How To Join
The Met Police
The Metropolitan Police is the largest force in the UK, with about 31,495 full-time equivalent officers. It recruits through the national College of Policing process, adds its own in-person values interview and starts new constables higher up the pay scale than most forces. This guide takes each stage in order, from the Met's own careers pages and its October 2026 recruitment release.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 21 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Apply online through the Met's careers site for a route that is open (PCEP and the PCDA were open in October 2026). Pass the National Sift, then the College of Policing's online assessment centre, then an in-person values interview at the Met's recruitment centre in south London. After that come a medical, the bleep test to level 5.4, biometrics, vetting and pre-employment checks. The Met says it takes around six months. New constables start on pay point 2: about £43,688 a year with London pay.
Is the Met Police recruiting in 2026?
Yes. On 12 October 2026 the Met launched a recruitment campaign built around 24 serving officers, saying that "applications are currently open" for its two main constable routes and that new recruits get "a starting salary of more than £43,000" (Met release). The College of Policing's national "who's recruiting" lists, which we read route by route on 21 October 2026, agree and add two more:
- Recruiting: PCEP, the degree apprenticeship (PCDA), the degree holder route (DHEP) and detective entry.
- Not listed: the rejoiner route and the professional policing degree holder route.
Our Met police jobs page holds the Met's own-site reading and our job board tracker alongside the national list, each with the date it was read. Routes at large forces open and close through the year, so check the Met's apply page on the day you apply.
The Home Office workforce statistics for the year to 31 March 2026 record about 670 full-time equivalent officers joining the Met (excluding transfers) against about 2,155 leaving. A force that is losing officers faster than it hires them has a strong reason to keep its main routes open, but that does not make selection easier: every stage below is pass or fail against a national or Met standard.
Recruitment window alerts
Tell me when the Met opens or closes a route
Choose up to three forces. We will email you when we see one of them open or close a constable route on its own site or the national list. Occasional emails, written by hand.
Entry routes into the Met
The Met's entry routes page (read 1 October 2026) describes two routes for new constables plus a detective pathway. The national lists add the degree holder route. Police Now places graduates with the Met as a partner force.
| Route | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|
| PCEP (Police Constable Entry Programme) | Two years. Training at a Met training centre plus on-the-job learning. Does not lead to a degree. | Open (Met release, 12 October 2026; national list, 21 October 2026) |
| PCDA (Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship) | Three years, fully funded, combining university study with operational training and leading to a degree. | Open (Met release, 12 October 2026; national list, 21 October 2026) |
| Degree holder route (DHEP) | For graduates in any subject: a two-year programme leading to a graduate diploma. | Listed as recruiting on the national degree holder list, 21 October 2026 |
| Detective constable entry (DCEP) | Straight into detective training. The Met's detective page says it needs a degree. | Open on the Met's detective page (read 1 October 2026); listed on the national detective list |
| Police Now (graduate programme) | Run by the charity Police Now with the Met as a partner force. Police Now selects; the Met employs. | Closed: the March 2027 entry has closed and Police Now says the next window opens early next year |
| Rejoiner | For former officers returning. | Not on the national rejoiner list on 21 October 2026 |
| Professional policing degree holder | For people who already hold the pre-join degree. | Not on the national PPD list on 21 October 2026 |
Which one fits you?
- No degree and you want one: the PCDA. The Met release calls it "fully funded". Read the PCDA explained.
- No degree and you do not want one: the PCEP, two years with no university study. Read the PCEP explained.
- Already a graduate: DHEP for uniformed policing, or detective entry if you want to start as a trainee detective. Read DHEP explained and direct entry detective interview questions.
- Graduate who wants a structured two-year programme with leadership training: Police Now, which has placed cohorts with the Met. Its March 2027 entry has closed. See the Police Now guide.
The Met's entry routes page also mentions an access route run with London colleges for people who do not yet have the qualifications a route needs. If you are unsure, our free entry route quiz asks about your degree, age, finances and plans and lists the routes that fit with the forces open on each.
Who can apply to the Met
The Met's "who are we looking for" page sets these rules for police constables. We read it on 1 October 2026; the Met's site blocks automated reading, so we could not re-read it on 21 October 2026.
- Age. You can apply from 17 but cannot be appointed until you are 18. The page says the upper age limit is "typically" 57. The Police Regulations set no upper limit; the Met's figure reflects the time needed to train and serve before pension age.
- Residence. Three years' continuous residence in the UK immediately before you apply. Service abroad in the British Armed Forces is an exception. Applicants from outside the UK also need indefinite leave to remain. Read police nationality and residency rules.
- London residence. The Met's constable page did not list a London residency rule when we read it. The Met introduced a London residency criterion in 2014 (three of the last six years living in London), dropped it in 2018, reinstated it in November 2020 and suspended it again in February 2022 to help recruitment (Police Professional). The Met's specials page says plainly there is no London residency requirement for special constables.
- Qualifications. These depend on the route: none at degree level for the PCEP, the entry requirements of the partner university for the PCDA and a degree in any subject for DHEP and the detective pathway. See police qualifications needed.
- Tattoos. Tattoos on the face, or on the sides and front of the neck above the collar line, rule you out. Hand, ear and back-of-neck tattoos can be accepted at the Met's discretion. Read police tattoo and appearance rules.
- Other forces. You can apply to more than one force at once but can start the online assessment with only one.
- Convictions, finances and associations. All are checked at vetting. A caution or old conviction is not an automatic bar, but some outcomes are. Start with police vetting for applicants.
We could not confirm the Met's current rule on driving licences for new constables, because its site blocked our reading on 21 October 2026. Forces vary between no licence, a licence by the offer stage and a full manual licence at application. Read do you need a driving licence to join the police? and check the Met's eligibility page.
The Met recruitment process at a glance
The first three stages are the national process every force in England and Wales now uses for new constables. Since 17 March 2026 the law requires four things of a constable candidate: a pass at the National Sift, a pass at the online assessment process, an in-person interview with the force and the force's other checks (Police Regulations 2003, reg 10(1)(eb), inserted by SI 2026/154). The Met's own stages follow.
| Stage | What happens | Run by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Online application | The Met | Choose your route; the Met says you can apply to several forces but start the online assessment with only one |
| 2 | National Sift: situational judgement test and behavioural styles questionnaire | College of Policing (online) | The Met says to allow about two weeks for this stage |
| 3 | Online assessment centre: interview, written exercise and briefing exercise | College of Policing (online) | Results within about three weeks (Met recruitment process page) |
| 4 | Your Met assessment: a values interview at the Met's recruitment centre in south London | The Met (in person) | The in-person force interview every constable applicant must now pass (reg 10(1)(eb)) |
| 5 | Medical and job-related fitness test; biometrics | The Met | Medical by a registered nurse; fitness test and biometrics at the assessment centre |
| 6 | Vetting and pre-employment checks | The Met | The Met says these typically take around two months |
| 7 | Offer and start date | The Met | Intakes every five weeks; you would start within three months of an offer |
Stage 1: the application
You apply on the Met's careers site for a specific route. The form covers eligibility, your residence history, your education and declarations about convictions, finances and business interests. Be complete and consistent: what you write here is checked again at vetting and a mismatch between the form and your vetting forms causes more delay than most candidates expect.
- Have five years of addresses with dates to hand, plus any time abroad.
- Declare everything that is asked for, including cautions and fixed penalties where the question covers them.
- If you need adjustments for the online tests (for example for dyslexia), say so now. See mental health and neurodiversity in police recruitment.
Our police application form guide covers each section.
Stage 2: the National Sift
The National Sift is the College of Policing's online test. It has two exercises: a situational judgement test (SJT), in which you rate possible responses to work scenarios and a behavioural styles questionnaire (BSQ) about how you tend to work. Both are scored against the College's Competency and Values Framework (CVF) and combined into one result. The Met's recruitment page says to allow about two weeks for this stage and that no policing knowledge is needed.
You cannot revise facts for it, but you can learn how the scenarios are built and what the five-point rating scale rewards. Start with the National Sift explained, how it is scored and the BSQ explained. Then see how to pass the National Sift and our SJT example questions with answers.
Want every stage covered in one payment? The Complete Candidate Journey (£99.99) includes the National Sift Prep Pass (£19.99 on its own), the online assessment and interview toolkit, the vetting readiness report and the Fitness Pass Suite. It is optional: the free practice above is enough to see whether you need it.
Stage 3: the online assessment centre
Pass the sift and you are invited to the College of Policing's online assessment centre (OAC). It has three exercises, all assessed against the CVF at level 1:
- A competency-based interview, recorded on screen with questions about what you have done before. See the OAC interview explained.
- A written exercise, where you read material and write a response under time pressure. See the written exercise explained.
- A briefing exercise, where you prepare and give a verbal response to a scenario. See the briefing exercise explained.
The Met's recruitment page says you can expect results within about three weeks of sitting it. If you do not pass, the College's resit rules apply; our what happens if you fail the OAC guide covers the waiting periods. Check your readiness first with the free OAC readiness check.
Stage 4: your Met assessment and values interview
This is the stage that makes the Met process different. After the online assessment, the Met invites you to its recruitment centre in south London for an interview focused on the Met's values. The Met's pages call this part of "your Met assessment" and those who pass go on to the medical and fitness test. Since March 2026 an in-person force interview of this kind is required by law for every constable applicant who is not a transferee.
What a values interview is likely to probe, based on the Met's description:
- Why the Met and why London, rather than policing in general.
- How you have treated people fairly and respectfully when it was hard to.
- A time you took ownership of something, or challenged behaviour that was wrong.
- How you would handle the pace, scrutiny and public contact of policing in the capital.
The Met does not publish its questions and nobody outside the Met can tell you exactly what will be asked. Treat any list online, including ours, as practice. The questions in our CVF interview questions and why do you want to join the police guides are original PolicePay practice material. For what other forces say about their own final stage, see which police forces have a final interview.
The Met's detective constable selection page describes a separate Met Assessment Centre in Kennington, south London, with three exercises taking about five hours in total. If you apply for detective entry, read that page carefully rather than assuming the constable process.
Stage 5: medical, fitness test and biometrics
The Met's recruitment page says the medical is carried out by a registered nurse and includes eyesight, hearing and blood pressure tests, held at Gilmour House. At the Met's assessment centre you complete the job-related fitness test and the Met takes your biometrics.
- Fitness: the 15 metre multi-stage shuttle run to level 5.4, the national standard for constables. Read how to train for level 5.4 and try the free 15m bleep test simulator.
- Eyesight and medical: the national eyesight standard and occupational health assessment. Read the police medical explained and police eyesight standards.
Fitness is the stage people most often under-prepare for, because it comes late and feels simple. Level 5.4 is not hard for a regular runner, but a nervous first attempt on an unfamiliar track catches people out. Practise on a 15 metre course before the day.
Stage 6: vetting and pre-employment checks
The Met says vetting and pre-employment checks typically take around two months. Vetting looks at you, your family and the people you live with, your finances and your online presence. References, right-to-work documents and qualification certificates are checked at the same time.
- Long address histories, time abroad and unresolved debts are the usual causes of delay. See address history delays and overseas residency and vetting.
- Social media is reviewed. Read police vetting social media checks.
- For a realistic timescale, see how long police vetting takes.
The free vetting evidence builder lets you describe your own circumstances and see which areas a vetting officer is likely to ask about.
How long it takes to join the Met
The Met's own estimate is around six months from application to joining. Its stage timings add up like this:
| Stage | Met's timing |
|---|---|
| National Sift | About two weeks |
| Online assessment results | Within about three weeks of sitting it |
| Assessment results (wider wording on the overview page) | Four to eight weeks |
| Vetting and pre-employment checks | Typically around two months |
| Offer to start | Within three months; intakes start every five weeks |
| Whole process | Around six months |
These are the Met's averages. Your own time depends on how quickly you book each stage, how complete your vetting forms are and whether you need a resit. Plan your own dates with the free recruitment timeline planner and read how long police recruitment takes.
Training at the Met
The Met release describes the PCEP as "a two-year route combining training at a Met training centre with on-the-job learning" that does not lead to a degree and the PCDA as a three-year, fully funded route combining university study with operational training that leads to a degree. Both are probationary: you are a sworn constable, paid from day one of training and you are confirmed in the role at the end of probation.
- Classroom first, then the street. Each route opens with a block of initial learning before you are posted to a borough with a tutor constable. The Met does not publish the exact number of weeks on the pages we could read.
- Assessed throughout. You build a portfolio of evidence against the national curriculum and you must meet the standard to be confirmed. Read police training: what to expect.
- Shifts start early. Expect a 24-hour rota once you are posted. Our shift work survival guide is written for new officers.
Met Police pay in 2026: the point 2 start
Police pay in England and Wales rose by 3.5% from 1 September 2026 (HCWS264). The national constable scale for officers appointed since April 2013 runs from point 1 (£32,255) to point 7 (£52,015). Since April 2025 chief officers may start all new constables on point 2 and the Met does.
How we know: the Met's release of 12 October 2026 says new recruits get "a starting salary of more than £43,000". Point 1 plus London Weighting and the full London Allowance is £42,334, below £43,000. Point 2 plus the same allowances is £43,688. The Met's 2025/26 adverts said "c. £42,210", which is exactly point 2 plus both allowances on the 2025/26 rates. So a new Met constable is worth about £1,354 a year more than a point 1 start.
| Pay point | Basic salary | With London pay | Take-home a month (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 (where the Met starts new constables) | £33,609 | £43,688 | £2,598 |
| 3 | £34,972 | £45,051 | £2,643 |
| 4 | £36,335 | £46,414 | £2,712 |
| 5 | £39,058 | £49,137 | £2,850 |
| 6 | £44,544 | £54,623 | £3,150 |
| 7 | £52,015 | £62,094 | £3,497 |
- London Weighting: £3,260 a year, paid to every Met officer and pensionable.
- London Allowance: up to £6,819 a year. It is a maximum the Met can pay and the Met's adverts imply it pays the full amount to new constables. It is not pensionable.
- Progression: one point a year on the anniversary of appointment, subject to satisfactory performance, so point 7 (£62,094 with London pay) arrives after five annual steps from point 2.
- Overtime and unsocial hours: on top, at national rates. See police overtime rates explained.
- Promotion: sergeant pay starts at £55,443 basic on the national scale, plus London pay. See police ranks.
The full Met scale, with every allowance and pension figure, is on our Met Police pay page. For London Weighting rules see London Weighting explained.
Take-home pay as a new Met constable
On a £43,688 starting package, the estimate below uses 2026/27 tax and National Insurance and the police pension contribution on pensionable pay only (basic salary plus London Weighting; the London Allowance is not pensionable).
| Item | Amount a year |
|---|---|
| Gross pay (point 2 + London Weighting + London Allowance) | £43,688 |
| Pensionable pay (point 2 + London Weighting) | £36,869 |
| Pension contribution (12.88%) | £4,749 |
| Income tax | £5,274 |
| National Insurance | £2,489 |
| Take-home a year | £31,176 |
| Take-home a month | £2,598 |
A student loan, a different tax code or salary sacrifice would change these figures. For your own numbers use the police salary calculator, or compare the Met with any other force after tax in the free starting pay by force tool.
The Met compared with other large forces
Base pay is the same national scale everywhere in England and Wales. What differs is the start point and the location allowances:
- The Met and City of London pay London Weighting and the London Allowance. City of London is a separate force covering the Square Mile; we have not confirmed which point it starts recruits on. See City of London Police jobs.
- Forces around London such as Thames Valley, Kent, Essex, Surrey and Hertfordshire pay a South East Allowance instead. See how to join Thames Valley Police.
- The next largest forces, Greater Manchester and West Midlands, pay the national scale with no location allowance. See how to join GMP and how to join West Midlands Police.
- British Transport Police also pays the national scale and starts recruits on point 2, with its own London allowances for officers posted in London. See how to join BTP.
London's higher pay is designed to offset higher living costs. Before choosing a force on gross pay, compare rent and travel costs with the regional affordability comparator.
The Met in numbers
Home Office workforce statistics for 31 March 2026 (published 22 July 2026):
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Police officers (full-time equivalent) | 31,495 |
| Officers joining in the year to 31 March 2026 (FTE, excluding transfers) | 670 |
| Officers leaving in the year (FTE, excluding transfers) | 2,155 |
| Special constables (headcount) | 1,023 |
Police Now also places graduates with the Met: in July 2026, 124 Police Now recruits took the oath as new Met and West Midlands officers (Police Now). For the national picture see our police workforce statistics.
A preparation plan for the Met
Work backwards from the stages. A realistic plan for the six months the Met quotes:
| When | What to do | Free help on PolicePay |
|---|---|---|
| Before applying | Check eligibility, gather five years of addresses, read the CVF and start running | CVF explained |
| Week 1 to 2 | Practise situational judgement scenarios before the sift invitation arrives | SJT practice |
| After the sift | Write six to eight STAR examples and practise the written and briefing exercises | STAR answer checker |
| Before the Met assessment | Practise saying your answers out loud; prepare why the Met and why London | Mock interview |
| Throughout | Train to level 5.4 on a 15 metre course | Bleep test training plan |
| Before vetting | Collect documents, settle what you can and be ready to explain the rest | Vetting evidence builder |
For an interview stage with two separate interviews, repetition matters more than reading. The free mock interview gives you scored answers each day; the 90-day Mock Interview Pass (£39.99) adds the full critique and a model rewrite for every answer if you want it.
Specials, rejoiners and transferees
- Special constables. The Met has the largest special constabulary in the country (about 1,023 at 31 March 2026). Its specials page says there is no London residency requirement, only three consecutive years in the UK. Specials now sit the National Sift too. See the special constable guide and moving from special to regular.
- Rejoiners. The Met was not on the national rejoiner list on 21 October 2026. If you left another force, read rejoining the police and check the Met's careers site.
- Transferees. Serving officers move between forces on the transferee route, which does not need the National Sift or OAC. We did not find a current Met transferee advert on 21 October 2026. See forces recruiting transferees.
- Already a Met officer? Our Met promotion process guide covers the next step.
Common mistakes Met applicants make
- Treating the values interview as a formality. It is now a legal stage in its own right. Prepare examples that show the values, not just the competencies.
- Starting the OAC with two forces. The Met says you can start the online assessment with only one force.
- Quoting the wrong salary. Many sites still give point 1 or 2025/26 figures. The Met's own figure is "more than £43,000".
- Leaving fitness to the end. The bleep test comes on the same visit as biometrics; a fail delays everything.
- Incomplete vetting forms. Missing addresses and undeclared debts are the commonest causes of a long wait.
- Relying on old residency advice. The London residency rule has changed four times since 2014. Read the Met's current eligibility page.
More in police interview mistakes to avoid and common vetting mistakes.
What we could not verify
The Met's website returns HTTP 403 to automated reading. We could not confirm on 21 October 2026:
- Whether the Met's eligibility page still has no London residency rule (it had none when read on 1 October 2026).
- The Met's current driving licence requirement for new constables.
- The exact length of initial classroom training on each route and which universities deliver the Met's PCDA.
- The current format and length of the Met's values interview beyond the Met's own description.
- Whether the Met has a transferee intake open; we found no current advert.
- Whether the Met pays every new constable the full London Allowance. The release figure and the 2025/26 adverts both match the full allowance, but it is a maximum, not a fixed amount.
If you can see a current Met page that says otherwise, the Met's page wins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Met Police recruiting now?
Yes. The Met's release of 12 October 2026 said applications were open for the Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) and the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA). On 21 October 2026 the College of Policing's national route lists showed the Met recruiting on PCEP, the apprenticeship, the degree holder route and detective entry, but not on the rejoiner or professional policing degree holder lists. Check the Met's careers site before you apply because routes open and close.
What is the starting salary for the Met Police in 2026?
About £43,688 a year. The Met starts new constables on pay point 2 of the national scale (£33,609 from 1 September 2026), plus London Weighting of £3,260 and a London Allowance of up to £6,819. The Met's own release of 12 October 2026 describes a starting salary of more than £43,000. After tax, National Insurance and pension that is roughly £2,598 a month.
Do you have to live in London to join the Met?
Not on the Met's constable eligibility page as we read it on 1 October 2026: it asked for three years' continuous residence in the UK, not in London. The Met's old London residency criterion (living in London for three of the last six years) was suspended in February 2022 to help recruitment. Specials are told explicitly that there is no London residency requirement. Check the Met's eligibility page before you apply in case this changes.
How long does it take to join the Met Police?
The Met says the whole process takes around six months. Its recruitment pages say the National Sift takes about two weeks, online assessment results arrive within about three weeks and vetting and pre-employment checks typically take around two months. New intakes start every five weeks and you would usually start training within three months of an offer.
Is there an interview to join the Met?
Yes, two. The national online assessment centre includes a recorded competency-based interview. Then the Met invites you to its recruitment centre in south London for an in-person interview focused on its values. Since 17 March 2026 every police constable applicant in England and Wales must pass an in-person interview with the force they are joining (Police Regulations 2003, reg 10(1)(eb)).
What is the age limit to join the Met Police?
You can apply from 17 but cannot be appointed until you are 18. The Met's eligibility page says its upper age limit is typically 57. The Police Regulations themselves set no upper age limit.
Do I need a degree to join the Met?
No. The PCEP needs no degree and does not lead to one and the PCDA gives you a funded degree while you work. You need a degree for the degree holder route and for the Met's detective constable entry pathway.
What fitness test does the Met use?
The job-related fitness test, which for police constables in England and Wales is the 15 metre multi-stage shuttle run (bleep test) to level 5.4. The Met runs it at its assessment centre on the same visit as your biometrics.
Can I apply to the Met and another force at the same time?
The Met's eligibility page says you can apply to more than one force at once but can start the online assessment with only one. Other forces set their own rules: West Midlands Police, for example, says you can apply to only one force at a time.
Does the Met accept tattoos?
The Met's eligibility page (read 1 October 2026) says tattoos on the face or on the sides and front of the neck above the collar line rule you out. Tattoos on the hands, ears and back of the neck can be accepted at the Met's discretion. Anything offensive or that could undermine public confidence is assessed on its own merits.
Is Met pay better than other forces?
On base pay the national scale is the same everywhere in England and Wales. The Met adds London Weighting and the London Allowance and starts new recruits on point 2, so its starting package (about £43,688) is the highest of the 43 forces with City of London. Living costs in London are also higher, so compare take-home after rent, not just gross pay.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 21 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- Metropolitan Police: "We've accepted the challenge. Will you?" (Mynewsdesk, 12 October 2026) : starting salary of more than £43,000; PCEP two years at a Met training centre with on-the-job learning, no degree; PCDA three years, fully funded, leads to a degree; applications open (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Met careers: police constable overview and apply pages (read 1 October 2026) : PCEP and PCDA open for applications; detective constable entry pathway open (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Met careers: entry routes (read 1 October 2026) : two routes for new constables; DCEP needs a degree; access route with London colleges (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Met careers: recruitment process (read 1 October 2026; stage wording confirmed from search results on 21 October 2026) : National Sift about two weeks; online assessment results within about three weeks; values interview at the recruitment centre in south London; medical by a registered nurse at Gilmour House; biometrics and fitness test at the assessment centre; vetting about two months; around six months in total; intakes every five weeks; start within three months of an offer (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Met careers: who are we looking for (read 1 October 2026) : apply from 17; upper age limit typically 57; three years' continuous UK residence; indefinite leave to remain; tattoo rules; one online assessment at a time (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Met careers: special constable eligibility : no requirement to meet the London residency criteria; three consecutive years in the UK (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Police Professional: MPS recruits no longer need a knowledge and understanding of London (February 2022) : suspension of the London residency criterion in 2022 and its history (accessed 21 October 2026)
- College of Policing: forces recruiting via PCEP (read 21 October 2026) : Met listed as recruiting on PCEP (accessed 21 October 2026)
- College of Policing: forces recruiting via the apprenticeship route (read 21 October 2026) : Met listed as recruiting on the PCDA (accessed 21 October 2026)
- College of Policing: forces recruiting via the degree holder route (read 21 October 2026) : Met listed as recruiting on DHEP (accessed 21 October 2026)
- College of Policing: forces recruiting via the rejoiner route (read 21 October 2026) : Met not listed (accessed 21 October 2026)
- College of Policing: forces recruiting via the professional policing degree holder route (read 21 October 2026) : Met not listed (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003, regulation 10 (legislation.gov.uk) : reg 10(1)(eb): the four recruitment stages for constables, including an in-person force interview (accessed 21 October 2026)
- The Police (Amendment) (Recruitment Standards) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/154) : inserted reg 10(1)(eb) from 17 March 2026 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Written ministerial statement HCWS264, police pay 2026/27 (15 July 2026) : the 3.5% award from 1 September 2026 behind the pay figures (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Home Office: Police workforce, England and Wales, 31 March 2026 (22 July 2026) : Met officer numbers, joiners, leavers and specials (via src/data/police-workforce-2026.ts) (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Police Now: recruits take oath as new Met and West Midlands Police officers (July 2026) : 124 Police Now recruits joined the Met and West Midlands in July 2026 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Police Now: Counter Terrorism job description (March 2027 entry) : the Met as Police Now's counter terrorism partner force (accessed 21 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
More in this guide series
Free tools for applicants
Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with any police force, the College of Policing or the Home Office and it does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Each force sets its own recruitment windows, local stages and eligibility details and changes them between campaigns: check the force's own recruitment pages and your invitation before relying on anything here. Practice material on this site is original PolicePay material, not questions used by any force. Details are as checked on 21 October 2026.