Police Pay Rise 2027/28
What has and has not happened in the 2027-28 police pay round for England and Wales, the likely timetable, and what different awards would be worth. Separate notes for Police Scotland, police staff and pensions.
Short answer: police pay rise 2027
No 2027/28 police pay award has been announced. At 1 October 2026 the Home Office had not even issued the remit letter that starts the round. On recent timetables a decision would come in summer 2027, for a rise from 1 September 2027. Forces are budgeting for 2.5%, but that is a planning assumption, not an offer or a forecast.
The current award is 3.5% from 1 September 2026: see police pay rise 2026/27 for your new pay and back pay.
Where the 2027/28 round stands
| Stage | Status (1 October 2026) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Remit letter to the PRRB (starts the round) | Not issued at 30 September 2026 | Checked on the PRRB's GOV.UK page |
| Home Office written evidence | Not published | Sets out what the Government says is affordable |
| Evidence from the Federation, NPCC, APCC, Superintendents | Not published | Usually follows the remit letter |
| PRRB report and recommendation | Not started | Last two reports: 5 June 2025 and late May 2026 |
| Government decision | Not made | Last two: 1 August 2025 and 15 July 2026 |
| Effective date | Normally 1 September 2027 | The police pay year starts on 1 September |
| Police Scotland 2027/28 | No agreement published | Current deal ends 31 March 2027 |
How the pay round works, and the dates last time
Police officer pay in England and Wales is decided by the Home Secretary after advice from the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) for ranks up to chief superintendent, and the Senior Salaries Review Body for chief officers. The round starts when the policing minister sends the PRRB a remit letter. The Home Office, the Federation, the NPCC, police and crime commissioners and the Superintendents' Association then submit evidence, the PRRB holds oral evidence sessions and reports, and the Government announces its decision.
The 2026/27 remit letter said the Government is "committed to announcing pay awards as close to [1 September] as possible". The PRRB complained in its 2026 report about delays in receiving the remit letter and the Government's evidence that year. The dates below are the only reliable guide to timing.
| Step | 2025/26 round | 2026/27 round |
|---|---|---|
| Remit letter | 30 September 2024 | 19 February 2026 |
| Home Office evidence published | 17 February 2025 | 27 March 2026 |
| PRRB report submitted | 5 June 2025 | Late May 2026 |
| Government decision | 1 August 2025 (4.2%, accepted in full) | 15 July 2026 (3.5% against 3.9%) |
| Effective from | 1 September 2025 | 1 September 2026 |
Step-by-step detail: how the police pay award process works.
What we already know about 2027/28
Forces are budgeting for 2.5%
The NPCC told the PRRB that forces had been asked to assume a 3% award in 2026/27 and 2.5% in both 2027/28 and 2028/29 for planning. It stressed these were "not assessments of affordability". The 2026/27 award came in at 3.5%, above the planning figure.
Funding already promised is for 2026/27
The Home Office's £144m for 2027-28 and £145m for 2028-29 covers the ongoing cost of the 2026/27 award. Any 2027/28 rise would be a separate decision with its own funding question.
Inflation is the swing factor
CPI was 3.1% in the 12 months to August 2026 (ONS). In April 2026 the Bank of England's scenarios had inflation peaking at 3.6% to 3.7% in late 2026, or higher in a severe energy scenario, as summarised in the PRRB report. Pay review bodies weigh inflation heavily, but it does not set the award.
The parties' starting positions
For 2026/27 the Federation asked for 7% a year for three years and the Superintendents' Association for at least CPI plus 1%, while the Home Office said 2.5% was affordable for most forces. New evidence will be submitted for 2027/28; none has been published yet.
Changes already in the pipeline
These were recommended in the PRRB's 2026 report or accepted in the 15 July 2026 statement and could affect pay and conditions during 2027, separately from any headline percentage.
| Item | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| National workforce strategy shared with the PRRB | By December 2026 (PRRB Recommendation 1) | The PRRB wants it to inform the next pay round |
| National on-call guidance | By the end of 2026 (Recommendation 7) | When on-call becomes duty time, frequency and monitoring |
| Time off in lieu for on-call inspecting and superintending ranks | By April 2027 at the latest (Recommendation 6) | Plain-time TOIL within set limits |
| Revised 'additional hours' proposals | Next pay round (Recommendation 10) | Rest days in lieu, reinstated rest days, short retentions on duty |
| Acting Up Allowance: 10-day qualifying period removed | Accepted; after a Home Office consultation (date not set) | Pay from the first day of acting up |
| Maternity and adoption support leave: two weeks on full pay | Accepted; after consultation (date not set) | Second week for those meeting the statutory paternity pay service rules |
| Review of annual leave | NPCC review planned for 2027/28 | Officers reach maximum leave after ten years' service |
Recommendation numbers refer to the PRRB's Twelfth Report (2026). The 15 July 2026 statement accepted the Acting Up and maternity support leave items subject to consultation; it did not respond individually to Recommendations 1, 6, 7 and 10.
What a 2027 rise would be worth: scenarios, not forecasts
Basic annual pay from 1 September 2027 if different percentages were applied to the 2026/27 rates. The 2.5% column is the forces' planning assumption; the other columns are simply for comparison. None of these is a prediction.
| Pay point | 2026/27 (calculated) | 2.0% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 3.5% | 4.0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, pay point 1 | £32,255 | £32,900 | £33,061 | £33,223 | £33,384 | £33,545 |
| Constable, pay point 7 (top) | £52,015 | £53,055 | £53,315 | £53,575 | £53,836 | £54,096 |
| Sergeant, pay point 4 (top) | £58,175 | £59,339 | £59,629 | £59,920 | £60,211 | £60,502 |
| Inspector, pay point 3 (outside London) | £71,396 | £72,824 | £73,181 | £73,538 | £73,895 | £74,252 |
| Chief Inspector, pay point 3 (outside London) | £75,709 | £77,223 | £77,602 | £77,980 | £78,359 | £78,737 |
2026/27 figures: official 2025/26 scale (Home Office Circular 011/2026, Annex F) plus the 3.5% award, rounded to the pound; the 2026/27 determination had not been published at 30 September 2026. Rounded to the nearest pound.
Try your own pay point
Starts from your 2026/27 basic pay. Pick a percentage to see the annual and monthly difference.
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 Scotland pay rise 2027
Police Scotland pay is negotiated through the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland (PNBS), with a pay year starting on 1 April. The current agreement (PNBS Circular 2025/09) covers two years: 4% from 1 April 2025 and 3.5% from 1 April 2026. It ends on 31 March 2027, and no 2027/28 agreement had been published at 1 October 2026.
Before then, one more decision is due. The deal guarantees that each year's rise is at least one percentage point above average CPI for the calendar year. For 2025/26 that triggered an extra 0.4% (PNBS Circular 2026/01). For 2026/27, if CPI averages more than 2.5% over January to December 2026, a consolidated payment is made in March 2027, and the Official Side must confirm by 31 January 2027 whether it is due. CPI averaged about 2.9% from January to August 2026; the last four months will decide it.
Both sides also committed to a joint review of annual leave and on-call, aiming for agreement by 1 April 2027, after the Fraser of Allander Institute's Phase Two research on police pay.
| Average CPI, Jan to Dec 2026 | Guarantee payment | Total 2026/27 rise |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5% or less | None | 3.5% |
| 3.0% | 0.5% | 4.0% |
| 3.5% | 1.0% | 4.5% |
Examples from the table in PNBS Circular 2025/09, Annex A. The payment is calculated on pay as at 31 March 2026 and is permanent (consolidated).
Police Scotland pay scales 2026/27 by rank →Not the same thing: staff pay and pensions
Police staff
Staff and PCSO pay is negotiated through the Police Staff Council, separately from officers. The officer award, in 2026 or 2027, does not apply to staff.
Police staff pay rise 2026 →Police pension increase 2027
Pensions in payment rise each April by the Pensions Increase (Review) Order, following the previous September's CPI. The April 2027 figure depends on September 2026 CPI, published on 21 October 2026.
Police pension increase 2027 explained →Claims to treat with care
"The 2027 police pay rise will be X%."
No figure has been recommended or decided. The only published number is forces' 2.5% budgeting assumption.
"A three-year deal has been agreed."
The Federation asked for one; nothing has been agreed. The 2026/27 award was for one year.
"The £144m for 2027-28 is next year's pay rise."
It funds the continuing cost of the 2026/27 award.
"Police pay scales 2027 are out."
Even the formal 2026/27 table had not been published at 30 September 2026. 2027/28 scales cannot exist before an award.
What to watch, and what you can do now
- The remit letter. Published on the PRRB's GOV.UK page. It starts the clock and sometimes asks for specific changes.
- The Home Office's evidence. Shows the Government's affordability figure, which in 2026 was 2.5%.
- The 2026/27 pay table. The formal determination for the current year was still outstanding at 30 September 2026.
- Your own payslip. Make sure the 2026/27 rise and any arrears have been paid before worrying about 2027. The back pay calculator helps you check.
- Your representatives. The Federation, the Superintendents' Association and, in Scotland, the Scottish Police Federation submit evidence on members' behalf and usually survey members first.
What we could not verify
- Any date for the 2027/28 remit letter, evidence, PRRB report or decision. None has been announced.
- Whether the Government's response to the PRRB's workforce-strategy, on-call and additional-hours recommendations will change in 2027; the 15 July 2026 statement did not address them individually.
- The Police Scotland 2026/27 inflation guarantee outcome, which depends on CPI for September to December 2026.
- The timing or shape of the next Police Scotland agreement from April 2027.
Police pay rise 2027: FAQs
Has the police pay rise for 2027 been announced?
No. As of 1 October 2026 no 2027/28 police pay award had been announced for England and Wales, and the Home Office had not yet issued the remit letter that formally starts the 2027/28 round with the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB). Any figure you see quoted as the 2027 police pay rise is a guess.
When will the 2027 police pay rise be announced?
There is no set date. In the last two rounds the decision came on 1 August 2025 and 15 July 2026, after the PRRB reported in late spring. If the 2027/28 round follows the same pattern, a decision would be expected in summer 2027. That depends on when the remit letter and the Government's evidence are issued.
When would a 2027 police pay rise take effect?
The police pay year starts on 1 September, and recent awards have all applied from that date, so a 2027/28 award would normally take effect from 1 September 2027. If it is paid later, officers usually receive arrears back to the effective date.
How much will police get in 2027?
Nobody knows yet. The only published figure is a planning assumption: forces were advised to assume a 2.5% award in 2027/28 when setting budgets. The NPCC told the PRRB this was not an assessment of affordability. The PRRB will make its own recommendation, and the Government decides.
What are the police pay scales for 2027?
They do not exist yet. The current scales are the 2026/27 ones, effective from 1 September 2026 (3.5% on the 2025/26 scale). A new constable is on about £32,255 and a top-scale constable about £52,015. 2027/28 scales will only be known once an award is decided and applied.
Will there be a multi-year police pay deal?
Nothing has been agreed. In 2026 the Police Federation asked the PRRB for 7% a year for three years, and the Police Superintendents' Association sought a longer-term agreement. The PRRB recommended a one-year award for 2026/27 and the Government decided on a one-year 3.5%.
Is the Home Office's £144m for 2027-28 a new pay rise?
No. The written statement of 15 July 2026 gives forces £84m in 2026-27, £144m in 2027-28 and £145m in 2028-29 to support the additional costs of the 2026/27 award, which runs for full years after its first part-year. It is not funding for a 2027/28 award.
When does Police Scotland's pay deal end?
The current two-year Police Scotland deal covers 2025/26 and 2026/27, so it runs to 31 March 2027. The next award would normally start on 1 April 2027. As of 1 October 2026 no 2027/28 Scottish agreement had been published by the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland.
Will Police Scotland officers get an inflation guarantee payment in 2027?
Possibly. The deal guarantees the 2026/27 rise will be at least one point above average CPI for January to December 2026. If that average is above 2.5%, a consolidated top-up is paid in March 2027, and the Official Side must confirm it by 31 January 2027. CPI averaged about 2.9% from January to August 2026, but the full-year figure is not known yet.
Do police staff get a 2027 pay rise at the same time?
Police staff pay is negotiated separately through the Police Staff Council, usually for a pay year starting 1 September. Its timing and outcome are not linked to the officer award. See our police staff pay rise guide for the current round.
Is the police pension increase in April 2027 the same thing?
No. The April 2027 increase to police pensions in payment is set by the Pensions Increase (Review) Order, which follows September 2026 CPI (published by the ONS on 21 October 2026). It is unrelated to the 2027/28 pay award.
How can I see what a 2027 rise would be worth to me?
Use the modeller on this page, which starts from your 2026/27 basic pay and lets you choose a percentage, or the police salary calculator for take-home pay. Treat any result as a scenario, not a forecast.
Related
Sources (checked 30 September and 1 October 2026)
- House of Commons written statement HCWS264, Police workforce (15 July 2026) 2026/27 decision, funding for 2027-28 and 2028-29, accepted items awaiting consultation.
- PRRB Twelfth Report on England and Wales 2026 Recommendations 1, 6, 7 and 10; forces' 2.5% planning assumption (paras 3.24, 4.5, C.21); Chapter 5 forward look.
- Police Remuneration Review Body on GOV.UK (latest documents) Checked 30 September 2026: no 2027/28 remit letter.
- PRRB remit letter 2026 to 2027 (19 February 2026) Pay year begins 1 September; the Government aims to announce as close to it as possible.
- PRRB remit letter 2025 to 2026 (30 September 2024) Timing of the previous round.
- Home Secretary to Home Affairs Committee chair: police pay award 2025/26 (1 August 2025) Date of the 2025/26 decision (cited in PRRB Appendix A).
- PNBS Circular 2025/09: Pay Agreement 2025-26 and 2026-27 (4 September 2025) Police Scotland two-year deal and inflation guarantee rules.
- PNBS Circular 2026/01: Federated Ranks Pay (30 January 2026) 2025/26 guarantee of 0.4% and the 1 April 2026 scales.
- ONS: CPI annual rate (series D7G7) Monthly CPI for January to August 2026.
PolicePay is independent and not affiliated with the Home Office, the PRRB, the PNBS or any staff association. This page reports published information; it is not a forecast or financial advice.
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