a separate allowance.
Was the 3.9% police pay recommendation accepted?
No. The Police Remuneration Review Body recommended 3.9% from 1 September 2026 in its report published 15 July 2026, but the Home Secretary awarded 3.5% instead, in written ministerial statement HCWS264 on 15 July 2026 - described as the highest award manageable within existing police force and Home Office budgets. The 3.5% applies to all ranks and pay points from 1 September 2026. The revised pay points themselves have not been published yet: the statement gives the percentage and no tables, and the statutory determination that sets the figures is still outstanding. The scales below are the rates from 1 September 2025: the scale awaiting the determination that implements the 3.5% award from 1 September 2026.
How much do police officers pay into their pension?
Three banded rates apply from 1 April 2026: 12.88% on pay of £37,035 or less, 13.88% between that and £79,588, and 14.22% at £79,588 or more. The band is set by actual pay rather than the full-time equivalent, which changed in 2026 and matters for part-time officers. It is a net pay arrangement: the contribution comes out before Income Tax so relief is automatic at your marginal rate, but National Insurance is still charged on the full gross, which is why the real cost is higher than a salary sacrifice pension of the same size.
Do these scales apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
No. This page covers England and Wales only. The Police Service of Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland have their own pay negotiating arrangements and their own scales, which can differ in both amount and effective date.
When do officers move up a pay point?
Annually, under the incremental progression rules in the Police Regulations 2003, and subject to confirmation that the officer meets the Pay Progression Standard. Progression is not automatic in the sense of being unconditional - it depends on that standard being met.