Police Scotland
Pay Rise 2027/28
Where Police Scotland pay stands now: the two-year PNBS deal, the inflation guarantee test for 2026 that is decided by 31 January 2027, what a top-up would be worth at your rank after tax and what is known about 2027/28.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 23 October 2026 · Scotland unless stated
No 2027/28 deal has been published (23 October 2026). The current deal gave 4% from April 2025 (plus a 0.4% inflation guarantee top-up) and 3.5% from April 2026 and ends on 31 March 2027. If average CPI for January to December 2026 is above 2.5%, a permanent top-up to CPI plus 1 point is paid in March 2027, confirmed by 31 January 2027. ONS figures for January to September 2026 average 3.00%, so the remaining months would need to average about 1.0% or less for no top-up.
Status at 23 October 2026
| Item | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 inflation guarantee | Not yet decided | Depends on the January to December 2026 CPI average; statement due by 31 January 2027. January to September averages 3.00%. |
| 2027/28 pay agreement | No circular published | Latest PNBS circular listed on 22 October 2026 is 2026/04 |
| 2027/28 Staff Side claim | Intended before the end of 2026 | PNBS February 2026 meeting summary (secondary source) |
| Annual leave and on-call review | In progress | Aim is agreement by 1 April 2027, after the Fraser of Allander Institute Phase Two research |
| Working group on the research | Not started | Both sides committed to start one within three months of the Phase Two research being published |
In one line: your pay today is the 1 April 2026 scale (a new constable is on £34,001, a top-scale constable £54,597), the only change still due under the current deal is a possible inflation guarantee top-up in March 2027 and anything for 2027/28 needs a new PNBS agreement that has not been published.
We check the PNBS circulars list and the ONS CPI release each month. The ONS publishes October 2026 CPI on 18 November 2026. When the Official Side publishes its inflation guarantee statement or a 2027/28 circular appears, this page changes first. Leave your email at the bottom of the page to hear when it does.
The Police Scotland salary calculator shows your take-home at any rank and pay point with Scottish tax, the 13.7% pension and the Islands Allowance. Use it alongside the tables below to see what a top-up or a 2027/28 award would mean for you.
The 2025/26 and 2026/27 deal, term by term
The Official and Staff Sides of the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland agreed a two-year deal covering 2025/26 and 2026/27, with effect from 1 April 2025 (PNBS Circular 2025/09, dated 4 September 2025). The circular says the agreement "has been approved by Scottish Ministers" and that the Scottish Police Authority "now has the authority to implement" it, with formal regulations and determinations to follow. Everything it contains:
| When | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 April 2025 | 4% on pay and relevant allowances (on-call excepted) | PNBS 2025/09 |
| 1 April 2025 | On-call Allowance up 20% to £36.40 | PNBS 2025/09 |
| 1 April 2025 | Mileage aligned to HMRC rates (36.9p rates removed, including electric vehicles); overnight allowances extended to operational international deployments; mileage on a rest day worked with less than 18 days' notice | PNBS 2025/09 |
| 4 September 2025 | Public holiday compensation extended to inspecting ranks (from the date of agreement) | PNBS 2025/09 |
| March 2026 | Inflation guarantee for 2025/26: an extra 0.4%, permanent | PNBS 2026/01, 2026/04 |
| 1 April 2026 | 3.5% on pay and relevant allowances (on-call excepted) | PNBS 2025/09 |
| 1 April 2026 | On-call Allowance up a further 20% to £43.68 (44% over the deal) | PNBS 2025/09 |
| 1 April 2026 | Enhanced maternity and adoption pay from 18 to 26 weeks, with the option to take weeks 21 to 31 at half pay plus half SMP | PNBS 2025/09 |
| By 31 January 2027 | Official Side statement on the 2026/27 inflation guarantee | PNBS 2025/09 Annex A note 4 |
| March 2027 | Any 2026/27 inflation guarantee payment, consolidated and pensionable | PNBS 2025/09 Annex A note 6 |
| 31 March 2027 | The two-year deal ends | PNBS 2025/09 |
| By 1 April 2027 | Aim: joint agreement on the regulatory approach to annual leave and on-call | PNBS 2025/09 |
The two base rises compound to 7.64% (1.04 x 1.035), which is the figure the circular quotes. With the 0.4% guarantee for 2025/26 added, the two years so far come to 8.05% compounded. A new constable went from £32,725 (1 April 2025) to £32,851 once the guarantee was applied and to £34,001 from 1 April 2026 (PNBS Circular 2026/01).
Because the deal was agreed in September 2025, the 4% for April to August 2025 was paid as back pay. The same could happen in 2027: if no 2027/28 agreement exists on 1 April 2027, the old scales simply continue until one is reached. For how the bigger tax bill on a lump of back pay works, see our Scottish income tax guide.
How a PNBS agreement becomes your pay
Police Scotland officers' pay is not set by Police Scotland itself, the Scottish Police Authority or a review body. It moves through these steps, all visible in Circular 2025/09:
- Claim and offer. The Staff Side (representing officers) submits a claim and the Official Side responds. Negotiations happen inside the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland.
- Agreement. When the two sides agree, the terms are written up as a memorandum.
- Approval. Scottish Ministers approve the agreement.
- Circular. The PNBS publishes a numbered circular. The circular gives the Scottish Police Authority the authority to implement the agreement, which it does through payroll.
- Regulations. Scottish Ministers make the formal regulations and determinations "in due course", which can be some time after the pay itself has changed.
- Scales. Separate circulars publish the new pay points (2026/01 for federated ranks, 2026/02 for superintending ranks) and allowances (2026/04).
PNBS circulars form a single numbered series. A circular that itself authorises an agreement carries the serial number alone (for example 2025/09); one that is only advisory is marked as advisory after the number. Questions about interpreting a circular go to the Independent Secretariat in writing; the circular also lists the PNBS Secretariat and the Official and Staff Side Secretaries as contacts.
That is why a Scottish deal can be agreed months after the pay year starts and still be backdated: the 2025/26 and 2026/27 deal was agreed on 4 September 2025 with effect from 1 April 2025.
Which ranks the pay circulars cover
The 2025/09 agreement and its inflation guarantee apply to "all ranks and pay points" (Annex A note 8). The new figures are published in separate circulars by rank group:
| Ranks | Circular | Range from 1 April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Constable | PNBS 2026/01 Annex A | £34,001 to £54,597 |
| Sergeant | PNBS 2026/01 Annex B | £56,455 to £61,036 |
| Inspector | PNBS 2026/01 Annex C | £67,491 to £74,853 |
| Chief inspector | PNBS 2026/01 Annex D | £76,087 to £80,989 |
| Superintendent | PNBS 2026/02 | £89,569 to £105,632 |
| Chief superintendent | PNBS 2026/02 | £110,803 to £120,554 |
| Assistant chief constable, deputy chief constable, chief constable | PNBS 2026/03 | £164,043 to £281,522 |
Our detective ranks guide explains that a detective sergeant or inspector is paid on the same scale as a uniformed sergeant or inspector.
What the deal did to your pay: 31 March 2026 to 1 April 2026
Your pre-uplift salary at 31 March 2026 is the 1 April 2025 scale with the 0.4% guarantee added (Circular 2026/01, "IG adjusted"). The 1 April 2026 scale is that figure plus 3.5%. We checked every constable point: the 2026 figure is the IG adjusted 2025 figure x 1.035, rounded to the pound. The last column is the extra take-home a month after Scottish income tax, National Insurance and the 13.7% pension, using 2026/27 tax rules for both years so only the pay change shows.
| Rank and point | 31 March 2026 (IG adjusted) | 1 April 2026 | Rise a year | Extra take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, on commencing service | £32,851 | £34,001 | +£1,150 | +£58.50 |
| Constable, point 1 | £35,744 | £36,995 | +£1,251 | +£62.73 |
| Constable, point 2 | £38,636 | £39,988 | +£1,352 | +£67.80 |
| Constable, point 3 | £40,944 | £42,377 | +£1,433 | +£71.86 |
| Constable, point 4 | £42,206 | £43,683 | +£1,477 | +£74.07 |
| Constable, point 5 | £43,540 | £45,064 | +£1,524 | +£76.42 |
| Constable, point 6 | £44,755 | £46,321 | +£1,566 | +£78.53 |
| Constable, point 7 | £45,836 | £47,440 | +£1,604 | +£80.44 |
| Constable, point 8 | £47,285 | £48,940 | +£1,655 | +£82.99 |
| Constable, point 9 | £50,089 | £51,842 | +£1,753 | +£76.91 |
| Constable, point 10 | £51,085 | £52,873 | +£1,788 | +£71.60 |
| Constable, point 11 | £52,751 | £54,597 | +£1,846 | +£73.92 |
| Sergeant, point 1 | £54,546 | £56,455 | +£1,909 | +£76.45 |
| Sergeant, point 2 | £55,688 | £57,637 | +£1,949 | +£78.05 |
| Sergeant, point 3 | £57,306 | £59,312 | +£2,006 | +£80.33 |
| Sergeant, point 4 | £58,972 | £61,036 | +£2,064 | +£82.65 |
| Inspector, point 1 | £65,209 | £67,491 | +£2,282 | +£91.38 |
| Inspector, point 2 | £67,023 | £69,369 | +£2,346 | +£93.95 |
| Inspector, point 3 | £68,839 | £71,248 | +£2,409 | +£96.47 |
| Inspector, point 4 | £70,657 | £73,130 | +£2,473 | +£99.03 |
| Inspector, point 5 | £72,322 | £74,853 | +£2,531 | +£101.35 |
| Chief Inspector, point 1 | £73,514 | £76,087 | +£2,573 | +£103.04 |
| Chief Inspector, point 2 | £75,013 | £77,638 | +£2,625 | +£105.12 |
| Chief Inspector, point 3 | £77,038 | £79,734 | +£2,696 | +£107.96 |
| Chief Inspector, point 4 | £78,250 | £80,989 | +£2,739 | +£109.68 |
Superintendents and chief superintendents are covered by PNBS Circular 2026/02, which gives the 1 April 2026 figures used later on this page (£89,569 to £120,554). For every rank and point in one place see Police Scotland pay scales and for what each rank does see Police Scotland ranks in order.
Constables also move up a pay point each year until point 11 and every officer moves to point 1 after one year as a constable (Circular 2026/01, note (a)). A constable moving from point 4 to point 5 in April 2026 gained both the 3.5% and the step between points. The tables here show the pay award alone.
How the inflation guarantee works
Annex A of Circular 2025/09 sets the rules. In plain terms:
- Each year's rise is guaranteed to be at least 1 percentage point above average CPI for the calendar year.
- Average CPI is the 12 monthly ONS CPI figures for January to December, added up and divided by 12 (note 5). CPI is published to one decimal place.
- For 2026/27 the rise is 3.5%, so the guarantee is triggered if 2026 CPI averages more than 2.5%.
- Monthly figures are tracked, reported to and agreed by the PNBS (note 3).
- The Official Side publishes an inflation guarantee statement no later than 31 January confirming whether a payment is due (note 4).
- Any payment is a one-off consolidated pensionable payment in March, calculated on pre-uplift salary at 31 March of the year before (note 6).
- If you were promoted or got an increment in the year, you get the full in-year value along your actual pay journey (note 7).
- Any increase is permanent and applies to all ranks, pay points and allowances that rise with pay (note 8).
| Average CPI, January to December 2026 | Inflation guarantee payment (March 2027) | Total 2026/27 award |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0% | 0.0% | 3.5% |
| 2.5% | 0.0% | 3.5% |
| 3.0% | 0.5% | 4.0% |
| 3.5% | 1.0% | 4.5% |
| 4.0% | 1.5% | 5.0% |
| 4.5% | 2.0% | 5.5% |
| 5.0% | 2.5% | 6.0% |
| 5.5% | 3.0% | 6.5% |
| 6.0% | 3.5% | 7.0% |
| Average CPI, January to December 2025 | Inflation guarantee payment (March 2026) | Total 2025/26 award |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5% | 0.0% | 4.0% |
| 3.0% | 0.0% | 4.0% |
| 3.5% | 0.5% | 4.5% |
| 4.0% | 1.0% | 5.0% |
| 4.5% | 1.5% | 5.5% |
| 5.0% | 2.0% | 6.0% |
The circular's tables only show whole and half percentages. It does not say whether the average is rounded to one decimal place before the payment is worked out. Where our arithmetic below gives an average with more decimals, treat the payment as approximate.
The 2025/26 result: an extra 0.4%
The 2025/26 guarantee added 0.4% (PNBS Circulars 2026/01 and 2026/04: "an additional 0.4% for the 2025/26 pay period"). The circulars do not print the 2025 CPI average. The ONS monthly figures for 2025 add up to 40.5, an average of 3.375%, or 3.4% to one decimal place: 3.4% plus 1 point is 4.4%, which is 0.4% above the 4% already paid. That matches the published 0.4% but the 3.4% average is our inference, not a figure the PNBS has published.
This is what the 0.4% did to each constable pay point:
| Pay point | 1 April 2025 | IG adjusted | Added a year | Added % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, on commencing service | £32,725 | £32,851 | +£126 | 0.39% |
| Constable, point 1 | £35,608 | £35,744 | +£136 | 0.38% |
| Constable, point 2 | £38,488 | £38,636 | +£148 | 0.38% |
| Constable, point 3 | £40,787 | £40,944 | +£157 | 0.38% |
| Constable, point 4 | £42,044 | £42,206 | +£162 | 0.39% |
| Constable, point 5 | £43,373 | £43,540 | +£167 | 0.39% |
| Constable, point 6 | £44,584 | £44,755 | +£171 | 0.38% |
| Constable, point 7 | £45,660 | £45,836 | +£176 | 0.39% |
| Constable, point 8 | £47,104 | £47,285 | +£181 | 0.38% |
| Constable, point 9 | £49,897 | £50,089 | +£192 | 0.38% |
| Constable, point 10 | £50,889 | £51,085 | +£196 | 0.39% |
| Constable, point 11 | £52,549 | £52,751 | +£202 | 0.38% |
The percentages are not exactly 0.4% because each figure is rounded to the pound. The guarantee was then carried forward: the 3.5% from 1 April 2026 was applied to the IG adjusted figures, so the 0.4% is built into your pay permanently.
The 2026/27 test: monthly CPI so far
| Month | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| January | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| February | 2.8% | 3.0% |
| March | 2.6% | 3.3% |
| April | 3.5% | 2.8% |
| May | 3.4% | 2.8% |
| June | 3.6% | 2.6% |
| July | 3.8% | 2.9% |
| August | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| September | 3.8% | 3.5% |
| October | 3.6% | Not yet published |
| November | 3.2% | Not yet published |
| December | 3.4% | Not yet published |
The 9 published months of 2026 add up to 27.0, an average of 3.00%. For the full-year average to be 2.5% or less, the last 3 months would need to average about 1.0% or less. CPI has not been that low in any month shown here. That is our arithmetic on the ONS figures, not a forecast and not the Official Side's decision.
| Month | CPI | Running total | Average so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.0% | 3.0 | 3.00% |
| February | 3.0% | 6.0 | 3.00% |
| March | 3.3% | 9.3 | 3.10% |
| April | 2.8% | 12.1 | 3.03% |
| May | 2.8% | 14.9 | 2.98% |
| June | 2.6% | 17.5 | 2.92% |
| July | 2.9% | 20.4 | 2.91% |
| August | 3.1% | 23.5 | 2.94% |
| September | 3.5% | 27.0 | 3.00% |
What the last three months need to be
Because nine months are already fixed, only October, November and December 2026 can change the result. This table shows the full-year average and the payment that would follow if those three months averaged each figure. It is arithmetic, not a forecast.
| October to December average | Full-year 2026 average | Inflation guarantee payment | Total 2026/27 award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0% | 2.50% | 0.00% | 3.50% |
| 2.0% | 2.75% | 0.25% | 3.75% |
| 2.5% | 2.88% | 0.38% | 3.88% |
| 3.0% | 3.00% | 0.50% | 4.00% |
| 3.5% | 3.13% | 0.63% | 4.13% |
| 4.0% | 3.25% | 0.75% | 4.25% |
The PNBS agrees the monthly figures and the Official Side publishes the decision by 31 January 2027. Until then, no payment is confirmed, whatever the arithmetic suggests. We will add the statement and its exact percentage here when it is published.
What a 2026/27 top-up could be worth to you
Hypothetical average CPI figures, not forecasts. The payment is a percentage of your pre-uplift salary at 31 March 2026 (the 2025/26 inflation guarantee adjusted scale) and it then stays in your pay. The table shows the permanent increase a year at each average; for a full year at one pay point the March 2027 payment would be about the same amount.
| Officer | Salary at 31 March 2026 | CPI 2.5% | CPI 3.0% | CPI 3.5% | CPI 4.0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, on commencing service | £32,851 | None | £164 a year | £329 a year | £493 a year |
| Constable, point 5 | £43,540 | None | £218 a year | £435 a year | £653 a year |
| Constable, point 11 | £52,751 | None | £264 a year | £528 a year | £791 a year |
| Sergeant, point 4 | £58,972 | None | £295 a year | £590 a year | £885 a year |
| Inspector, point 5 | £72,322 | None | £362 a year | £723 a year | £1,085 a year |
| Chief Inspector, point 4 | £78,250 | None | £391 a year | £783 a year | £1,174 a year |
Before tax and pension. Because the payment is pensionable, 13.7% pension comes off it and it builds pension at 1/56.1. The next table shows what you would actually keep a year, added to your 1 April 2026 pay, with the extra pension each year's payment builds.
| Officer | 0.5% gross | 0.5% kept | Pension built by 0.5% a year | 1.0% gross | 1.0% kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, on commencing service | £164.26 | £100.26 | £2.93 | £328.51 | £199.52 |
| Constable, point 5 | £217.70 | £131.01 | £3.88 | £435.40 | £262.01 |
| Constable, point 11 | £263.76 | £126.74 | £4.70 | £527.51 | £253.49 |
| Sergeant, point 4 | £294.86 | £141.69 | £5.26 | £589.72 | £283.38 |
| Inspector, point 5 | £361.61 | £173.77 | £6.45 | £723.22 | £347.54 |
| Chief Inspector, point 4 | £391.25 | £188.01 | £6.97 | £782.50 | £376.02 |
Officers at the higher constable points and above keep less of each pound because their top Scottish tax rate is 42% or 45%. The Scottish income tax guide explains the bands and the Police Scotland pension calculator shows what a higher salary does to your 2015 scheme pension over a career.
Every federated pay point: a 0.5% or 1.0% top-up
Find your own rank and point. The cash figure is the permanent increase a year (and roughly the March 2027 payment if you were on that point all year). The "kept" figure is what is left after Scottish income tax, National Insurance and the 13.7% pension, added to your 1 April 2026 pay. Both percentages are illustrations taken from the circular's own examples, not forecasts.
| Rank and point | Pre-uplift salary | 0.5% gross | 0.5% kept | 1.0% gross | 1.0% kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, on commencing service | £32,851 | £164.26 | £100.26 | £328.51 | £199.52 |
| Constable, point 1 | £35,744 | £178.72 | £107.55 | £357.44 | £215.10 |
| Constable, point 2 | £38,636 | £193.18 | £116.25 | £386.36 | £232.50 |
| Constable, point 3 | £40,944 | £204.72 | £123.19 | £409.44 | £246.39 |
| Constable, point 4 | £42,206 | £211.03 | £126.99 | £422.06 | £253.98 |
| Constable, point 5 | £43,540 | £217.70 | £131.01 | £435.40 | £262.01 |
| Constable, point 6 | £44,755 | £223.78 | £134.66 | £447.55 | £269.32 |
| Constable, point 7 | £45,836 | £229.18 | £137.91 | £458.36 | £275.83 |
| Constable, point 8 | £47,285 | £236.43 | £142.27 | £472.85 | £284.55 |
| Constable, point 9 | £50,089 | £250.45 | £120.35 | £500.89 | £240.70 |
| Constable, point 10 | £51,085 | £255.43 | £122.74 | £510.85 | £245.48 |
| Constable, point 11 | £52,751 | £263.76 | £126.74 | £527.51 | £253.49 |
| Sergeant, point 1 | £54,546 | £272.73 | £131.06 | £545.46 | £262.12 |
| Sergeant, point 2 | £55,688 | £278.44 | £133.80 | £556.88 | £267.60 |
| Sergeant, point 3 | £57,306 | £286.53 | £137.69 | £573.06 | £275.38 |
| Sergeant, point 4 | £58,972 | £294.86 | £141.69 | £589.72 | £283.38 |
| Inspector, point 1 | £65,209 | £326.05 | £156.68 | £652.09 | £313.36 |
| Inspector, point 2 | £67,023 | £335.12 | £161.04 | £670.23 | £322.07 |
| Inspector, point 3 | £68,839 | £344.20 | £165.40 | £688.39 | £330.80 |
| Inspector, point 4 | £70,657 | £353.29 | £169.77 | £706.57 | £339.54 |
| Inspector, point 5 | £72,322 | £361.61 | £173.77 | £723.22 | £347.54 |
| Chief Inspector, point 1 | £73,514 | £367.57 | £176.63 | £735.14 | £353.26 |
| Chief Inspector, point 2 | £75,013 | £375.07 | £180.23 | £750.13 | £360.47 |
| Chief Inspector, point 3 | £77,038 | £385.19 | £185.10 | £770.38 | £370.20 |
| Chief Inspector, point 4 | £78,250 | £391.25 | £188.01 | £782.50 | £376.02 |
Work out any other percentage yourself in four steps:
- Find your salary at 31 March 2026 in the IG adjusted column above.
- Multiply it by the payment percentage in the Official Side's statement (for example 0.5% = x 0.005).
- If you changed point or rank in 2026/27, split the year at the date of the change and use each salary for its share (note 7).
- Take off roughly 13.7% pension, then tax at your top Scottish rate and NI at 8% or 2%, or put the new salary into the salary calculator.
Worked example: constable point 5, a 0.5% payment
Take a constable on point 5. Their pre-uplift salary at 31 March 2026 was £43,540 and their pay from 1 April 2026 is £45,064. Suppose 2026 CPI averaged 3.0%, the circular's own example that gives a 0.5% payment.
- The payment: 0.5% of £43,540 = £217.70 for the year, paid in March 2027 if they were on point 5 all year.
- Pension contribution: 13.7% of that = £29.82, taken before tax.
- Tax and NI: £56.87 at 21% intermediate rate on the amount after pension plus 8% NI on the gross.
- Kept: £131.01.
- Pension built: £217.70 / 56.1 = £3.88 a year of pension for that year's service, revalued each year while serving.
- After March 2027: the scale itself goes up by 0.5%, so the same increase is in every later month's pay and in any 2027/28 rise applied on top.
This is an annual approximation. Payroll runs PAYE and NI month by month, so the March 2027 payslip with the lump in it can show more NI than the annual figure suggests. Our tax guide shows a one-month example.
Promoted or moved up a point during 2026/27
Note 7 says officers who were promoted or got an increment during the year get the full in-year value "based upon their pay journey". The circular's own example: a constable promoted to sergeant on 14 July gets the payment on their constable salary until 13 July and on their sergeant salary from 14 July for the rest of the year.
Our illustration, with a hypothetical 0.5% payment: a constable on point 11 (pre-uplift £52,751) promoted to sergeant point 1 (pre-uplift £54,546) on 14 July 2026.
| Period | Days | Pre-uplift salary | 0.5% for the period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 April to 13 July 2026, constable point 11 | 104 | £52,751 | £75.15 |
| 14 July 2026 to 31 March 2027, sergeant point 1 | 261 | £54,546 | £195.02 |
| Total March 2027 payment | 365 | £270.17 |
Whether payroll splits by days or by months is not stated in the circular, so your figure could differ by a few pounds. For how promotion works in Scotland, see promotion in Police Scotland.
What the rises do to your pension
In the Police Pension Scheme (Scotland) 2015 each year of service builds 1/56.1 of that year's pensionable pay (SSI 2015/142 reg 49(4)), revalued while you serve by the change in prices plus 1.25%. So every pay rise, including any inflation guarantee payment, raises the pension you build from then on. The table shows one year's pension slice at the pre-uplift salary, at the 1 April 2026 salary and at that salary with a hypothetical 0.5% top-up.
| Officer | On 31 March 2026 pay | On 1 April 2026 pay | Difference | With a 0.5% top-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, on commencing service | £585.58 | £606.08 | +£20.50 | £609.01 |
| Constable, point 5 | £776.11 | £803.28 | +£27.17 | £807.16 |
| Constable, point 11 | £940.30 | £973.21 | +£32.91 | £977.91 |
| Sergeant, point 4 | £1,051.19 | £1,087.99 | +£36.79 | £1,093.24 |
| Inspector, point 5 | £1,289.16 | £1,334.28 | +£45.12 | £1,340.72 |
| Chief Inspector, point 4 | £1,394.83 | £1,443.65 | +£48.82 | £1,450.63 |
The other side of this is the contribution. At a flat 13.7% (SSI 2015/142 reg 160 as amended by SSI 2025/58), a constable on point 5 pays £6,174 a year on £45,064, up from £5,965 on £43,540. Tax relief comes automatically because the contribution is taken before tax. Model your own career in the Police Scotland pension calculator and read how the scheme works in Police Scotland pension explained. If you were in the 1987 or 2006 scheme before 2015, final salary matters for your remedy years: see the McCloud remedy in Scotland.
Allowances: which rise with pay and which do not
- Allowances that rise with pay got the 4%, the 0.4% guarantee and the 3.5% and would get any 2026/27 guarantee (note 8). For example the Islands Allowance rate 3 (Orkney, Isle of Lewis, Islay and Isle of Mull) is £1,998.31 a year from 1 April 2026. See Islands Allowance and all Police Scotland allowances.
- On-call was excepted from the percentage rises. It rose 20% to £36.40 from 1 April 2025 and 20% again to £43.68 from 1 April 2026: a cumulative 44%, from about £30.33 before the deal. See on-call allowance.
- Mileage moved to HMRC rates from 1 April 2025, so it no longer follows the pay percentages.
2027/28: what is known
- No 2027/28 circular is on the PNBS circulars list as at 22 October 2026; the latest is 2026/04.
- A summary of the PNBS February 2026 meeting says the Staff Side intended to submit its 2027/28 claim before the end of 2026. We have only read the summary.
- The deal commits both sides to a joint review of annual leave and on-call, aiming for agreement on the regulatory approach by 1 April 2027, after the Fraser of Allander Institute Phase Two research.
- That review covers the effect of any leave changes on officer wellbeing, how to resolve or recognise excessive on-call and whether on-call should stay voluntary.
- Both sides also agreed to make sure the research looks at whether pay levels reflect the unique nature of policing, constable increments and incremental progression at other ranks (including the Staff Side claim to remove a pay point from the inspector scale) and whether allowances recognise disruption.
- A working group is to start "meaningful discussion" within three months of the Phase Two research being published.
So the 2027/28 round may cover more than a headline percentage. If the inspector scale lost a pay point, for example, inspectors would reach the top faster; nothing like that has been agreed. Leave and on-call changes would show up on our annual leave and on-call guides first.
Illustrations: what a 2027/28 award would mean
No offer or claim figure has been published. The percentages below are round numbers chosen to show the effect of different outcomes. They are applied to the 1 April 2026 scale, ignore any 2026/27 inflation guarantee (which would come first) and are rounded to the pound.
| Rank and point | Now | +2% | +3% | +4% | +5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, on commencing service | £34,001 | £34,681 | £35,021 | £35,361 | £35,701 |
| Constable, point 1 | £36,995 | £37,735 | £38,105 | £38,475 | £38,845 |
| Constable, point 5 | £45,064 | £45,965 | £46,416 | £46,867 | £47,317 |
| Constable, point 8 | £48,940 | £49,919 | £50,408 | £50,898 | £51,387 |
| Constable, point 11 | £54,597 | £55,689 | £56,235 | £56,781 | £57,327 |
| Sergeant, point 1 | £56,455 | £57,584 | £58,149 | £58,713 | £59,278 |
| Sergeant, point 4 | £61,036 | £62,257 | £62,867 | £63,477 | £64,088 |
| Inspector, point 1 | £67,491 | £68,841 | £69,516 | £70,191 | £70,866 |
| Inspector, point 5 | £74,853 | £76,350 | £77,099 | £77,847 | £78,596 |
| Chief Inspector, point 4 | £80,989 | £82,609 | £83,419 | £84,229 | £85,038 |
| Superintendent, point 4 | £105,632 | £107,745 | £108,801 | £109,857 | £110,914 |
| Chief Superintendent, point 4 | £120,554 | £122,965 | £124,171 | £125,376 | £126,582 |
| Rank and point | +2% | +3% | +4% | +5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable, on commencing service | +£34.25 | +£51.30 | +£68.35 | +£85.40 |
| Constable, point 1 | +£37.11 | +£55.66 | +£74.22 | +£92.77 |
| Constable, point 5 | +£45.18 | +£67.80 | +£90.42 | +£112.98 |
| Constable, point 8 | +£49.09 | +£74.31 | +£96.73 | +£116.31 |
| Constable, point 11 | +£43.73 | +£65.59 | +£87.46 | +£109.32 |
| Sergeant, point 1 | +£45.21 | +£67.84 | +£90.42 | +£113.05 |
| Sergeant, point 4 | +£48.89 | +£73.32 | +£97.75 | +£122.22 |
| Inspector, point 1 | +£54.06 | +£81.09 | +£108.12 | +£135.15 |
| Inspector, point 5 | +£59.95 | +£89.94 | +£119.89 | +£149.89 |
| Chief Inspector, point 4 | +£64.87 | +£97.31 | +£129.75 | +£162.14 |
| Superintendent, point 4 | +£80.06 | +£120.07 | +£160.07 | +£200.12 |
| Chief Superintendent, point 4 | +£52.33 | +£78.51 | +£104.67 | +£130.85 |
The take-home figures use 2026/27 tax bands because the 2027/28 Scottish bands have not been set. A change in the bands would move them. For your own pay point with overtime and allowances use the salary calculator; for what extra hours are worth, the overtime calculator.
If 2027/28 is agreed late: how back pay works
The 2025/26 deal was agreed on 4 September 2025 with effect from 1 April 2025, so officers were paid the old scale for several months and then received the difference as arrears. If the 2027/28 round takes as long, the same will happen. This illustration uses a hypothetical 3% award for a constable on point 5, agreed late enough that 5 months of arrears land in a single pay packet. It is not a prediction of the award or its timing.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic pay now | £45,064 |
| Pay after a 3% award | £46,416 |
| Rise a month | £112.67 |
| Arrears for 5 months, paid in one month | £563.33 |
| Pension at 13.7% on the arrears | £77.18 |
| NI if the arrears are charged in that one month | £30.53 |
| NI on the same arrears worked out over the whole year | £45.07 |
| Income tax on the arrears over the year (21% after pension) | £102.09 |
Two points stand out. First, arrears are pensionable pay like the rest of your salary, so 13.7% is taken and the pension you built in those months is recalculated upwards. Second, National Insurance is worked out per pay period, so a large lump in one month can push that month's pay over the monthly upper limit and part of it is charged at 2% instead of 8%. Income tax under PAYE is cumulative over the tax year, so tax usually settles at your normal rate by the end of the year. Our Scottish income tax guide covers the bands.
Scotland vs England and Wales: how the two pay rounds differ
Police pay is devolved. The two systems reach their numbers in different ways and on different calendars, which is why the figures you see quoted for "the police pay rise" often do not apply in Scotland.
| Police Scotland | England and Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| Who reaches the deal | Official and Staff Sides of the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland negotiate an agreement | The Police Remuneration Review Body recommends after written and oral evidence |
| Who approves it | Scottish Ministers; the Scottish Police Authority implements it | The Home Secretary decides for the Government |
| Pay year starts | 1 April | 1 September |
| 2025/26 | 4% from 1 April 2025, plus 0.4% inflation guarantee | 4.2% from 1 September 2025 (decided 1 August 2025) |
| 2026/27 | 3.5% from 1 April 2026, plus any inflation guarantee | 3.5% from 1 September 2026 (decided 15 July 2026, against a PRRB recommendation of 3.9%) |
| Length of the current deal | Two years (2025/26 and 2026/27) | One year |
| Inflation guarantee | Yes: at least CPI plus 1 point for each calendar year | No |
| 2027/28 status in October 2026 | No circular; Staff Side claim intended before the end of 2026 | No remit letter at 30 September 2026; forces budget on a 2.5% planning assumption |
England and Wales rows are from the sources on our England and Wales pay rise 2027/28 page. For pay and take-home compared rank by rank see Police Scotland vs England pay. If you are thinking of moving between the two, our transfers guide covers pay on arrival.
What to do now
- Check you are on the 1 April 2026 scale. Find your rank and point in the table above or on the pay scales page and compare it with your payslip basic pay (annual figure / 12).
- Check your increment date. If you are a constable below point 11, your next point should arrive on top of any award.
- Watch for the statement by 31 January 2027. It will say whether a 2026/27 guarantee payment is due and at what percentage. We will post it here.
- Check your March 2027 payslip. If a payment is due, look for it on that payslip, check 13.7% pension was taken from it and, if you were promoted or moved point in 2026/27, that it reflects your pay journey.
- Check your allowances moved too. Allowances that rise with pay (for example the Islands Allowance or Dog Handler's Allowance) should rise by the same percentage. On-call does not.
- Plan for the tax. A lump in one month can be taxed and charged NI differently from the same money spread over a year. Our tax guide shows how.
- If something looks wrong, ask payroll first with your payslip and the circular number, then your staff association if it is not resolved.
Dates to watch
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| 18 November 2026 | ONS publishes October 2026 CPI |
| December 2026 | ONS publishes November 2026 CPI (date not yet checked) |
| By the end of 2026 | Staff Side 2027/28 claim intended (secondary source) |
| January 2027 | ONS publishes December 2026 CPI, completing the year (date not yet checked) |
| By 31 January 2027 | Official Side inflation guarantee statement |
| March 2027 | Any 2026/27 guarantee payment |
| 31 March 2027 | Current deal ends |
| 1 April 2027 | Target date for the leave and on-call review; usual start of a new pay year |
Common mistakes
- Reading England and Wales news as Scottish news. PRRB reports and Home Office decisions do not set Police Scotland pay.
- Using December's CPI. The test is the average of all 12 months, not the headline rate in one month.
- Treating 3.4% as the official 2025 average. It is our inference from the ONS months; the circulars only publish the 0.4% result.
- Expecting the guarantee on your new 2026 salary. It is worked out on pre-uplift salary at 31 March 2026, following your pay journey if you moved during the year.
- Thinking it is a one-off bonus. It is consolidated and permanent: the scales go up and stay up.
- Forgetting pension. The payment is pensionable, so 13.7% comes off it and it builds pension.
- Expecting on-call to rise by the percentage. On-call had its own two 20% steps.
- Assuming a rise lands on 1 April 2027 automatically. A new PNBS agreement is needed; the 2025 deal came five months late with back pay.
Not known yet or not verified
- The 2026 CPI average and whether the guarantee is triggered.
- Whether the average is rounded before the payment percentage is worked out (the circular's examples use whole and half percentages only).
- How payroll apportions a payment for officers who changed pay point or rank in the year (days or months).
- The exact ONS release dates for November and December 2026 CPI (we have only checked the 18 November 2026 date).
- The Staff Side's 2027/28 claim and any Official Side offer. The claim timing comes from a meeting summary we have not read in full.
- When a 2027/28 deal will be agreed and whether it will cover more than one year.
- The outcome of the annual leave and on-call review and the Fraser of Allander Institute Phase Two research.
- The 2027/28 Scottish income tax bands, which would change every take-home figure on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Police Scotland get a pay rise in 2027?
The current deal ends on 31 March 2027 and no 2027/28 agreement had been published by 23 October 2026. Before then, the 2026/27 inflation guarantee could add a permanent top-up, decided by the Official Side's statement due by 31 January 2027 and paid in March 2027.
What is the Police Scotland inflation guarantee?
Part of PNBS Circular 2025/09: each year's rise is guaranteed to be at least 1 percentage point above average CPI for the calendar year. For 2026/27 the rise is 3.5%, so if average CPI for January to December 2026 is above 2.5%, pay is adjusted to CPI plus 1 point.
How is the average CPI worked out?
The 12 monthly CPI figures published by the ONS for January to December are added up and divided by 12 (Annex A, note 5). CPI is published to one decimal place. Monthly figures are tracked, reported to and agreed by the PNBS.
Will the 2026/27 inflation guarantee be triggered?
It is not decided. The ONS monthly CPI rates for January to September 2026 average 3.00%. The last 3 months would need to average about 1.0% or less for the full year to come in at 2.5% or less. Only the Official Side's statement confirms the result.
How big could the 2026/27 inflation guarantee payment be?
On our arithmetic, if CPI averages 3.0% for October to December the full year averages 3.00% and the payment would be 0.50%. If those months average 3.5%, it would be 0.63%. These are illustrations, not the Official Side's figures.
How is an inflation guarantee payment paid?
As a one-off consolidated pensionable payment in March, calculated on your pre-uplift salary at 31 March 2026. It is permanent and applies to all ranks, pay points and allowances that rise with pay. If you were promoted or got an increment during the year, it follows your actual pay through the year.
Is the inflation guarantee payment pensionable?
Yes. Annex A note 6 calls it a consolidated pensionable payment. The 13.7% pension contribution comes off it and it builds Scottish 2015 scheme pension at 1/56.1.
What did the 2025/26 inflation guarantee give?
An extra 0.4% on 2025/26 pay, built into the 1 April 2026 scales (PNBS Circulars 2026/01 and 2026/04). The circulars do not state the 2025 CPI average; the ONS monthly figures average 3.375%, which is 3.4% to one decimal place. That 3.4% is our inference.
What was the Police Scotland pay rise for 2026?
3.5% from 1 April 2026 on pay and relevant allowances, on top of the 4% (plus the 0.4% guarantee) from 1 April 2025. On-call Allowance rose 20% to £43.68 instead.
How much has Police Scotland pay risen over the deal so far?
4% plus the 0.4% guarantee in 2025/26, then 3.5% in 2026/27: 8.05% compounded. The circular's headline 7.64% is the two base rises before any guarantee.
Who decides Police Scotland pay?
The Official and Staff Sides of the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland reach agreement, Scottish Ministers approve it and the Scottish Police Authority implements it. The Police Remuneration Review Body, which covers England and Wales, has no role.
When will the 2027/28 Police Scotland pay deal be agreed?
No date is published. The two-year deal was agreed on 4 September 2025, five months into the first year it covered and backdated to 1 April 2025, so a new deal could also come after 1 April 2027. We will update this page when a circular is published.
What would a 3% pay rise in 2027 be worth to a constable?
As an illustration only (no offer exists): 3% on constable point 5 (£45,064) adds £1,352 a year, about £67.80 a month after Scottish tax, NI and the 13.7% pension.
Does the on-call allowance get the inflation guarantee?
The guarantee applies to allowances that increase in line with pay uplifts. On-call was excepted from the percentage rises and went up by two fixed 20% steps instead: £36.40 from April 2025 and £43.68 from April 2026, which is exactly 20% above £36.40.
Is Police Scotland pay going up more than England and Wales?
Both got 3.5% for 2026/27. Scotland's rise started on 1 April 2026 and England and Wales's on 1 September 2026. Scotland's 2025/26 rise was 4% plus 0.4% against 4.2% in England and Wales and only Scotland has an inflation guarantee.
Do I need to do anything to get the inflation guarantee payment?
No claim is needed: it is paid through payroll. Check your March 2027 payslip, that pension was taken from it and that it reflects any promotion or increment during the year.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 23 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- PNBS Circular 2025/09, Pay Agreement 2025-26 and 2026-27 (4 September 2025) : every term of the deal, the review commitments and Annex A, the inflation guarantee with notes 1 to 8 (read in full) (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS Circular 2026/01, Federated Ranks Pay : the 0.4% 2025/26 guarantee; 1 April 2025, IG adjusted and 1 April 2026 scales (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS Circular 2026/02, Superintending Ranks Pay : superintendent and chief superintendent pay from 1 April 2026 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS Circular 2026/04, Allowances : allowances from 1 April 2026 including the 0.4% (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS circulars list : no 2027/28 circular as at 22 October 2026 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- ONS: CPI annual rate 00, all items (series D7G7) : monthly CPI for 2025 and January to September 2026 (release of 21 October 2026; next release 18 November 2026) (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Scottish Government: Police Negotiating Board for Scotland meeting, February 2026 (summary) : secondary: the Staff Side intended to submit the 2027/28 claim before the end of 2026 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- SSI 2015/142 (Police Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2015), regs 49 and 160 : 13.7% contribution and 1/56.1 accrual used for the after-tax and pension figures (accessed 23 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Scottish Income Tax : 2026/27 bands used for the after-tax figures (accessed 23 October 2026)
- House of Commons written statement HCWS264, Police workforce (15 July 2026) : England and Wales 2026/27 decision (comparison table) (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PRRB Twelfth Report on England and Wales 2026 : England and Wales recommendation and the 2.5% planning assumption (comparison table) (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PRRB remit letter 2026 to 2027 (19 February 2026) : England and Wales pay year begins 1 September (accessed 23 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
More in this guide series
Police Scotland calculators and related guides
Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority, the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland, the Scottish Police Federation or the Scottish Public Pensions Agency. This page is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Pay and conditions are set through the PNBS and approved by Scottish Ministers and SPPA's figures are the only official pension figures, so check the PNBS handbook, your payslip and your Annual Benefit Statement before relying on anything here. Details are as checked on 23 October 2026.