Police Overtime Rates Explained
(UK 2026)
Exactly when 1.33, 1.5 and 2.0 apply, how notice periods change your entitlement, and why overtime feels heavily taxed.
Short Answer
UK police overtime is usually paid at (1) time and a third (1.33) for staying on after your shift, (2) time and a half (1.5) for most rest day working, and (3) double time (2.0) for public holidays and some short-notice cancellations depending on notice and whether you receive a day in lieu. Exact triggers come from Police Regulations and local force agreements, so always check your duty system and use the Police Overtime Calculator for your numbers.
Hourly rate × hours × multiplier = gross overtime
pay Section 01
The Overtime Map
UK police overtime isn’t a flat hourly rate. It scales dynamically depending on when you work, how much notice you received, and whether you crossed specific public holiday thresholds. Regulation 26 defines the fundamental triggers for compensation.
- Staying On (Casual Overtime) You are retained on duty at the end of a rostered tour. This triggers the 1.33x multiplier (subject to disregard rules).
- Recall & Rest Day Working You are forced to work on a day you were scheduled to be off. Triggers 1.5x pay or Time Off In Lieu (TOIL), depending heavily on notice periods.
- Public Holiday Working Working on a bank holiday triggers the 2.0x double time multiplier, frequently paired with a day in lieu.
Reality Check
Most arguments with supervision or resource units happen because officers mix up notice periods, days in lieu, and archaic local agreements. The system defaults to standard compensation models below, but never assume you are getting cash unless TOIL wasn't an option.
Decision Flow
Time and a Third (1.33): The Stay-On Rate
When you are forced to remain on duty past your scheduled shift end—to secure a scene, finish a domestic arrest package, or wait for handover—you trigger casual overtime at 1.33x your normal hourly rate.
The Disregard Rule
Before claiming 1.33x, casual overtime historically
triggers a 30-minute disregard. This means you must work a full uncompensated 30
minutes before your first claimable unit unlocks. This
historically exists to prevent administration for
trivial over-runs.
Check your specific force policy: some forces allow
you to bank uncompensated 15-minute segments across
the week until they breach the disregard, while
others wipe them daily. Always use the Police Overtime Calculator for accurate math once your hours are validated.
Micro Worked Examples
30 Mins Overrun
Caught by disregard. No payment or TOIL.
45 Mins Overrun
30 mins disregarded. You claim 15 units at 1.33x.
2 Hours Overrun
Assuming disregard applies to the first 30 mins, you claim 1.5 hours at 1.33x.
Section 03
Time and a Half (1.5):
Rest Days & Notice
Your rest days are legally protected recovery periods. When a force cancels a rest day for an operational requirement (like a football match or public order deployment), your compensation is dictated entirely by how much notice they gave you.
| Notice Given | What You Usually Get | What To Check |
|---|---|---|
| < 15 Days (Short Notice) | 1.5x Pay (or TOIL) | Minimum 4-hour claim generally applies, even if you work 1 hour. |
| 15+ Days (Long Notice) | Rest Day in Lieu (RDIL) | You just swap the day off. No extra money is payable because sufficient notice was provided. |
Treat this table as a guide. National rules are nuanced and local agreements apply. Verify with your Federation branch.
Double Time (2.0): Public Holidays
Bank holiday working is the peak compensation tier. Double time is intended to offset the massive disruption to family life that occurs when officers are rostered to work on standard national holidays.
If you are required to work on a public holiday (or recalled with very short notice to cover one), standard regulation pays 2.0x double time for every hour worked.
However, the value of bank holidays is famously offset by their brutal tax inefficiency, leading many officers to try and bank the time rather than taking cash.
Public Holiday Pack
Hate Guesswork? Calculate Your Overtime in 20 Seconds.
Open Overtime Calculator →TOIL vs Pay: What Officers Actually Choose
When eligible for overtime, you usually have the choice to take Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) or cash payment. This seemingly simple choice is highly strategic and deeply personal.
For younger officers or those facing financial pressure early in their pay scales, cashflow is king. The immediate financial boost of 1.5x or 2.0x pay is highly protective against inflation and living costs.
However, experienced officers frequently cite the intense fatigue of modern policing. TOIL provides vital recovery time away from trauma exposure, shifting shift patterns, and cancelled rest days.
The Danger of TOIL Banks
Forces like TOIL because it carries no immediate cash budget hit. But officers often find that "banking" TOIL is easier than actually taking it, as minimum staffing levels restrict when you can use the time off. If not managed carefully, large TOIL banks can become unusable, leaving you exhausted with no financial gain.
Quick Calculation Prompt
If you're deciding between TOIL and pay, calculate your estimated take-home first. The marginal tax hit often makes taking cash less lucrative than having the day off. Run your numbers →
Police Overtime Myth-Buster
"Overtime starts the second my shift ends."
RealityFalse. The 'disregard' rule usually requires an uncompensated 30-minute buffer for casual overtime.
"I always get paid the same rate for a rest day."
RealityFalse. Notice periods rule everything. >15 days notice means a day in lieu, not 1.5x pay.
"Double time means double take-home pay."
RealityFalse. Extra earnings are hit by your highest marginal tax band, NI, and student loans.
"Inspectors can claim 1.5x on a bank holiday."
RealityFalse. Inspecting ranks are salaried and generally do not qualify for standard regulation OT.
"I can bank all my 15-minute overruns all month."
RealityDepends. Some forces aggregate time across a week; some wipe any sub-30 minute claim daily.
"Overtime bumps up my final pension."
RealityFalse. Police overtime is entirely non-pensionable across the 1987, 2006, and 2015 schemes.
"If I'm off sick, I still get bank holiday pay."
RealityFalse. If you are unfit for duty on a BH, you receive normal pay, not enhanced double time.
"I can't be forced to work past my shift."
RealityFalse. Policing requires you to obey lawful orders, though this must be balanced with welfare.
"Travel time is always overtime."
RealityFalse. Commuting is rarely OT unless recalled to duty under specific conditions.
"I can demand cash instead of TOIL."
RealityGenerally Yes, for casual OT. For rest day working, check your specific force standing orders.
Overtime After Tax:
Why Your £200 Feels Like £90
Because your basic police salary natively consumes your entire personal tax-free allowance, every single pound of overtime you earn is blasted instantly at your highest marginal tax rate.
- Basic Rate: 20% Tax + NI
- Higher Rate: 40% Tax + NI
- Student Loan: +9% Marginal
Furthermore, if you are a top-scale PC (earning approx £48,000+), a busy month of overtime can easily push your total earnings into the 40% higher rate tax bracket, wiping out almost half the value of that extra shift.
Net Impact Micro-Example
Note: Strict estimate based on generic 2025/26 EW thresholds. Does not constitute financial advice. Tax codes fluctuate heavily.
Eligibility by Rank:
The Inspector Trap
The rules governing police overtime differ completely when you cross the critical promotional threshold from Sergeant to Inspector.
Constables and Sergeants are paid under strict hourly regulations. They claim 1.33x, 1.5x, and 2.0x as outlined above.
Inspectors, Chief Inspectors, and Superintending Ranks are generally salaried. They are expected to work the hours required to fulfill their role. This means standard casual overtime does not exist. If an Inspector works 14 hours securing a murder scene, they do not receive 1.33x pay—they may be granted informal TOIL at the discretion of their command.
Promotion Pay Reality
If you are a high-overtime Sergeant (e.g. Firearms, Custody, or busy response), promoting to Inspector frequently results in a rapid drop in total take-home pay. The bump in basic salary does not offset the lost overtime revenue. Always run the numbers in our Police Calculator (Promotion Mode) before taking the board.
Estimate Take-Home (Tax + Pension)
Open Take-Home Mode →Fully Fleshed Worked Examples
New PC • Casual OT
A student PC (Point 1 Salary ~£30k) is retained on duty for 45 minutes twice in one week to complete paperwork. Force policy wipes disregards daily.
Response PC • Recall
A mid-point PC (Salary ~£38k) is given 7 days notice that their rest day is cancelled for an event. They work an 8-hour shift.
Top PC • Bank Holiday
A top-scale PC (Salary ~£48k) is rostered to work Christmas Day. They complete a full 9-hour tour.
Tax Threshold Breach
Top scale PC earns £2,000 gross overtime in a month. This pushes their annualised earnings into the 40% higher rate tax bracket.
Sergeant • Pension Reality
A top-scale Sergeant works 12 hours on a rest day. They wonder if the extra money will increase their career average pension.
Scotland Variant
Scottish varying tax bands mean a PC acting in Scotland hits higher rate taxation (42%) much earlier (£43,663 threshold in 25/26).
The Lawful Order:
"When Can They Force Me?"
A constant source of friction in modern policing is the cancellation of rest days or the forced extension of a shift when an officer needs to get home for childcare or their own welfare.
The harsh reality of sworn service is the legal concept of the Lawful Order. If a superior officer orders you to remain on duty for an operational necessity (e.g. keeping a sterile cordon safe), you cannot normally "just walk off" without facing misconduct proceedings for failing to obey a lawful command.
However, this is not absolute. It must be balanced against welfare and reasonableness.
Welfare & Reasonableness
If you have pressing care requirements (e.g., a child stranded at school), the order to remain on duty may be challenged as unreasonable. Supervisors must weigh the operational need against the genuine welfare crisis of the officer.
Grievance Routes
If you believe rest days are being cancelled unlawfully, routinely, or without the proper exigency of duty, speak to your local Federation rep immediately. They hold the precise up-to-date guidance on challenging sweeping cancellations.
The 2026 Reality:
Dependency & Burnout
Policing in 2026 is fundamentally addicted to overtime. In previous decades, overtime was used to surge capacity for specific, rare events. Today, it is used to structurally plug the gaps in baseline operational delivery.
The result is a workforce where many officers rely on overtime to meet mortgage obligations and basic living costs, while simultaneously suffering severe burnout from the relentless cancellation of protected rest days.
The true cost isn't just financial. It's the friction generated when tired officers are taxed at 40% to cover the resourcing failures of the wider system.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is police overtime calculated?
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What is time and a third (1.33) in the police?
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When do you get double time (2.0) overtime?
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Do you get a day in lieu on bank holidays?
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Can police force you to work overtime?
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Is travel time classed as police overtime?
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Is police overtime pensionable?
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Do Sergeants get overtime?
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Do Inspectors get overtime?
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How does TOIL work in the police?
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What is the 30-minute disregard rule?
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Does overtime affect maternity pay (SMP/AWE)?
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Does overtime affect my police pension?
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Does overtime push you into 40% tax?
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What is the best way to estimate take-home overtime pay?
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Can you refuse a rest day cancellation?
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What happens if a rest day in lieu is cancelled?
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Is casual overtime paid at 1.5x?
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Where to Navigate Next
If you're tracking your base salary...
The Police Pay Hub
View all 2026/27 pay scales, progression timelines, and regional allowance structures across the UK.
If you need the exact hourly rate multipliers...
2026 Pay Scales Framework
Locate your exact spine point across PC, Sergeant and Inspecting ranks to calculate your baseline hourly rate.
If you want to estimate tonight's duty...
The Overtime Calculator
Enter your spine point, hours and multiplier to instantly view both your gross payment and estimated net take-home.