Special Constable
Hours and Commitment
The single most important practical question before you apply. Here is what the College of Policing says, what each force we checked actually asks for, how training fits on top, and how to make the hours work alongside a job and family.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 18 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Most forces ask for at least 16 hours a month, often expressed as about 200 hours a year. It is not a legal minimum: the College of Policing says there is no nationally mandated amount, and forces set their own. Of the forces we checked, Thames Valley asks for 18 hours a month, West Midlands suggests two shifts a month, Avon and Somerset also asks for a two-year commitment, and Police Scotland asks for 96 hours a year. The initial training course comes on top.
The numbers in short
- Usual minimum: 16 hours a month (12 of the 14 forces whose pages we read state 16 hours).
- Higher: Thames Valley, at least 18 hours a month.
- Looser: West Midlands, no hard minimum, two shifts a month suggested.
- Annual: 200 hours a year at the Met and Devon and Cornwall; 96 hours a year in Police Scotland.
- Minimum term: Avon and Somerset asks for at least two years.
The national position: no legal minimum
The College of Policing's guidance on special constables says there is not a nationally mandated hourly amount, and that most forces require their specials to give an average of at least 16 hours of volunteering duties a month. The national recruitment site, joiningthepolice.co.uk, also gives a minimum of 16 hours a month after training.
Nothing in the Special Constables Regulations 1965 sets an hours requirement. Each chief officer decides, and forces describe it differently: monthly minimums, monthly averages, annual totals or a number of shifts.
Hours and training, force by force
These are the requirements as each force's own pages stated them on 18 October 2026. Training formats change with each intake, so check the force's current timetable.
| Force | Hours asked for | Initial training | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Police | A minimum of 200 hours a year, equal to 16 hours a month | 23 days, non-residential: 13 weeks of Saturday or Sunday courses, or 23 consecutive weekdays | Force page |
| Greater Manchester Police | A minimum of 16 hours a month | 10 to 12 weekends over about 3 months, plus personal safety training over 8 consecutive weekdays | Force page |
| Thames Valley Police | At least 18 hours a month | 12 weekends over six months, on alternate weekends | Force page |
| Kent Police | A minimum of 16 hours each month | Around six to seven months on alternate weekends, or a five-week weekday course | Force page |
| Devon and Cornwall Police | 16 hours a month on average, equal to 200 hours a year | Four modules over 36 weeks, mixing distance learning and weekends | Force page |
| West Yorkshire Police | A minimum of 16 hours a month, such as two eight-hour shifts | 18 weeks of alternate weekends and some weekday evenings | Force page |
| Hampshire and Isle of Wight | A minimum of 16 hours | Several months of weekend and evening classes at Hamble, in two phases | Force page |
| Sussex Police | At least 16 hours a month | 15 alternate weekends and 13 evenings | Force page |
| Avon and Somerset | A minimum average of 16 duty hours a month, and a commitment of at least two years | Self-study, then 15 weekends on alternate weekends | Force page |
| Essex Police | At least 16 hours a month on duty, not counting training | Around 27 days on weekends and evenings | Force page |
| Lancashire Constabulary | 16 hours a month | 11 full weekends over about four months, plus e-learning | Force page |
| Merseyside Police | A minimum of 16 hours a month | 13 to 14 weekends across about six months | Force page |
| West Midlands Police | No hard minimum; suggests two shifts a month | 10 to 15 weeks, mainly weekends (job advert) | Force page |
| British Transport Police | At least 16 hours a month | Usually 10 weekends, every other weekend | Force page |
Police Scotland, which runs its own special constabulary, asks for a minimum of 96 hours a year. Where a force is not listed, its specials pages are the place to check, and the recruitment team can tell you how the minimum is measured.
Monthly minimum, monthly average or annual total?
The wording matters, because it changes how flexible the commitment is:
- A monthly minimum (for example Kent's "a minimum of 16 hours each month") suggests every month counts.
- A monthly average (Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall) allows quieter months balanced by busier ones.
- An annual total (the Met's 200 hours a year) gives the most room to work around holidays and busy periods at your paid job.
Ask the force how it measures the commitment, whether training counts (Essex says it does not), and what happens if your circumstances change for a while, such as a new baby or exams.
Training time comes first
Before you do any duty hours you complete the initial training course, and it is often the hardest part to fit in. The table above shows the range: from around 10 weekends (British Transport Police) to four modules over 36 weeks (Devon and Cornwall). The Met and Kent offer intensive weekday options as well as weekend courses.
Sussex says there is no flexibility for missing training days, and Devon and Cornwall says you must start training within three months of your offer. Look at the actual dates for the next intake before you apply, and book leave early if you need it.
After initial training, the College's learning programme for specials continues with tutored patrols and a portfolio. The College estimates that reaching directed patrol status takes 18 to 24 months on average, so plan for a long period of supervised learning alongside your duty hours.
Fitting it round a job and family
- Two shifts a month. West Yorkshire describes 16 hours as two eight-hour shifts, which is how many specials meet it.
- Talk to your employer early. Some jobs are incompatible with being a special, and forces publish lists of barred or restricted occupations. Check yours before applying.
- Talk to your family. Duties often fall on evenings and weekends, when policing demand is high.
- Location rules. Thames Valley asks specials to live within 20 crow miles of a police station, and Avon and Somerset within the force area or 15 miles or 30 minutes of a station.
- Local options. Essex offers a Community Special Constable role, after directed patrol status, patrolling your own parish or town.
Expect to be asked about this at interview. Our interview guide has an example answer to "how will you fit the role around your life?".
Employer supported policing
The College of Policing describes employer supported policing, where an employer agrees with the force to give staff who volunteer as specials some paid time off for duties or training. It is voluntary for employers, and the terms vary. Kent lists employer supported policing as one of its entry routes for specials. Ask your HR team whether your employer has a scheme, and ask the force whether it works with your employer.
What you get back: expenses, not pay
Special constables are not paid. Under regulation 4 of the Special Constables Regulations 1965, reasonable out-of-pocket expenses can be reimbursed, or allowances paid, as approved by the local policing body, which sets the amounts and conditions. The Home Office's special constables expense and allowance guidance (1 April 2022) covers subsistence, mileage where a regular officer would get it, loss of earnings and other out-of-pocket costs, without setting national figures.
Some forces publish their rates. Thames Valley lists mileage and public transport (not taxis), subsistence from £7.23 to £24.15, and boots up to £68 every two years. British Transport Police's recruitment information lists duty allowances for duties of four hours or more. The Met offers free TfL travel and a council tax rebate on the Greater London Authority element to specials doing at least 200 hours a year. More on perks in special constable explained.
What a realistic month can look like
An illustration, not any force's rota: a special working Monday to Friday office hours might do one Friday or Saturday late shift of eight hours and one weekend day shift of eight hours. That is 16 hours, leaves three weekends free, and lines up with the busy times when forces most often need extra officers. During initial training, expect most of your free weekends to go on the course instead.
What we could not verify
- How forces enforce the minimum. Most pages do not say what happens if you fall short.
- Average hours actually worked. The Home Office counts specials by headcount and does not publish hours volunteered nationally.
- Expense rates in most forces. Amounts are set locally and most forces do not publish them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours a month do special constables have to do?
Most forces ask for at least 16 hours a month. The College of Policing says there is no nationally mandated amount, but that most forces require an average of at least 16 hours of volunteering a month. Thames Valley asks for at least 18, West Midlands suggests two shifts a month, and Police Scotland asks for 96 hours a year.
Is 16 hours a month a legal requirement?
No. It is a force requirement, not a law. The College of Policing says there is not a nationally mandated hourly amount. Each force sets its own minimum and decides what happens if you fall below it.
How many hours a year is that?
Sixteen hours a month is 192 hours a year. Forces that express it annually usually say 200 hours: the Met asks for a minimum of 200 hours a year, equating to 16 hours a month, and Devon and Cornwall says 16 hours a month on average, equating to 200 hours.
Does training count towards the hours?
Forces treat this differently. Essex says its 16 hours a month are on duty and do not include training. Check your force's policy, and remember the initial training course is a separate, fixed commitment of its own.
Can I do more than the minimum?
Yes, and many specials do. Some benefits are linked to hours: the Met gives free TfL travel and a council tax rebate on the Greater London Authority element to specials who do at least 200 hours a year.
Do I have to commit for a minimum period?
Most forces we checked do not state one. Avon and Somerset asks specials to commit to a minimum of two years, as well as an average of 16 duty hours a month.
Will my employer give me time off to be a special?
That depends on your employer. Some employers run employer supported policing schemes, agreed with the force, that give staff who are specials some paid time off for duties or training. Ask your HR team and your force.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 18 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.
- College of Policing: Special constables : no nationally mandated hourly amount; most forces require an average of at least 16 hours a month; employer supported policing (accessed 18 October 2026)
- joiningthepolice.co.uk: Special constables : minimum of 16 hours a month after training; expenses provided (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Special Constables Regulations 1965, regulation 4 (legislation.gov.uk) : reimbursement of expenses and allowances approved by the local policing body; no entitlement to pay (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Home Office: Special constables expense and allowance rates (1 April 2022) : subsistence, mileage, loss of earnings and other out-of-pocket costs; amounts set locally (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Metropolitan Police: Special constable recruitment process and benefits : 200 hours a year; 23-day training; TfL travel and council tax rebate after 200 hours (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Thames Valley Police: Special constables : at least 18 hours a month; expense rates (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Avon and Somerset Police: Special constabulary recruitment process : 16 hours a month average; two-year commitment (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Essex Police: Special constabulary : 16 hours on duty not including training; Community Special Constable (accessed 18 October 2026)
- West Midlands Police: Special constable : two shifts a month suggested (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Police Scotland: Special constable : 96 hours a year (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Other force special constable pages (listed in the table with links) : hours and training as stated by each force (accessed 18 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
More in this guide series
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or any police force, and it does not recruit, vet or assess special constables. Each force runs its own special constabulary recruitment, so stages, hours and training differ: always check the advert and recruitment pages of the force you are applying to. Details are as checked on 18 October 2026.