Detective Salary UK: DC, DS, DI and DCI Pay
In England and Wales a detective constable (DC) earns £32,255 to £52,015, a detective sergeant (DS) £55,443 to £58,175, a detective inspector (DI) £66,000 to £74,206 and a detective chief inspector (DCI) £72,806 to £78,510, from 1 September 2026. These are the same scales as uniformed officers of the same rank, before London or South East allowances.
Figures are calculated from the official 2025/26 scales plus the 3.5% award from 1 September 2026; the Home Office's own 2026/27 table may differ by a few pounds. The higher inspector and chief inspector figures are the Metropolitan and City of London Police points. Serving in Scotland? See Police Scotland pay scales. For what DC, DS, DI and DCI stand for and the insignia, see UK police ranks in order.
Detectives are not paid more than uniform officers. A detective constable earns exactly what a police constable earns. The "D" marks the department and the investigative qualification, not the rank or the salary. Anyone telling you CID pays better is describing overtime and allowances, not the pay scale.
Detective pay by rank, 2026
National scale for England and Wales, before London or South East allowances. Take-home is after income tax, National Insurance and the police pension contribution.
| Detective rank | Salary range | Take-home /mo |
|---|---|---|
| Detective Constable DC | £32,255 – £52,015 | £1,952 – £2,942 |
| Detective Sergeant DS | £55,443 – £58,175 | £3,133 – £3,285 |
| Detective Inspector DI | £66,000 – £74,206 | £3,612 – £3,951 |
| Detective Chief Inspector DCI | £72,806 – £78,510 | £3,893 – £4,130 |
| Detective Superintendent DSU or Det Supt | £87,123 – £102,481 | £4,471 – £5,104 |
| Detective Chief Superintendent DCS | £107,430 – £119,837 | £5,308 – £5,773 |
Add your force's allowances
In the Met and City of London Police, London Weighting and London Allowance add £10,079 a year on top of these figures (2026/27). South East forces add £3,105 (Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, Thames Valley) or £2,070 (Bedfordshire, Hampshire, Sussex). The calculator applies yours and shows the real monthly number.
Detective ranks in order
Detective Constable DC
The rank every officer starts at, and the only rank with the full original powers of a constable. Every rank above it holds the same warrant, with supervisory responsibility on top.
Insignia: No rank insignia — shoulder number only · How you get there: Direct entry through PCEP, PCDA or DHEP, then two years to confirmation.
£32,255
to £52,015
Detective Sergeant DS
The first supervisory rank. A sergeant runs a response team or a small unit, authorises certain powers, and carries first-line responsibility for the officers under them.
Insignia: Three chevrons (stripes) · How you get there: NPPF step two legal exam, then work-based assessment. The exam is marked at 55%.
£55,443
to £58,175
Detective Inspector DI
The first rank with command responsibility. Inspectors act as duty officer for a whole area, authorise detention reviews and higher-level powers, and answer for decisions taken across a shift.
Insignia: Two Bath stars (two 'pips') · How you get there: NPPF step two legal exam at inspector level, marked at 65% — ten points above sergeant.
£66,000
to £74,206
Detective Chief Inspector DCI
A middle-management command rank running a department, a neighbourhood area or a major investigation. In CID, a DCI typically leads homicide and major crime investigations.
Insignia: Three Bath stars (three 'pips') · How you get there: Promotion board and selection. No further legal exam beyond the inspectors' paper.
£72,806
to £78,510
Detective Superintendent DSU or Det Supt
Senior operational command. Superintendents hold authorities that lower ranks cannot — extended detention, certain surveillance and search powers — and command large districts or specialist commands.
Insignia: One crown · How you get there: Promotion board, or direct entry through the Police Now / direct entry superintendent scheme.
£87,123
to £102,481
Detective Chief Superintendent DCS
The most senior rank below chief officer. Usually commands a basic command unit — a whole borough or division — or a force-wide function.
Insignia: One crown above one Bath star · How you get there: Promotion board. The last rank on the federated pay scale.
£107,430
to £119,837
Detective pay questions
Do detectives get paid more than uniform officers? +
No. A detective constable is paid exactly the same as a police constable, a detective sergeant the same as a sergeant, and so on up the ranks. Detective is a role and a department, not a rank or a pay grade. The 'D' in DC, DS, DI and DCI marks the officer as a qualified investigator working in CID, not a more senior or better-paid officer. Where a detective's pay does differ, it is because of the same things that affect any officer: regional allowances, overtime, and any specialist or on-call payments attached to the post.
What does a detective constable earn in the UK? +
A detective constable is on the constable pay scale: £32,255 on appointment, rising to £52,015 at the top of the scale (pay point 7) after six annual increments. That is before any London or South East allowance. After income tax, National Insurance and the police pension contribution, the starting figure is roughly £1,952 a month.
What does a DCI earn? +
A detective chief inspector is paid on the chief inspector scale: £72,806 to £78,510, depending on pay point and whether the force is the Metropolitan or City of London Police, which have their own higher chief inspector points. Allowances are paid on top.
How do you become a detective in the UK? +
Three main routes. You can transfer into CID as a serving constable and complete the detective training and the National Investigators' Exam. You can join through a direct-entry detective programme, which several forces run for graduates. Or you can join on the degree holder entry programme with a detective pathway. All three lead to the same warrant and the same pay as a uniform officer of that rank.
Is DS higher than DC? +
Yes. DS is detective sergeant, which is one rank above DC, detective constable. The order runs DC, DS, DI, DCI, then detective superintendent and detective chief superintendent. Each sits level with its uniform equivalent: a DS and a uniform sergeant hold the same rank and the same salary.