Police Overtime
Explained (UK)
Police overtime is often discussed in headline terms: “1.33x”, “1.5x”, or “Double time”.
But the reality is a structured framework governed by Police Regulations.
Key Overtime Points
- Overtime is paid at time and a third (1.33x) of the hourly rate.
- A rest day worked at under 15 days' notice is 1.5x.
- Public holidays are 2.0x (Double Time).
- Inspectors and above do not receive overtime pay.
Overtime is enhanced hourly pay, not a bonus.
Overtime in policing is governed by Police Regulations and force policy. It varies depending on when you work, why you are working, and your substantive rank.
This is explanatory guidance for officers and staff to understand the structural mechanics of their earnings. Always confirm local force policy for specific implementation.
How It's Calculated
The calculation of overtime starts with your base hourly rate, which is derived directly from your annual salary.
× 6/12520
Annex F sets the hourly rate at annual pay × 6/12520 (about ÷ 2,087). It matches a day's pay (annual pay ÷ 52 1/6 ÷ 5) divided by 8. Our overtime calculator uses annual pay ÷ (52.143 × weekly hours), which at 40 hours gives almost the same figure.
× Enhancement Rate
Annex G pays overtime at one twenty-fourth of a day's pay per completed 15 minutes, which is 1.33x (time and a third). Annex H pays 1.5x for a rest day (3/64 of a day's pay per 15 minutes) and 2.0x for a public holiday.
Enhancement Categories
Casual Overtime
Applies when you stay on after your shift, are recalled, or start early without due notice. Paid at time and a third. For unplanned overruns, the first 30 minutes is disregarded on the first four occasions in a week (Annex G).
Rest Day Working
Required duty on a rostered rest day with less than 15 days' notice is paid at 1.5x (since April 2012). With 15 days' notice or more you get another rest day instead.
Public Holiday
Constables and sergeants required to work a public holiday get double time, with a 4-hour minimum (Annex H).
Recall to Duty
If you are recalled to duty between two shifts, the time counts as overtime, and reasonable travelling time counts as duty.
The Police Federation's Quick Reference Guide (January 2025) says you must complete at least one 15-minute period, including travel, before a recall can be claimed, and you are then paid for completed 15-minute periods at time and a third. The 30-minute disregard does not apply to a recall. A recall on a rest day or public holiday is paid at that day's rate, with a 4-hour minimum (Annex H).
What About
Inspectors?
Inspectors and higher ranks are salaried. Annex G overtime applies only to constables and sergeants, so inspectors get no overtime pay. Inspectors and chief inspectors who lose a rest day or public holiday get a day's leave in lieu within 12 months instead (Annex H).
This structural difference is a major factor in the narrowing earnings gap between operational and managerial ranks.
Why Take-Home Feels Smaller
Overtime is added to your normal base income, meaning it follows marginal tax physics.
Marginal Rate Impact
Taxed at 20% or 40% immediately.
National Insurance
Employee Class 1 contributions apply.
Pension Tiering
12.88% to 14.22% on basic pay (2015 scheme, from 1 April 2026, SI 2026/267); overtime itself is not pensionable.
Gross OT Pay
Take Home Estimate
Top-of-scale Constable (£52,015, calculated 2026/27) working 10 hours on a rest day at 1.5x. Overtime is not pensionable. The top of the range is after 20% tax and 2% NI (while taxable pay, £44,795 after 13.88% pension, is below £50,270); the bottom is after 40% tax and 2% NI. Deductions vary with your tax code.
Work-Life Balance
Financial gain must be balanced against the physical and psychological cost of shift work. Excess overtime increases cognitive fatigue, which impacts decision-making and long-term wellbeing.
Wellbeing Analysis
"High-effort overtime cultures can lead to burnout. Financial security should not come at the cost of your primary safety tool: your brain."
Read Fatigue GuideOvertime FAQs
• How is police overtime calculated?
The Home Secretary's determinations set the hourly rate at annual pay × 6/12520 (a day's pay is annual pay ÷ 52 1/6 ÷ 5, and an hour is an eighth of that). Overtime is paid at one twenty-fourth of a day's pay per completed 15 minutes, which is time and a third (1.33x); rest days worked at under 15 days' notice are 1.5x and public holidays 2.0x. A top-of-scale Constable on £52,015 (calculated 2026/27 figure) has an hourly rate of about £24.93, so about £33.24 an hour for overtime and £37.39 at 1.5x.
• Is overtime always 1.5x?
No. Overtime (staying on after your shift, being recalled, or starting early without due notice) is paid at time and a third (1.33x) under Annex G. Time and a half (1.5x) is for working a rostered rest day with less than 15 days' notice (Annex H); with 15 days' notice or more you get another rest day instead of extra pay.
• Is public holiday always double time?
For constables and sergeants required to work a public holiday, yes: Annex H pays double time (2.0x), with a minimum of 4 hours if the duty is shorter. With less than 8 days' notice you also get another day off, treated as a public holiday. Inspectors and above are not paid for it.
• Do Inspectors get overtime?
No. Annex G overtime applies only to constables and sergeants. Inspectors and chief inspectors who are prevented from taking a public holiday or a rest day get a day's leave in lieu within the following 12 months (Annex H), not extra pay.
• Is overtime pensionable?
No. Overtime is not pensionable pay in the 2015 CARE scheme, so no pension contribution is deducted from it and it does not increase your pension accrual. It is still subject to Income Tax and National Insurance.
• Why is my overtime heavily taxed?
Because overtime is added to your existing income, it is taxed at your marginal rate (e.g., 20% or 40%). It is not 'extra tax', but the normal tax logic applied to higher earnings.
• Can I refuse overtime?
Under Police Regulations, officers can be required to work overtime for operational necessity, potentially limiting the ability to refuse.