Police Pay
Rise 2026/27
The 2026-27 police pay award for England and Wales: the percentage, your new pay by rank, when it lands in your payslip and how much back pay you are owed if your force pays late.
Police staff or PCSO? This 3.5% is for police officers only. Staff pay is a separate negotiation. Police staff pay rise 2026 →At a glance (England and Wales)
Award
3.5%, all ranks
Effective from
1 September 2026
Announced
15 July 2026 (HCWS264)
PRRB recommended
3.9%
Official 2026/27 pay table
Not published at 1 October 2026
Payslip date
Set by your force; back pay owed to 1 Sept
Short answer: police pay rise 2026
Police officers in England and Wales get a 3.5% pay rise from 1 September 2026, for every rank and pay point. The Home Secretary announced it on 15 July 2026, below the 3.9% the Police Remuneration Review Body recommended. A new constable goes from £31,164 to about £32,255; a top-scale constable from £50,256 to about £52,015. If your force pays it late, the rise is owed back to 1 September.
2026/27 figures are calculated from the official 2025/26 scale plus 3.5%: the Home Office had not published the new pay table when we checked GOV.UK on 1 October 2026. When it reaches your payslip depends on your force: when will I get the 3.5% and back pay? Police Scotland has its own deal (3.5% from 1 April 2026): see Police Scotland pay scales. For every rank and pay point see the police pay scales 2026/27 table, and for what the rise means in your pocket each month use the police salary calculator (take-home pay at the new rate).
What is confirmed, and what is not
Everything below comes from the Home Secretary's written statement of 15 July 2026 (HCWS264), the PRRB's twelfth report and the Home Office circulars published on GOV.UK, last checked on 1 October 2026.
| Item | Status | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay award | Confirmed | 3.5% consolidated, every rank and pay point (constable to chief constable) | HCWS264, 15 July 2026 |
| Effective date | Confirmed | 1 September 2026; later payment means arrears from that date | HCWS264 |
| PRRB recommendation | Not followed | PRRB recommended 3.9% (up to chief superintendent); SSRB 3.7% (chief officers) | PRRB 12th report; HCWS264 |
| Official 2026/27 pay table | Not yet published | No new Annex F determination on GOV.UK when checked on 1 October 2026; latest pay circular is 011/2026 (31 July 2026, the 2025 award) | Home Office circulars 2026 |
| Payroll month for the rise and back pay | Set by each force | No national payment date has been published; arrears are owed back to 1 September 2026 for any month paid at the old rate | HCWS264; force payroll |
| London Weighting, London and South East Allowance maxima | Confirmed +3.5% | Calculated: £3,260, £6,819, £3,105 and £2,070 | HCWS264; Annex F/U 2025 values |
| Protection Allowance | Confirmed +£8 | All rates; applying rate 3 per day deployed abroad still under discussion | HCWS264 |
| Acting Up Allowance 10-day qualifying period | Accepted, date not set | To be abolished after consultation on the determinations | HCWS264 |
| Maternity and adoption support leave | Accepted, date not set | Two weeks on full pay, after consultation | HCWS264 |
| Unsocial Hours Allowance | No change | Stays at 10%, non-pensionable; the Federation had asked for 20% at weekends | PRRB 12th report, paras 4.80-4.87 |
| Extra Home Office funding | Confirmed | £84m (2026-27), £144m (2027-28), £145m (2028-29) | HCWS264 |
Police pay 2026/27 by rank: old vs new
How much the 3.5% adds at the entry and top point of each rank. Basic annual pay before tax, National Insurance and pension, outside London unless stated. For every pay point in full, see police pay scales 2026/27.
| Rank | Pay point | 2025/26 (official) | From 1 Sept 2026 | Rise a year | Rise a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable (new recruit) | 1 | £31,164 | £32,255 | +£1,091 | +£91 |
| Constable | 2 | £32,472 | £33,609 | +£1,137 | +£95 |
| Constable | 4 | £35,106 | £36,335 | +£1,229 | +£102 |
| Constable | 6 | £43,038 | £44,544 | +£1,506 | +£126 |
| Constable (top) | 7 | £50,256 | £52,015 | +£1,759 | +£147 |
| Sergeant (entry) | 2 | £53,568 | £55,443 | +£1,875 | +£156 |
| Sergeant (top) | 4 | £56,208 | £58,175 | +£1,967 | +£164 |
| Inspector (entry) | 0 | £63,768 | £66,000 | +£2,232 | +£186 |
| Inspector (top) | 3 | £68,982 | £71,396 | +£2,414 | +£201 |
| Inspector, Met/City (top) | 3 | £71,697 | £74,206 | +£2,509 | +£209 |
| Chief Inspector (entry) | 1 | £70,344 | £72,806 | +£2,462 | +£205 |
| Chief Inspector (top) | 3 | £73,149 | £75,709 | +£2,560 | +£213 |
| Superintendent (entry) | 1 | £84,177 | £87,123 | +£2,946 | +£246 |
| Superintendent (top) | 4 | £99,015 | £102,481 | +£3,466 | +£289 |
| Chief Superintendent (top) | 3 | £115,785 | £119,837 | +£4,052 | +£338 |
2025/26 values: Home Office Circular 011/2026, Annex F. 2026/27 values: 2025/26 x 1.035, rounded to the nearest pound (our calculation; the official table may differ by a pound or two once published). Constables appointed before 1 April 2013 are on an older 8-point scale with different lower points; both scales share the same top point.
When will I get the 3.5% and back pay?
Your entitlement starts on 1 September 2026. That date is fixed by the Government's decision. What varies is when your own force's payroll starts paying the new rate. Forces run their own payroll, and there is no single national date on which every officer sees the rise.
Thames Valley Police published its new constable starting salary "effective from 1 September 2026" on 1 September, without saying which payroll month would carry it. We have not found a published payroll date from any other force (see the tracker below). The formal Home Office determination (the new Annex F pay table) had not appeared on GOV.UK when we last checked, on 1 October 2026.
If the new rate is not in your September payslip, nothing is lost: once your force applies it, you should receive the difference for every month back to 1 September as arrears. It may appear as a separate line (for example "arrears" or "back pay"); the label depends on your force's payroll system.
Confirmed
- 3.5% for all ranks and pay points (HCWS264).
- Effective from 1 September 2026 (HCWS264).
- London Weighting and the London and South East Allowance maxima rise 3.5%, also from 1 September 2026.
- Basic pay arrears are pensionable in all three police pension schemes (see below).
Not yet known (as at 1 October 2026)
- Which payroll month each force uses for the new rate and the arrears.
- When the Home Office will publish the 2026/27 Annex F determination.
- The exact official pay point values (ours are calculated; see the note under the pay table).
- The new Dog Handlers' Allowance rate, which the statement does not mention.
Why your payslip may lag behind 1 September
- Each force runs its own payroll. The Home Secretary sets the award; your force (or its shared payroll provider) applies it. There is no national pay run.
- The formal table usually comes later. The determination for the 2025 award, effective 1 September 2025, was published on 31 July 2026 (Circular 011/2026). The determination for the 2024 award, effective 1 September 2024, was published on 20 March 2025 (Circular 003/2025). The effective date did not move in either year.
- Rounding can differ by a pound or two. Every federated and superintending rank pay point in the 2025/26 Annex F table is a whole multiple of £3, so the official 2026/27 figures may not match a simple "plus 3.5%, rounded to the pound" calculation exactly. Thames Valley's figure, for example, implies £32,254 at constable pay point 1, against our £32,255.
- Some allowances are set locally. London Weighting and the allowance maxima rose from 1 September 2026, but the South East Allowance is set by each eligible force's chief constable up to the maximum (Annex U), and the London Allowance by the Commissioner, so check what your force has announced.
Checking your October payslip
Basic pay on a monthly payslip is the annual figure divided by 12. If your force has applied the award, the basic pay line should match the "new" column below. If September was paid at the old rate, add one month of arrears; if October is still at the old rate, the arrears simply build up. Basic pay only, outside London; allowances, overtime and part-time hours change your figure. More on reading the lines in understanding your police payslip.
| Pay point | Old monthly basic | New monthly basic | One month of arrears (gross) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, pay point 1 | £2,597.00 | £2,687.92 | £90.92 |
| Constable, pay point 4 | £2,925.50 | £3,027.92 | £102.42 |
| Constable, pay point 7 | £4,188.00 | £4,334.58 | £146.58 |
| Sergeant, pay point 4 | £4,684.00 | £4,847.92 | £163.92 |
| Inspector, pay point 3 (outside London) | £5,748.50 | £5,949.67 | £201.17 |
| Chief Inspector, pay point 3 (outside London) | £6,095.75 | £6,309.08 | £213.33 |
| Superintendent, pay point 4 | £8,251.25 | £8,540.08 | £288.83 |
Old: 2025/26 official values (Circular 011/2026, Annex F) divided by 12. New: our calculated 2026/27 values divided by 12. A payslip can differ by pennies because of rounding and by more if the official table differs from our calculation.
Force payroll tracker: what forces have published
We list a force only when we have read its own published statement, with the date it was posted. Last checked 1 October 2026. Many force websites cannot be read by automated tools, so a force missing from this table has not necessarily said nothing: check your intranet, payroll notices or Federation branch.
| Force | Published | What it says | What it does not say | Our check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thames Valley Police | 1 September 2026 | "In line with the Home Office announcement made in July 2026 confirming a 3.5% increase in police officer pay", new starting salaries "effective from 1 September 2026": constable and detective constable starting salary £35,359 "inclusive of a £3,105 South East allowance"; officers "can expect to earn in excess of £55,000 after seven years". | No payroll month, payslip date or back pay arrangements. Its separate line that police staff "will also benefit from a 3.5% pay increase" does not say whether that follows a national agreement. | Agrees with our figures to within £1: £35,359 less £3,105 implies £32,254 basic; our calculation is £32,255. Top of scale £52,015 plus £3,105 is £55,120, consistent with "in excess of £55,000". |
Thames Valley's figure includes its South East Allowance. Under Annex U that allowance applies only in Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey and Thames Valley (maximum £3,105 from 1 September 2026, on our calculation) and Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Sussex (maximum £2,070). More on the force in our Thames Valley Police page; for your own take-home pay use the salary calculator.
Police staff asking when your pay rise will be paid? The officer award and its timing do not apply to police staff or PCSOs. Staff pay is negotiated separately through the Police Staff Council. Police staff pay rise 2026: latest status →| Step | What happens | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Remit letter | Policing minister asks the PRRB to recommend the 2026/27 award | 19 February 2026 |
| 2. Evidence | Home Office evidence published (2.5% affordable for most forces) | 27 March 2026 |
| 3. PRRB report | Submitted to the Home Secretary, recommending 3.9% | Late May 2026 |
| 4. Decision | Government awards 3.5%; PRRB report published | 15 July 2026 |
| 5. Effective date | New rates apply | 1 September 2026 |
| 6. Payroll | Each force pays the new rate, plus arrears if late | Varies by force |
| 7. Determination | Home Office publishes the formal 2026/27 pay table (Annex F) | Not published at 1 October 2026 |
If your payslip still shows the old rate
- Check whether your force has announced a payroll date for the award (intranet, payroll or HR notices).
- Compare your basic pay line with the table above: divide the annual figure for your pay point by 12.
- If it is still missing after your force's stated date, raise it with payroll, or ask your Federation (or Superintendents' Association) rep.
- Keep your September and October payslips: you will want them to check the arrears when they arrive.
How much back pay will I get?
Police pay rise back pay is the monthly difference between the old and new rate, multiplied by the number of months you were paid at the old rate. The table shows the gross amounts for common pay points. Allowances that also rose (London Weighting, London and South East Allowances) add to it, and so does any overtime worked since 1 September, because overtime is paid from your hourly rate.
| Pay point (basic pay only) | 1 month late | 2 months | 3 months | 4 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, pay point 1 | £91 | £182 | £273 | £364 |
| Constable, pay point 7 | £147 | £293 | £440 | £586 |
| Sergeant, pay point 4 | £164 | £328 | £492 | £656 |
| Inspector, pay point 3 (outside London) | £201 | £402 | £604 | £805 |
How back pay is taxed and pensioned
Back pay is ordinary pay that arrives late, so the usual deductions apply. The rules below come from HMRC guidance and the police pension regulations, read on 1 October 2026.
| Deduction | What happens to back pay | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | Deducted through PAYE in the pay run that carries the arrears. On a standard cumulative tax code, tax is worked out on your pay for the tax year to date, so a lump sum does not by itself push you into a higher band unless your annual pay is near one. | HMRC EIM42260 (PAYE operated when earnings are received) |
| Which tax year | Arrears for September 2026 onwards paid by 5 April 2027 fall in the 2026/27 tax year. HMRC treats backdated pay as received when you first become entitled to receive it, so if any arrears were paid after 5 April 2027 the tax year would depend on that rule: ask payroll. | HMRC EIM42265 |
| National Insurance | Not cumulative. Arrears are added to the pay for the period in which they are paid and NI is worked out on the total: in 2026/27, 8% between £1,048 and £4,189 a month and 2% above £4,189. Officers whose monthly pay is already above £4,189 pay only 2% on the arrears. | HMRC NIM02065; rates and thresholds 2026 to 2027 |
| Pension contributions (2015 scheme) | Taken from arrears of basic pay at your current rate (12.88%, 13.88% or 14.22%). The rate is set by your previous scheme year's pensionable earnings, so the award does not change your 2026/27 band; it feeds into the band from April 2027. | SI 2015/445 regs 33(2), 167A, 170 |
| Pension built up | Pensionable pay includes "any retrospective increase" in all three schemes, so the arrears count towards your 2026/27 pensionable earnings (2015 scheme) or pensionable pay (1987 and 2006 schemes, which matters for final salary calculations). | SI 2015/445 reg 33(2); SI 1987/257 reg G1(1); SI 2006/3415 reg 23 |
| If you have left | HMRC's employer guide says arrears of a backdated pay award paid after you leave have NI worked out on a weekly earnings period. How your force processes leavers' arrears is for its payroll team. | HMRC CWG2 2026 to 2027 |
Illustrative example: two months of arrears in one payslip
Illustrative example, not a real payslip: the rise is first paid in a November payroll with September and October arrears. Calculated with the same engine as our back pay calculator: 2026/27 England and Wales tax on a standard cumulative code, NI on the month paid, 2015 scheme full-rate contributions, basic pay only, no student loan or salary sacrifice.
| Pay point | Gross arrears | Pension | Income tax | NI | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, pay point 1 | £181.83 | £23.42 | £31.68 | £14.55 | £112.18 (62%) |
| Constable, pay point 7 | £293.17 | £40.69 | £50.50 | £5.86 | £196.12 (67%) |
| Sergeant, pay point 4 | £327.83 | £45.50 | £56.47 | £6.56 | £219.31 (67%) |
| Inspector, pay point 3 (outside London) | £402.33 | £55.84 | £138.60 | £8.05 | £199.85 (50%) |
Why the shares differ: a new constable pays 8% NI on the arrears, while officers whose monthly pay is above £4,189 pay 2%; an inspector at the top of the scale pays 40% income tax on the arrears because annual taxable pay is above the basic rate band. Your own figures depend on your tax code, allowances and other deductions.
Is back pay taxed?
Yes, through PAYE in the month it arrives, like any other pay. Income tax evens out on a cumulative code; National Insurance is worked out on that month's total, which can make the month look unusual. Pension contributions come off back pay of basic salary because it is pensionable. Details and sources are in the table above.
Check your own figure
The free back pay calculator models a late payroll month by month, including tax, National Insurance and pension, so you can check it against your payslip.
Open the back pay calculator →More detail: police back pay explained.
What 3.5% means in your pocket
A gross rise is reduced by pension contributions, income tax and National Insurance. Two worked examples on 2026/27 England and Wales tax and NI, 2015 scheme contributions from 1 April 2026, no allowances or overtime:
New constable, pay point 1
+£91 a month gross
About £56 a month after 12.88% pension, tax and NI.
Constable, top of scale (pay point 7)
+£147 a month gross
About £98 a month after 13.88% pension, tax and NI.
Illustrative calculations, not a payslip. Tax codes, student loans, salary sacrifice and allowances change the result. Use the salary calculator for your own figures.
Why 3.5% and not 3.9%
The PRRB recommended a consolidated 3.9% for all pay points up to and including chief superintendent from 1 September 2026, judging that this was likely to stay above inflation when it took effect. The Senior Salaries Review Body recommended 3.7% for chief officers. The Government gave 3.5% to everyone, saying it was "the highest award that is manageable within existing police force and Home Office budgets".
It is the first headline recommendation since 2018 that the Government has not accepted (see the history table below). The Police Federation called it "a pay rise on paper only, not in officers' pockets". The National Police Chiefs' Council said it was disappointed the full recommendation was not accepted, but recognised the award is above inflation and welcomed the extra funding.
| Who | Position | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Police Federation (PFEW) | 7% a year for three years | To begin reversing real-terms pay erosion since 2010 (PRRB report para 4.17) |
| NPCC (chief constables) | 3.5%, centrally funded above 2.5% | Said 2.5% was 'true affordability' without extra funding (paras 4.5-4.6) |
| Metropolitan Police | 3.5% | Its budget assumed 3%; above that needed full funding (paras 4.9-4.10) |
| APCC (police and crime commissioners) | 2.5%, or 3.5% if fully funded | Paras 4.11-4.12 |
| Police Superintendents' Association | At least CPI plus 1% | Applied equally to all ranks (para 4.15) |
| Home Office | Up to 2.5% affordable for most forces | Para 3.17 |
| PRRB recommendation | 3.9% | All ranks up to and including chief superintendent (Recommendation 5) |
| Government decision | 3.5% | All ranks and pay points, from 1 September 2026 (HCWS264) |
Paragraph references are to the PRRB's Twelfth Report on England and Wales 2026. The Federation's survey figures (91% saying a low award shows the Government does not respect policing; 78% dissatisfied with pay) are the Federation's own data.
What about the P-factor?
The P-factor is the part of police pay meant to reflect the unusual demands and restrictions of the office of constable, such as not being able to strike. It is not a separate payment. In this round the Federation pressed the PRRB to give it more explicit weight, citing research it commissioned suggesting police pay should be around 13% higher than comparable roles. The PRRB did not recommend a separate P-factor uplift. More in our P-factor explainer.
Police staff, PCSOs and detention officers
The 3.5% officer award does not apply to police staff
Staff pay is negotiated through the Police Staff Council, with its own claim, offer and ballot timetable. Our staff guide tracks where it has got to and when it is likely to be paid.
Police pay awards vs inflation
Each PRRB recommendation since the body started work, what the Government actually awarded, and CPI inflation for the calendar year in which the award took effect. The 2026/27 award is above the latest CPI reading (3.1% in the 12 months to August 2026), but inflation over the whole pay year is not yet known.
| Pay year (from 1 Sept) | PRRB recommended | Government awarded | CPI (calendar year average) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015/16 | 1% | 1% | 0.0% |
| 2016/17 | 1% | 1% | 0.7% |
| 2017/18 | 2% | 1% plus 1% one-off (non-consolidated) | 2.7% |
| 2018/19 | 2% plus consolidating the 2017 1% | 2% | 2.5% |
| 2019/20 | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1.8% |
| 2020/21 | 2.5% | 2.5% | 0.9% |
| 2021/22 | £250 for those earning under £24,000 | Accepted (freeze for everyone else) | 2.6% |
| 2022/23 | £1,900 consolidated | £1,900 | 9.1% |
| 2023/24 | 7% | 7% | 7.3% |
| 2024/25 | 4.75% | 4.75% | 2.5% |
| 2025/26 | 4.2% | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| 2026/27 | 3.9% | 3.5% | 3.1% (12 months to Aug 2026) |
Sources: PRRB Twelfth Report (2026), Appendix A; ONS CPI annual rate, series D7G7. Before 2015 police pay was set through the Police Negotiating Board. The Police Federation told the PRRB that real-terms pay for the federated ranks has fallen 21.7% since 2010 (23.5% for constables); that is the Federation's figure, not an official statistic.
Model a future award
This modeller starts from the 2026/27 rates on this page, so the percentage you choose is a 2027/28 scenario, not this year's award. For reference, forces were told to assume 2.5% for 2027/28 in their budget planning; that is a planning assumption, not a forecast or an offer.
Award Impact Predictor
Select your rank and model different award scenarios on top of the 2026/27 rates to see the impact on your gross pay.
Current Base Salary: £52,015
*Starting point: 2026/27 basic pay (2025/26 official scale plus the confirmed 3.5%, calculated). The percentage you choose is a future-award scenario. Does not include London allowances in the gross prediction, only base salary impact.
Police pay rise 2027: what happens next
The next award would normally take effect on 1 September 2027. As of 1 October 2026 the Home Office had not issued the remit letter that starts the 2027/28 round, so nothing about the percentage is known. Forces have been told to assume 2.5% in 2027/28 for budget planning, and the NPCC stressed to the PRRB that this is not an assessment of what is affordable.
The PRRB has also asked for revised proposals on "additional hours" (rest days in lieu, reinstated rest days and short retentions on duty) in the next pay round, a framework for time off in lieu for on-call inspecting and superintending ranks by April 2027 at the latest, and national on-call guidance by the end of 2026. We track all of it on one page.
The pay rise and your pension
Serving officers
Basic pay is pensionable, so the 3.5% also raises the pension you build each year in the 2015 scheme (1/55.3 of pensionable earnings, revalued each year), and back pay counts too (reg 33(2)). From 1 April 2026 member contributions are 12.88%, 13.88% or 14.22%, with bands at £37,035 and £79,588 (SI 2026/267). Your band is set by your previous scheme year's pensionable earnings (reg 167A), so for most officers the rise can only move you up a band from April 2027, and only if your 2026/27 pensionable earnings cross a threshold.
Model your pension with the new pay →Retired officers: pension increase 2027
The pay award does not change pensions in payment. Those rise each April by the Pensions Increase (Review) Order, which follows the previous September's CPI. That is a different process with a different date.
Police pension increase 2027 explained → Pension increase calculator →Common mix-ups
"The Government accepted the PRRB in full."
It did not. The PRRB recommended 3.9%; the award is 3.5%. The 2025/26 award (4.2%) was accepted in full.
"No pay table yet means no pay rise yet."
The award applies from 1 September 2026 whatever date the formal table is published; late payment is made up through arrears.
"Back pay is taxed at a special emergency rate."
There is no special rate. Arrears go through PAYE like other pay; income tax evens out on a cumulative code, and NI is worked out on that month's total (HMRC NIM02065).
"Back pay pushes me into a higher pension contribution band."
In the 2015 scheme the band is set by the previous scheme year's pensionable earnings (reg 167A), not by the month the arrears land in.
"Police staff get the same 3.5%."
Staff pay is a separate Police Staff Council negotiation. The officer award does not apply to staff.
"Scotland's 3.5% is the same award."
Police Scotland's 3.5% (from 1 April 2026) comes from its own two-year deal, negotiated through the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland.
"Superintendents and chief officers are on a different award."
The review bodies made different recommendations, but the Government applied 3.5% to all ranks and pay points.
"The pay award raises my police pension in payment."
Pensions in payment rise each April under the Pensions Increase (Review) Order, not the pay award.
What we could not verify
- The exact official 2026/27 pay point values. They will be in the Home Office's new Annex F determination, not published when we checked GOV.UK on 1 October 2026. Our figures are 2025/26 x 1.035 rounded to the pound; other publishers round differently (Thames Valley's figure implies £32,254 at constable pay point 1, ours is £32,255), and the 2025/26 official points are all multiples of £3, so expect differences of a pound or two.
- Which forces have already paid the award, and in which payroll month. There is no national list, and the only force statement we could read (Thames Valley, 1 September 2026) gives no payroll date. Ask your force payroll team or Federation branch.
- How forces handle arrears, and any pension recalculation, for officers who retired or left between 1 September 2026 and the date the award is paid. The regulations count retrospective increases in pensionable pay, but we found no published Home Office or force guidance on the process.
- Which scheme year arrears count in if they were paid after 31 March 2027. The 2015 regulations count retrospective increases in the period the pay relates to, but we have not found administrator guidance on late arrears; ask your pension administrator.
- The new Dog Handlers' Allowance rate. The written statement does not mention it.
- The implementation dates for abolishing the Acting Up qualifying period and for two weeks of full-pay maternity support leave, which depend on a Home Office consultation.
Police pay rise 2026: FAQs
Is there a police pay rise in 2026?
Yes. Police officers in England and Wales receive a consolidated 3.5% pay rise from 1 September 2026, applied to every rank and pay point. The Home Secretary announced it in a written ministerial statement (HCWS264) on 15 July 2026. A new constable on pay point 1 goes from £31,164 to about £32,255.
How much is the police pay rise for 2026/27?
3.5% for all ranks, including superintendents and chief officers. The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) had recommended 3.9% for ranks up to chief superintendent, and the Senior Salaries Review Body 3.7% for chief officers. The Government chose 3.5% for everyone, describing it as the highest award manageable within existing budgets.
When will police get the 3.5% pay rise?
Your entitlement starts on 1 September 2026, the date set in the Home Secretary's statement of 15 July 2026 (HCWS264). The month it first appears on your payslip is decided by your own force's payroll, and there is no single national payment date. As at 1 October 2026, the only force statement we have read (Thames Valley Police, 1 September 2026) gives new salaries "effective from 1 September 2026" but no payroll month. Your force payroll team or Federation branch can tell you which pay run includes it.
When will the 2026 police pay rise be paid?
The rise takes effect from 1 September 2026, but each force pays it through its own payroll, so the first payslip showing the new rate varies by force. If your force applies it after September, you are still owed the increase for every month from 1 September, paid as arrears (back pay). Check your payslip for an arrears or back pay line, and ask your payroll team or Federation rep if it is missing.
When will police back pay be paid in 2026?
In the same pay run in which your force first pays the new rate, if it has not paid the rise from September. We have not found any national date or published force-by-force schedule for arrears. Because the award is effective from 1 September 2026, back pay covers every month since then that was paid at the old rate, including the rise on overtime worked in those months.
Will the police pay rise be in my October payslip?
It depends on your force's payroll; there is no national rule that it must be. If it is, expect your basic pay line to be the new annual figure divided by 12 (for example £2,688 a month at constable pay point 1, £4,335 at pay point 7) and, if September was paid at the old rate, one month of arrears on top. If October still shows the old rate, the arrears simply build up until the rise is applied.
Will the police pay rise be backdated, and how much back pay will I get?
Yes, the award is effective from 1 September 2026, so any month paid at the old rate is owed back. Back pay is roughly the annual increase divided by 12, times the number of months paid at the old rate: about £91 a month for a new constable and about £147 a month for a top-scale constable, before tax, National Insurance and pension. Our back pay calculator shows the deductions month by month.
How is police back pay taxed?
Through PAYE in the month it is paid. On a standard cumulative tax code, income tax is worked out over the tax year to date, so it largely evens out. National Insurance is assessed on the total paid in that pay period, arrears included (HMRC National Insurance Manual NIM02065), at 8% up to the monthly upper earnings limit of £4,189 and 2% above it in 2026/27. Arrears for September 2026 onwards paid before 6 April 2027 fall in the 2026/27 tax year whichever HMRC timing rule applies.
Is police back pay pensionable?
Back pay of basic pay is, in all three schemes. The 2015 scheme counts pay "account being taken of any retrospective increase" (Police Pensions Regulations 2015, reg 33(2)), and the 1987 and 2006 schemes define pensionable pay the same way (reg G1(1) and reg 23). So pension contributions come off the arrears and the arrears count towards the pension you build for 2026/27. In the 2015 scheme your contribution rate (12.88%, 13.88% or 14.22%) is set by your previous scheme year's pensionable earnings, so the arrears do not change your 2026/27 rate.
I retired or left after 1 September 2026. Do I still get the back pay?
The award applies from 1 September 2026, so pay for service from that date is due at the new rate, and the pension regulations count retrospective increases in pensionable pay. We could not find published Home Office or force guidance on how arrears and any pension recalculation are handled for leavers, so ask your former force's payroll team and your pension administrator. HMRC's employer guide (CWG2) says arrears of a backdated pay award paid after someone has left have National Insurance worked out on a weekly earnings period.
What is a police constable's starting salary from September 2026?
About £32,255 a year at pay point 1, up from £31,164. Since April 2025 a chief officer can start all new constables on pay point 2 (about £33,609) to meet local recruitment needs. London and South East forces add allowances on top. These 2026/27 figures are our calculation (2025/26 official scale plus 3.5%) because the new determination had not been published at 30 September 2026.
Has the new 2026/27 police pay scale (Annex F) been published?
Not as at 1 October 2026, when we checked the Home Office circulars 2026 collection on GOV.UK. The latest pay determination (Circular 011/2026, published 31 July 2026) gave effect to the 2025 award, eleven months after that award took effect; the 2024 award's determination came on 20 March 2025 (Circular 003/2025). The 3.5% is still effective from 1 September 2026. Our figures are 2025/26 official values plus 3.5%, rounded to the pound, so the official table may differ by a pound or two.
Why did police get 3.5% and not the 3.9% the PRRB recommended?
The Home Secretary's statement says 3.5% was the highest award manageable within existing police force and Home Office budgets while still delivering the Government's crime and policing priorities. The Home Office had told the PRRB that up to 2.5% was affordable for most forces. The Home Office is giving forces an extra £84m in 2026-27, £144m in 2027-28 and £145m in 2028-29 towards the cost.
Does the 3.5% apply to London Weighting and allowances?
Yes for London Weighting, the maximum London Allowance and the maximum South East Allowance, which all rise 3.5% from 1 September 2026, and Protection Allowance rates rise by £8. On our calculation London Weighting becomes £3,260 and the London Allowance maximum £6,819 (£10,079 together); the South East Allowance maxima become £3,105 and £2,070. Other allowances are not mentioned in the statement.
Do police staff get the 3.5% officer pay rise?
No. Police staff and PCSOs are paid under the Police Staff Council, a separate negotiation with its own timetable. The officer award does not apply to them, and its payment timing does not tell you when staff will be paid. Thames Valley Police's careers site (1 September 2026) says its staff "will also benefit from a 3.5% pay increase" but does not say whether that follows a national agreement. See our police staff pay rise 2026 guide for the latest position on the staff claim.
Is the police pay rise 2026 above inflation?
At the latest reading, yes: CPI inflation was 3.1% in the 12 months to August 2026 (ONS). Whether the award beats inflation over the whole pay year depends on how prices move to August 2027. The Police Federation argues that once inflation, higher pension contributions and frozen tax thresholds are counted, officers are no better off in real terms.
When will the police pay rise 2027 be announced?
There is no date yet. As of 1 October 2026 the Home Office had not published a remit letter starting the 2027/28 pay round. In the last two rounds the remit letter was issued on 30 September 2024 and 19 February 2026, the PRRB reported in late spring and the decision followed on 1 August 2025 and 15 July 2026, for awards effective from 1 September. See our police pay rise 2027/28 guide.
Does the pay rise change my pension contributions?
Not your rate for 2026/27, for most officers. In the 2015 scheme, contribution rates from 1 April 2026 are 12.88%, 13.88% or 14.22% (bands at £37,035 and £79,588), and the band is set by your "relevant pay": the total of your pensionable earnings for pay periods that ended in the previous scheme year (Police Pensions Regulations 2015, reg 167A). New joiners and officers back from a long period of leave use their joining pay, ignoring retrospective increases. So the 3.5% feeds into the figure used from April 2027. You still pay your current rate on the higher pay, and it increases the pension you build.
Is the police pension increase in April 2027 the same as the pay rise?
No. The pay award changes what serving officers are paid. Police pensions in payment rise each April in line with the Pensions Increase (Review) Order, which follows the previous September's CPI. That is a separate process, explained in our police pension increase 2027 guide.
What about Police Scotland's pay rise in 2026?
Police Scotland is a separate system. Officers there received 3.5% from 1 April 2026 as the second year of a two-year deal, with an inflation guarantee. A Scottish constable starts on £34,001 from 1 April 2026. See our Police Scotland pay scales guide.
Related pay guides and tools
Sources (checked 30 September and 1 October 2026; Annex F status last checked 1 October 2026)
- House of Commons written statement HCWS264, Police workforce (Home Secretary, 15 July 2026) The 3.5% decision, effective date, allowances, acting up, maternity support leave and funding.
- Police Remuneration Review Body, Twelfth Report on England and Wales 2026 (CP 1629) The 3.9% recommendation, parties' evidence, Appendix A history and Appendix F 2025/26 scales.
- Home Office Circular 011/2026: Annexes F, U and DA, Police Regulations 2003 (31 July 2026) Official 2025/26 pay points, London Weighting (£3,150) and allowance maxima.
- GOV.UK: Home Office circulars 2026 (collection) Checked 1 October 2026: 13 circulars, the latest 013/2026 (firearms, 29 September 2026); no 2026/27 pay determination yet.
- Home Office Circular 003/2025: Annex F, O and U, Police Regulations 2003 (20 March 2025) Determination for the 2024 award (effective 1 September 2024): how long the formal table can lag the effective date.
- PRRB remit letter 2026 to 2027 (Minister of State for Policing and Crime, 19 February 2026) Pay year starts 1 September; timing of the round.
- NPCC: Government confirms police pay award (15 July 2026) Chief constables' response.
- Police Federation of England and Wales news (16 July 2026) Federation response and survey figures (the Federation's own data).
- ONS: CPI annual rate (series D7G7) Inflation figures used in the history table.
- Thames Valley Police careers: updated pay scales effective 1 September 2026 (posted 1 September 2026) Read 1 October 2026: £35,359 constable starting salary including £3,105 South East allowance; no payroll date stated.
- The Police Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/267) 2015 scheme contribution rates from 1 April 2026.
- Police Pensions Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/445), regs 33, 167A and 170 (latest revised text) Pensionable earnings include retrospective increases (reg 33(2)); the contribution band is set by the previous scheme year's pensionable earnings (reg 167A).
- Police Pensions Regulations 1987 (SI 1987/257), reg G1, and Police Pensions Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/3415), reg 23 Legacy schemes: pensionable pay is taken "account being taken of any retrospective increase".
- HMRC Employment Income Manual EIM42265: backdated pay and arrears of pay When backdated pay is treated as received for income tax.
- HMRC National Insurance Manual NIM02065: arrears of pay Arrears, including a backdated pay increase, are added to the earnings of the pay period in which they are paid.
- HMRC CWG2 (2026 to 2027): employer further guide to PAYE and National Insurance contributions NI on arrears of a backdated pay award paid after an employee has left (weekly earnings period).
- HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027 Monthly NI primary threshold £1,048 and upper earnings limit £4,189; employee rates 8% and 2%.
PolicePay is independent and not affiliated with the Home Office, the PRRB, the Police Federation or any force. This page explains the published rules and figures; it is not individual financial advice. Your force payroll team has the final word on your own pay.
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