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: Do police get paid overtime?
Yes, if you are a constable or sergeant in England and Wales. Overtime is paid at time and a third (1.33) or taken as time off. A rest day worked with under 15 days' notice is paid at time and a half (1.5), and a public holiday at double time (2.0). Inspectors and above get no overtime pay, and an unplanned overrun of under 30 minutes is not paid.
Source: Police Regulations 2003, regulations 25 and 26, and the Home Secretary's determinations in Annex G (overtime) and Annex H (rest days and public holidays). Police Scotland has its own rules.
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 25 of the Police Regulations 2003 (with Annex G) covers overtime, and regulation 26 (with Annex H) covers rest days and public holidays.
- 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).
- Rest Day Working You are required to work a rostered rest day. Under 15 days' notice: 1.5x pay or time off in lieu (TOIL). 15 days or more: another rest day instead. (Being recalled between two shifts is overtime at 1.33x.)
- Public Holiday Working Working on a bank holiday triggers the 2.0x double time multiplier, plus another day off if you had less than 8 days' notice.
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
For overtime you were not told about at the start of
your shift, Annex G applies a 30-minute disregard on each of the first four occasions in a week: the
first 30 minutes is not paid. An unplanned overrun of
less than 30 minutes is not counted at all. Overtime is
counted in completed 15-minute periods.
If you were told at the start of the shift that you
would have to stay on, there is no disregard and 15
minutes or more counts. The Police Federation's
guidance is that the disregard does not apply to a
recall to duty between shifts. Use the Police Overtime Calculator for accurate math once your hours are validated.
Micro Worked Examples
30 Mins Overrun
Caught by disregard (first four unplanned overruns in a week). No payment or TOIL.
45 Mins Overrun
30 mins disregarded. You claim 15 minutes 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) | Under 4 hours counts as 4 hours, unless it is no more than 1 hour straight on from your previous shift. |
| 15+ Days (Long Notice) | Rest Day in Lieu (RDIL) | You get another rest day, which must be notified within 4 days. No extra money is payable. |
Annex H, Police Regulations 2003 determinations (as amended April 2012). Constables and sergeants only. Check 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 a constable or sergeant required to work on a public holiday, Annex H pays 2.0x double time for every hour worked (minimum 4 hours). With less than 8 days' notice you also get another day off, treated as a public holiday. Requiring you to work a public holiday at less than 15 days' notice needs authorisation above chief superintendent rank.
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. For unplanned overtime the first 30 minutes is disregarded on the first four occasions in a week.
"I always get paid the same rate for a rest day."
RealityFalse. Notice periods rule everything. 15 days' notice or more means another rest day, 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. Inspectors and chief inspectors get no overtime or rest day pay. They get a day off in lieu, to be taken within 12 months (Annex H).
"I can bank all my 15-minute overruns all month."
RealityNo. Each occasion stands alone: an unplanned overrun of under 30 minutes is not counted (Annex G).
"Overtime bumps up my final pension."
RealityFalse. Overtime is not pensionable in the 1987, 2006 or 2015 schemes. (Part-time officers' extra hours up to 40 a week are plain-time pay, not overtime.)
"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. Normal commuting is not duty. Travel counts when you are recalled, or work a rest day or public holiday, up to a limit your chief officer sets.
"I can demand cash instead of TOIL."
RealityPayment is the default. Time off instead is your choice: for rest days and public holidays, elect within 28 days.
Overtime After Tax:
Why Your £200 Can Feel Like £116
Because your basic police salary natively consumes your entire personal tax-free allowance, every single pound of overtime you earn is taxed at your highest marginal tax rate (at the 40% rate, £200 of overtime is £116 after 40% tax and 2% NI).
- Basic Rate: 20% Tax + NI
- Higher Rate: 40% Tax + NI
- Student Loan: +9% Marginal
Furthermore, if you are a top-scale PC (£52,015), your taxable pay after 13.88% pension (£7,220, the 2015 scheme rate from 1 April 2026) is £44,795, which leaves £5,475 of headroom below the £50,270 higher rate threshold. After roughly £5,475 of overtime in the tax year (about 146 hours at 1.5x) further overtime is taxed at 40%, wiping out over 40% of the value of that extra shift (40% tax plus 2% NI).
Net Impact Micro-Example
Note: estimate for England and Wales 2026/27, using the calculated top-scale salary (official 2025/26 £50,256 plus 3.5%). Hourly rate £52,015 × 6/12520 = £24.93; Annex H pays 3/64 of a day's pay per 15 minutes, £37.39 an hour (1.5x), so 8 hours is £299.13. NI is 2% because this salary is above the £4,189 monthly upper limit. Taxable pay is £44,795 after 13.88% pension, so this shift is taxed at 20% while under £5,475 of overtime for the year (40% once above it, which would leave about £173). Not financial advice; tax codes vary.
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 not covered by the overtime rules: Annex G applies only to constables and sergeants. If an Inspector works 14 hours securing a murder scene, they do not receive 1.33x pay. For working a rest day or public holiday, inspectors and chief inspectors get a day off in lieu, to be taken within the following 12 months (Annex H). They do receive the unsocial hours allowance (10% of hourly pay for hours worked between 8pm and 6am, Annex U).
Promotion Pay Reality
If you are a high-overtime Sergeant (e.g. Firearms, Custody, or busy response), promotion to Inspector can result in a drop in total take-home pay if the rise in basic salary does not offset the lost overtime. Run the numbers in our Promotion Calculator 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 £32,255, 7-point scale for officers appointed on/after 1 April 2013) is retained on duty for 45 minutes twice in one week to complete paperwork, without being told at the start of either shift. The first 30 minutes of each overrun is disregarded.
Response PC • Recall
A mid-point PC (Point 4 salary £36,335, about £17.41 an hour) 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 £52,015, £24.93 an hour) is rostered well in advance to work Christmas Day. They complete a full 9-hour tour. Taxed at 20% plus 2% NI while inside the £5,475 headroom, about £350 is kept.
Tax Threshold Breach
Top scale PC (£52,015) earns £2,000 gross overtime a month for three months (£6,000). The first £5,475 is taxed at 20% and the last £525 at 40%, all with 2% NI.
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
Police Scotland has its own overtime rules (PNBS) and Scottish income tax: the 42% higher rate starts at £43,663 in 2026/27.
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
For many constables and sergeants, overtime and rest day working are a regular part of pay rather than an occasional extra. Rest day cancellations are a long-running Police Federation concern; its "Hands Off Our Rest Days" campaign is about exactly that.
If you rely on overtime for a mortgage or household budget, it helps to know which part of your pay is guaranteed (basic pay and any London or South East allowance) and which is not.
Overtime is not pensionable and can be taxed at 40% once your pay passes the higher-rate threshold, so it is worth less than the same amount of basic pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do police get paid overtime?
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Do detectives get paid overtime?
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How is overtime worked out for Met and City of London officers?
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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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Sources
- Police Regulations 2003, regulation 25 (overtime; "due notice" is 8 hours) and regulation 26 (public holidays and rest days), legislation.gov.uk.
- Determinations under the Police Regulations 2003, Annex G (overtime: one twenty-fourth of a day's pay per 15 minutes, the 30-minute disregard, time off in lieu) and Annex H (rest days and public holidays), GOV.UK.
- Amendments to the determinations from 1 April 2012 (rest day rate set at three sixty-fourths of a day's pay per 15 minutes, public holiday notice rules), GOV.UK.
- Home Office Circular 011/2026: Annex F (pay scales from 1 September 2025, hourly rate 6/12520, London Weighting excluded from allowances) and Annex U (unsocial hours allowance), GOV.UK.
- Police Federation of England and Wales, Quick Reference Guide (January 2025), section 2.C on overtime, recall, rest day and public holiday working.
- GOV.UK Income Tax rates 2026/27 and National Insurance rates 2026/27, used for the take-home examples.
Salary examples use 2026/27 figures calculated from the official 2025/26 scales plus the 3.5% award from 1 September 2026; the Home Office had not published the 2026/27 pay table at 30 September 2026. This page explains the national rules for England and Wales. It is information, not advice: your force's duty system and your Federation representative can confirm how they apply to you.
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.