What is the starting salary for a police officer UK?

New police constables start at £28,551 (Pay Point 0). After completing initial training and probation, officers progress through the pay scale annually, reaching the top of the constable scale (£46,044) after approximately 7 years. London officers also receive £2,697-£7,500 in additional London allowances.

Do police officers get a good pension UK?

The police pension is one of the best in the public sector. Officers contribute 12.44-13.78% of salary and accrue 1/55.3 of career average salary per year. Officers can retire after 35 years of service with a full pension. An officer earning an average of £40,000 over 30 years would get roughly £21,700/year pension.

Do police get paid overtime UK?

Yes, police officers get overtime. Overtime on normal days is paid at time and a third. On rest days it's time and a half (or double time for fewer than 8 days' notice). Bank holidays are double time. Officers also receive shift allowances of up to 20% for working unsocial hours patterns. Overtime can add £3,000-£10,000+ to annual earnings.

How Much Do Police Officers Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide | PocketWise

Q: How much do police officers earn in the UK 2026?

Police constables in England and Wales earn £28,551-£46,044. Sergeants earn £47,784-£52,977, inspectors earn £58,332-£63,912, and chief inspectors earn £63,912-£68,835. Chief constable salaries range from £157,000-£297,000+. London officers receive additional allowances of up to £7,500.

How Much Do Police Officers Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide

Complete guide to police officer salaries in the UK for 2026. Constable to Chief Constable pay scales, detective pay, overtime and allowances, regional differences, and police pension details.

By PocketWise · 26 March 2026 · 4 min read

Policing is a structured public sector career with clear pay scales, good benefits, and one of the strongest pensions available. Here’s a full breakdown of what police officers earn at every rank.

Police Constable Pay Scale (England & Wales 2025/26)

Pay Points

Pay Point	Salary
0 (starting)	£28,551
1	£31,674
2	£33,708
3	£36,408
4	£39,150
5	£42,330
6	£44,064
7 (top of scale)	£46,044

Progression

Factor	Details
Annual increments	One pay point per year (subject to performance)
Probation	2-year probationary period
Time to top of scale	Approximately 7 years
Performance requirement	Satisfactory performance to progress

Salary by Rank

England and Wales

Rank	Minimum	Maximum
Police Constable	£28,551	£46,044
Sergeant	£47,784	£52,977
Inspector	£58,332	£63,912
Chief Inspector	£63,912	£68,835
Superintendent	£77,835	£86,970
Chief Superintendent	£91,749	£95,604
Assistant Chief Constable	£115,350-£130,000	Varies by force
Deputy Chief Constable	£130,000-£175,000	Varies by force
Chief Constable	£157,000-£297,000+	Varies by force

Metropolitan Police (London) Additional Ranks

Rank	Salary Range
Commander	£130,000-£145,000
Deputy Assistant Commissioner	£155,000-£170,000
Assistant Commissioner	£205,000-£225,000
Deputy Commissioner	£260,000-£280,000
Commissioner	£292,938+

Detective and Specialist Pay

Detectives and specialist roles are paid at the same rank-based scale but may receive additional allowances.

Role	Rank/Pay	Additional
Detective Constable (DC)	Constable pay scale	No additional (detective status)
Detective Sergeant (DS)	Sergeant pay scale	No additional
Detective Inspector (DI)	Inspector pay scale	No additional
Firearms officer	Constable+ scale	Specialist allowance
Dog handler	Constable+ scale	Dog handler’s allowance
Covert/undercover officer	Constable+ scale	Additional risk allowance

Note: CID/detective roles carry the same base pay as uniformed equivalents

London and Regional Allowances

London Allowances

Allowance	Annual Value
London Allowance (Met Police)	£2,697
London Weighting (Met Police)	£4,338
South East Allowance (surrounding forces)	£2,000-£3,000

Total London Impact

Rank	Base	London Total
New constable	£28,551	£35,586
Top constable	£46,044	£53,079
Sergeant (mid)	£50,000	£57,035
Inspector (mid)	£61,000	£68,035

Overtime and Additional Payments

Overtime Rates

Circumstance	Rate
Overtime on normal working day	Time and a third
Rest day working (15+ days notice)	Time and a half
Rest day working (<15 days notice)	Double time
Public/bank holiday	Double time
Cancelled rest day (<8 days notice)	Double time

Shift and Other Allowances

Allowance	Value
Shift disturbance allowance	Up to 20% of basic pay
On-call allowance	£15-£25 per on-call session
Competence-related threshold payment (CRTP)	£1,224/year (experienced constables)
Dog handler’s allowance	Varies by force
Detective allowance	Some forces — not all
Plain clothes allowance	£250-£600/year

Overtime Earnings Example

Scenario (Constable, mid-scale ~£39,000)	Additional Annual
Regular overtime (4 hours/week)	£4,000-£6,000
Occasional rest day working	£2,000-£4,000
Events/operations (football, protests)	£3,000-£8,000
Typical total overtime	£3,000-£10,000+

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs)

Level	Salary
Starting PCSO	£22,000-£25,000
Experienced PCSO	£25,000-£30,000
Senior PCSO	£28,000-£32,000

PCSOs are not warranted officers and have different powers

Police Staff (Civilian Roles)

Role	Salary Range
Call handler / dispatcher	£22,000-£28,000
Crime scene investigator (CSI)	£28,000-£38,000
Intelligence analyst	£30,000-£42,000
Digital forensic examiner	£32,000-£45,000
Police staff investigator	£28,000-£38,000
Senior analyst	£38,000-£50,000

Scotland (Police Scotland)

Police Scotland has a separate but similar pay structure.

Rank	Minimum	Maximum
Constable	£28,551	£46,044
Sergeant	£47,784	£52,977
Inspector	£58,332	£63,912
Chief Inspector	£63,912	£68,835
Superintendent	£77,835	£86,970
Chief Superintendent	£91,749	£95,604

Broadly aligned with England and Wales rates

Police Pension Scheme (2015 CARE Scheme)

The police pension is one of the most generous in the public sector.

Key Features

Feature	Details
Type	Career average (CARE)
Accrual rate	1/55.3 of pensionable pay per year
Normal pension age	60
Revaluation	CPI + 1.25% each year
Lump sum	Option to exchange pension for lump sum
Ill-health pension	Tier 1, 2, or 3 depending on severity
Death in service	Lump sum + survivor pensions

Officer Contribution Rates

Salary Range	Contribution Rate
Up to £27,000	12.44%
£27,001-£60,000	13.44%
Over £60,000	13.78%

Example Pension

Scenario	Annual Pension at 60
30 years, average salary £40,000	~£21,700
35 years, average salary £45,000	~£28,500
25 years, average salary £55,000 (sergeant/inspector)	~£24,900

Career Progression Timeline

Stage	Service	Rank	Salary
Recruit	Year 0-2	Constable (probationary)	£28,551-£33,708
Established officer	Years 3-7	Constable	£36,408-£46,044
First promotion	Years 5-10	Sergeant	£47,784-£52,977
Middle management	Years 10-18	Inspector / Chief Inspector	£58,332-£68,835
Senior officer	Years 15-25	Superintendent+	£77,835-£95,604
Chief officer	Years 20+	ACC / DCC / CC	£115,350-£297,000+

Promotion timelines vary enormously — some make sergeant in 4 years, others never

Other Benefits

Benefit	Details
Annual leave	22 days rising to 30 after 20 years + bank holidays
Sick pay	Full pay for 6 months, half pay for 6 months
Free gym/fitness	Most forces provide on-site facilities
Blue Light Card	Discounts at 14,000+ retailers
Police Mutual	Financial products and discounts
Housing allowance	Phased out but some legacy payments
Travel	Free or subsidised travel in some forces
Retirement age	Can retire at 60 with full pension

Summary

Rank	Salary Range
New constable	£28,551
Top constable	£46,044
Sergeant	£47,784-£52,977
Inspector	£58,332-£63,912
Superintendent	£77,835-£95,604
Chief Constable	£157,000-£297,000+
London allowances	+£5,000-£7,500
Overtime potential	+£3,000-£10,000+/year