Transferring to
Police Scotland
Serving officers from England, Wales, PSNI or BTP can transfer to Police Scotland at their rank, with no probation. Here is who is eligible, how the process works, the pay point you are likely to land on, what you would take home after Scottish tax and what changes for your pension, leave and promotion.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 23 October 2026 · Scotland unless stated
Yes, if you serve in a Home Office force in England or Wales, the PSNI or BTP, with at least three years' service and no outstanding complaints, at any substantive rank. You apply against the CVF, pass reference and vetting checks, a CVF interview, the 5.4 fitness test, a medical and a substance misuse test, then do a 3 week course with no probation. You are paid at the Scottish point for your length of service. In October 2026 there were no general transferee vacancies: Police Scotland runs a talent bank instead.
Who can transfer in
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Forces | A recognised Home Office force in England or Wales, the PSNI or British Transport Police |
| Service | At least three years |
| Conduct | No outstanding complaints |
| Ranks | All substantive ranks |
| Not eligible as transferees | MoD Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Royal Parks, port police and other non-Home Office forces: treated as new candidates, with full foundation training and probation |
| Direct Entry Detective Pathway joiners | Not eligible |
| Direct entry | Police Scotland has no direct entry scheme for any rank |
Three years is a hard minimum. If you are a constable with under three years' service, the only way in is as a new officer through the full recruitment process, the 18-week initial training and a two-year probation.
Vacancies and the talent bank
On 23 October 2026 Police Scotland's transferee page said there were no current vacancies for transferee officers. You can join its talent bank and Police Scotland says it will contact you if your rank, skills and experience match a role. You can also register on the candidate portal for job alerts. One Transferee Sergeant post in Orkney was advertised on the portal on 22 October 2026, closing on 28 October 2026.
An Orkney posting attracts the Islands Allowance (rate 3, £1,998.31 a year from April 2026). The four island rates run from £1,332.21 to £2,664.42 a year: see the Islands Allowance guide.
The transferee process
- Application form based on the Police Scotland Competency and Values Framework (CVF).
- Background checks and approval: reference checks with your current force, plus checks by your local Professional Standards Department and vetting.
- Interview: a competency-based interview using the CVF.
- Assessments: transfers to specialist or senior roles typically include the national promotion assessments.
- Fitness assessment: a timed shuttle run on a 15-metre track to level 5.4.
- Final stages: a health provider appointment including an eyesight test and BMI check, plus a substance misuse test.
- Offer: made once every stage is complete; the transfer date is then agreed.
Police Scotland's transferee page says more people fail the fitness test than any other stage of recruitment. Level 5.4 means running at least in time with the bleeps for four lengths at level 5. See our 15m bleep test simulator.
Police Scotland's values are Fairness, Integrity, Respect and Human Rights. Your application and interview answers are assessed against the CVF, so frame your examples in its language rather than the College of Policing framework you use now.
Step by step: what to do before you apply
- Check eligibility: Home Office force, PSNI or BTP; three years' service; no outstanding complaints; not a Direct Entry Detective Pathway joiner.
- Join the talent bank and set job alerts on the candidate portal.
- Get your service history in writing: joining date, rank dates, any part-time periods and your current pay point. Police Scotland places you by length of service.
- Work out your Scottish pay point and take-home with the Police Scotland salary calculator and compare it with your payslip.
- Ask your current pension administrator what happens to the pension you have built if you leave for Police Scotland, then ask SPPA about transferring service in.
- Train for the 5.4 bleep test well before the assessment.
- Write CVF examples for the application form and interview.
- Budget for the move. Removal expenses for transferees are not set out in the PNBS handbook and housing allowance only continues for pre-August 1994 recipients.
- Plan your posting preferences: your first posting is operational policing at a territorial division based on your posting form.
- Check your overtime and leave balances with your current force before the transfer date.
Training, probation and first posting
Officers transferring from forces outside Scotland do a 3 week training course at the Scottish Police College and locally and are not required to serve a period of probation (Police Scotland). Initial duties are operational policing at a territorial division, based on the divisional preference you give on your posting form. Police Scotland has 13 local policing divisions.
| New officer | Transferee | |
|---|---|---|
| Initial training | 18 weeks (1 regional, 15 at Tulliallan or East Kilbride, 2 regional) | 3 weeks at the Scottish Police College and locally |
| Probation | 2 years | None |
| Entrance test (PSET) | Yes | Not listed in the transferee process |
| Fitness test | 5.4 on the 15 m bleep test | 5.4 on the 15 m bleep test |
| Pay | Starts at £34,001 (commencing point) | Point for length of service |
| Annual leave | 28 days (under 2 years' service) | By length of service: 28 to 39 days (PNBS handbook 3.1) |
The leave row assumes your previous police service counts towards the Scottish leave bands. The handbook sets leave by service but the pages we read do not say how service in another force is counted: confirm it with HR.
Where you could be posted
Police Scotland has 13 local policing divisions. Your first posting as a transferee is operational policing at a territorial division, based on the preference on your posting form. Police Scotland lists the community areas as:
- Argyll and West Dunbartonshire
- Ayrshire
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Edinburgh
- Fife
- Forth Valley
- Greater Glasgow
- Highland and Islands
- Lanarkshire
- North East
- Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
- Tayside
- The Lothians and Scottish Borders
Island postings in Highland and Islands and Argyll can carry the Islands Allowance at one of four national rates. Police Scotland's rejoiner page mentions a particular interest in rural and remote postings in Argyll and Highlands and Islands; its transferee page does not say the same, so treat that as a rejoiner statement only.
Pay on arrival
You are paid at the equivalent Police Scotland pay point for your length of service. For constables, the Scottish scale has 12 points over 11 years: £34,001 on commencing service and point 1 after one year, rising to £54,597 at point 11. The England and Wales scale for constables appointed from April 2013 has 7 points and tops out at £52,015 (non-London, under the data our pay pages use). So the two scales cross: early in service Scotland pays more, mid-career the England and Wales officer may already be at the top while the Scottish officer is still climbing.
| Service | England and Wales point | England and Wales take-home a month | Police Scotland point | Scotland take-home a month | Scotland vs England and Wales a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | Point 4: £36,335 | £2,161.40 | Point 3: £42,377 | £2,446.31 | +£284.91 |
| 4 years | Point 5: £39,058 | £2,275.36 | Point 4: £43,683 | £2,511.80 | +£236.44 |
| 5 years | Point 6: £44,544 | £2,553.76 | Point 5: £45,064 | £2,581.06 | +£27.30 |
| 6 years | Point 7: £52,015 | £2,941.61 | Point 6: £46,321 | £2,644.09 | -£297.52 |
| 7 years | Point 7: £52,015 | £2,941.61 | Point 7: £47,440 | £2,700.21 | -£241.40 |
| 8 years | Point 7: £52,015 | £2,941.61 | Point 8: £48,940 | £2,775.43 | -£166.18 |
| 9 years | Point 7: £52,015 | £2,941.61 | Point 9: £51,842 | £2,909.96 | -£31.65 |
| 10 years | Point 7: £52,015 | £2,941.61 | Point 10: £52,873 | £2,951.25 | +£9.63 |
| 11 years | Point 7: £52,015 | £2,941.61 | Point 11: £54,597 | £3,020.28 | +£78.67 |
How Police Scotland maps your service to a point is its decision; this assumes one point per completed year on each scale and England and Wales constables joining at point 1. Take-home uses each country's 2026/27 tax, NI and pension rules with no allowances or overtime. For every rank see Police Scotland vs England pay.
On this illustration a transferring constable takes home more in Scotland with short service, roughly the same around five years and less with 6 to 9 years' service, because the England and Wales officer has already reached the top point while the Scottish scale is still climbing. From the top of the Scottish scale the gap closes again. London officers, who get London Weighting and the London Allowance, would compare less favourably still.
Worked example: a constable with 7 years' service
An England and Wales constable with 7 years' service is at point 7, the top of the post-2013 scale, on £52,015. Transferring to Police Scotland, length of service points to Scottish point 7: £47,440. That is £4,575 a year less gross.
| England and Wales | Police Scotland | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pay | £52,015 | £47,440 |
| Pension contribution rate | 13.88% (tiered) | 13.7% (flat) |
| Pension contribution a year | £7,220 | £6,499 |
| Income tax a year | £6,445 | £5,749 |
| National Insurance a year | £3,051 | £2,790 |
| Take-home a year | £35,299 | £32,402 |
| Take-home a month | £2,941.61 | £2,700.21 |
| 2015 scheme pension built this year | £940.60 (1/55.3) | £845.63 (1/56.1) |
After tax, NI and pension the officer takes home £2,897 a year less in Scotland (£241.40 a month) and builds £94.96 a year less 2015 scheme pension: partly the lower pay and partly the 1/56.1 accrual. At 2026 pay the Scottish take-home first matches the England and Wales top point at Scottish point 10, 3increments later.
| Year | Police Scotland point | Scotland take-home a month | England and Wales take-home a month | Scotland pension built | England and Wales pension built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 in Scotland | Point 7: £47,440 | £2,700.21 | £2,941.61 | £845.63 | £940.60 |
| Year 2 in Scotland | Point 8: £48,940 | £2,775.43 | £2,941.61 | £872.37 | £940.60 |
| Year 3 in Scotland | Point 9: £51,842 | £2,909.96 | £2,941.61 | £924.10 | £940.60 |
| Year 4 in Scotland | Point 10: £52,873 | £2,951.25 | £2,941.61 | £942.48 | £940.60 |
| Year 5 in Scotland | Point 11: £54,597 | £3,020.28 | £2,941.61 | £973.21 | £940.60 |
Experienced constables at the top of the England and Wales scale are the group most likely to take a pay cut on transfer, at least for a few years. Ask Police Scotland, in writing, which point you will be placed on before you accept an offer. Future pay awards in each country will change these figures.
Worked example: a constable with 3 years' service
With 3 years' service, the England and Wales constable is on point 4: £36,335. The Scottish equivalent is point 3: £42,377, £6,042 more gross. After each country's tax, NI and pension the Scottish officer takes home £2,446.31 a month against £2,161.40: £3,419 a year more. They also build £755.38 a year of pension against £657.05.
Early-service constables gain most because the Scottish scale starts higher and climbs faster in its first years. Bear in mind the three-year minimum: this is the earliest point a constable can transfer.
Same pay, different rules: tax and pension alone
To isolate the tax and pension effect, this compares the same salary (£48,940, Police Scotland constable point 8) under each country's rules. In Scotland the pension is a flat 13.7%; in England and Wales the rate depends on pensionable pay. On this salary taxable pay stays below the Scottish 42% band (which starts above £43,662), but the 21% intermediate rate on taxable pay above £29,526 still takes a little more than the UK 20% basic rate.
| England and Wales rules | Scottish rules | |
|---|---|---|
| Pension contribution | 13.88%: £6,793 | 13.7%: £6,705 |
| Taxable pay | £42,147 | £42,235 |
| Income tax | £5,915 | £6,020 |
| National Insurance | £2,910 | £2,910 |
| Take-home a year | £33,322 | £33,305 |
| Pension built a year | £884.99 | £872.37 |
On identical pay a Scottish taxpayer pays £105 more income tax and takes home £17 a year less. Over ten years at this pay the Scottish scheme builds £8,723.71 of annual pension against £8,849.91 in England and Wales, before revaluation. The full band-by-band breakdown is in Scottish income tax for police officers.
Transferring as a sergeant
Sergeants can transfer at rank. The Scottish sergeant scale runs from £56,455 to £61,036 (four points) against a top England and Wales sergeant point of £58,175 in our data. Which Scottish sergeant point you land on depends on Police Scotland's reading of your service in the rank, which the transferee page does not spell out.
| Annual pay | Take-home a month | |
|---|---|---|
| England and Wales sergeant, top point (non-London) | £58,175 | £3,285.01 |
| Police Scotland sergeant, point 1 | £56,455 | £3,094.69 |
| Police Scotland sergeant, point 2 | £57,637 | £3,142.02 |
| Police Scotland sergeant, point 3 | £59,312 | £3,209.09 |
| Police Scotland sergeant, point 4 | £61,036 | £3,278.13 |
Inspectors and above should note that transfers to senior ranks typically include Police Scotland's national promotion assessments and that Scottish inspectors get no overtime (PNBS handbook 2.3). See promotion in Police Scotland.
Inspectors and above: top of scale compared
For inspecting and superintending ranks, this compares the top point of each scale: England and Wales outside London (our data, from 1 September 2026) against Police Scotland (PNBS Circulars 2026/01 and 2026/02, from 1 April 2026), with take-home after each country's tax, NI and pension. Scottish income tax bites harder the higher the pay, so the gross advantage of the Scottish scale shrinks or reverses after tax.
| Rank | England and Wales top | England and Wales take-home a month | Police Scotland top | Scotland take-home a month | Scotland vs England and Wales a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inspector | £71,396 | £3,835.10 | £74,853 | £3,831.43 | -£3.67 |
| Chief inspector | £75,709 | £4,013.63 | £80,989 | £4,077.15 | +£63.52 |
| Superintendent | £102,481 | £5,104.39 | £105,632 | £5,023.58 | -£80.81 |
| Chief superintendent | £119,837 | £5,773.26 | £120,554 | £5,513.22 | -£260.04 |
Worked example: a top-scale inspector
An inspector at the top of the England and Wales scale outside London earns £71,396. The top of the Police Scotland inspector scale is £74,853, £3,457 more gross. After each country's tax, NI and pension the monthly take-home is £3,835.10 against £3,831.43: almost exactly the same. The extra Scottish gross is absorbed by the 42% Scottish higher rate, which starts on taxable pay above £43,662. The inspector does build more pension on the higher pay: £1,334.28 a year at 1/56.1 against £1,291.07 at 1/55.3.
In Police Scotland, inspecting and superintending ranks get no overtime but can accrue flexi-time (PNBS handbook 6.11, from 1 April 2023) and inspecting ranks get the Short-notice Rest Day Working Allowance (£112.05 a qualifying day from April 2026) when required to work a rest day at short notice.
Transfers to senior ranks typically include Police Scotland's national promotion assessments. Rank by rank detail, including the London variants, is in Police Scotland vs England pay.
Every constable point you could land on
The Police Scotland constable scale from 1 April 2026, with take-home after Scottish tax, NI and the 13.7% pension, the PNBS hourly rate (annual pay x 6/12520, handbook 2.11), the casual overtime rate (time and a third) and the pension one year builds at 1/56.1. All officers move to point 1 after one year's service as a constable.
| Point | Annual pay | Take-home a month | Hourly rate | Casual overtime an hour | Pension built a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commencing | £34,001 | £2,026.12 | £16.29 | £21.73 | £606.08 |
| Point 1 | £36,995 | £2,176.42 | £17.73 | £23.64 | £659.45 |
| Point 2 | £39,988 | £2,326.51 | £19.16 | £25.55 | £712.80 |
| Point 3 | £42,377 | £2,446.31 | £20.31 | £27.08 | £755.38 |
| Point 4 | £43,683 | £2,511.80 | £20.93 | £27.91 | £778.66 |
| Point 5 | £45,064 | £2,581.06 | £21.60 | £28.79 | £803.28 |
| Point 6 | £46,321 | £2,644.09 | £22.20 | £29.60 | £825.69 |
| Point 7 | £47,440 | £2,700.21 | £22.73 | £30.31 | £845.63 |
| Point 8 | £48,940 | £2,775.43 | £23.45 | £31.27 | £872.37 |
| Point 9 | £51,842 | £2,909.96 | £24.84 | £33.13 | £924.10 |
| Point 10 | £52,873 | £2,951.25 | £25.34 | £33.78 | £942.48 |
| Point 11 | £54,597 | £3,020.28 | £26.16 | £34.89 | £973.21 |
Overtime still counts for a lot in a transfer decision. On our 7-year example (point 7), 10 hours of casual overtime pays £303.13 gross and about £215.22 after Scottish tax and NI. Overtime is paid in completed 15-minute periods and the England and Wales rule that the first 30 minutes on four occasions a week are unpaid does not appear in the Scottish handbook. Try your own figures in the Police Scotland overtime calculator.
Pension
| Police Pension Scheme (Scotland) 2015 | England and Wales 2015 scheme | |
|---|---|---|
| Administrator | Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) | Your force's administrator |
| Build-up a year | 1/56.1 of pensionable pay | 1/55.3 of pensionable pay |
| Member contribution | Flat 13.7% | 12.88%, 13.88% or 14.22% by pensionable pay (from 1 April 2026) |
| Revaluation while serving | Prices plus 1.25% (SSI 2015/142) | Prices plus 1.25% |
| Normal pension age | 60 | 60 |
| Employer contribution | 38.7% (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027) | Not covered here |
- Service in Police Scotland builds pension in the Scottish 2015 scheme. The same pay builds about 1.4% less pension a year than in England and Wales.
- SPPA says the Scottish scheme offers options to transfer in service from other pension schemes. Police Scotland's rewards page says that if you are paying into a pension it "may be possible" to transfer it.
- What happens to pension already built in your current force and whether moving it is worthwhile are not covered on the Police Scotland or SPPA pages we read. Ask your current administrator and SPPA before you move and get any figures in writing.
- If you were in the 1987 or 2006 scheme before 2015, ask both administrators how the McCloud remedy applies to your service in each force. See McCloud remedy in Scotland.
The Police Scotland pension calculator projects the 2015 Scottish scheme at 1/56.1 to your leaving age and shows the same service at the England and Wales 1/55.3 for comparison. Read Police Scotland pension explained for the rules.
Annual leave
Police Scotland federated ranks get leave by length of service (PNBS handbook 3.1, from April 2024). England and Wales officers get leave under Annex O of the Police Regulations 2003; the column below uses the table for officers appointed before 1 April 2025 in the 2026 leave year.
| Service | England and Wales (Annex O) | Police Scotland (handbook 3.1) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 25 | 28 |
| 3 years | 25 | 34 |
| 5 years | 25 | 36 |
| 7 years | 27 | 36 |
| 9 years | 28 | 36 |
| 10 years | 28 | 39 |
| 12 years | 29 | 39 |
Public holidays are treated differently. The Scottish handbook (3.3) gives two fixed public holidays, 1 January and 25 December; England and Wales handles public holidays under its own regulations. Compare whole-year time off with HR rather than these columns alone. Superintendents in Scotland get 40 days.
Full Scottish rules: Police Scotland annual leave.
Other conditions compared
| Police Scotland | England and Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets pay | Police Negotiating Board for Scotland, approved by Scottish Ministers | Home Office after the Police Remuneration Review Body |
| Income tax | Scottish bands if you live in Scotland (19% to 48%) | UK bands (20%, 40%, 45%) |
| Casual overtime | Time and a third for each completed 15 minutes (handbook 2.3) | Set by Police Regulations 2003 Annex G |
| Rest day working | Under 8 days' notice double time; 8 to under 18 days time and a half; 18+ another rest day | Different notice bands (Annex G) |
| Hourly rate formula | Annual pay x 6/12520 (handbook 2.11) | Set by Police Regulations 2003 determinations |
| Regional pay | No London-style weighting; Islands Allowance on listed islands | London Weighting, London Allowance and South East Allowance in some forces |
| Housing allowance | Only for those receiving it before August 1994 | Not covered here |
| Maternity pay | 26 weeks enhanced from 1 April 2026; service in any police force counts towards the 63 weeks (handbook 3.7) | Not covered here |
| Fitness tests after probation | Not tested after the two-year probation (FOI 24-0659) | Not covered here |
Moving with a family: leave and pay that matter
- Maternity: enhanced maternity and adoption pay rose from 18 to 26 weeks from 1 April 2026 (PNBS Circular 2025/09). Service in any police force counts towards the 63 weeks' service the handbook requires (3.7), so a transfer does not reset the clock. See Police Scotland maternity pay.
- Parental leave: 18 weeks of unpaid statutory parental leave per child under 18 and shared parental leave in the first year (Police Scotland).
- Career breaks: unpaid, up to five years (Police Scotland).
- Flexible working: including part-time working and full-time compressed hours (Police Scotland).
If you are pregnant or planning a family around the move, ask Police Scotland HR to confirm in writing how your service will be counted for maternity pay before you accept.
Scottish income tax in the year you move
You pay Scottish income tax if you live in Scotland. In the tax year you move, GOV.UK says you pay it if you lived in Scotland for a longer period than anywhere else in the UK during that tax year (6 April to 5 April). You must tell HMRC your new address when you move to or from Scotland, or you may pay tax at the wrong rate. If HMRC changes your rate, the new rate is backdated to 6 April of the tax year you moved and your pay is adjusted.
If you move to Scotland before early October, you are likely to be a Scottish taxpayer for the whole tax year, including the months you were paid in England or Wales. Expect a correction through your pay once HMRC updates your record. This is our reading of the GOV.UK rule; your own position depends on where you lived for longer, so check with HMRC.
Part-time and flexible working
Police Scotland offers flexible working, including part-time working and full-time compressed hours (rewards page). A part-time constable's hourly rate is annual pay x 6/12520 (PNBS handbook 2.11), so part-time pay is that hourly rate times your hours. Part-time officers in inspecting ranks must claim additional hours before accruing flexi-time, because those hours are pensionable (handbook 6.11). How Police Scotland counts past part-time service when placing a transferee on a pay point is not published: ask before you apply.
A checklist before you accept an offer
- The Scottish pay point you will start on and your next increment date, in writing.
- Your take-home at that point against your current payslip (salary calculator).
- What you lose: London or South East allowances, local allowances, overtime patterns.
- What you gain: Islands Allowance on a listed island, Scottish leave bands, 26 weeks enhanced maternity pay.
- Your pension position in both schemes, in writing from both administrators.
- Who pays for the move. Do not assume removal expenses apply.
- Your last day in your current force and your transfer date, which Police Scotland agrees after the offer.
- Your HMRC address change and the Scottish tax position for the year.
Promotion after transferring
Scotland has no written promotion exam. Constables qualify for sergeant through the qualifying diploma or the Police Leadership Development Programme. But the Scottish promotion regulations also recognise exams passed in other UK forces (SSI 2013/39 reg 9): if, during service in a listed force (including every force under the Police Act 1996, the Met, the City of London Police, the PSNI and BTP), you passed an examination or course that would qualify you for promotion there:
- from constable to sergeant, you are taken to hold the qualifying diploma for promotion up to and including inspector;
- from sergeant to inspector, you are taken to hold it for promotion to any rank below assistant chief constable.
Qualifying still does not guarantee promotion: it is by selection. Keep your exam result letters and ask Police Scotland HR how the rule applies to you. Full detail in promotion in Police Scotland.
Moving costs and housing
The PNBS handbook's removal expenses section (5.3) lists two cases where removal expenses apply: officers joining at assistant chief constable rank or above and serving officers the chief constable considers need to move home because of the exigencies of duty or the efficiency of the service. Where it applies it covers reasonable removal costs with receipts, reasonable costs of selling and buying a home and, for homeowners, some former-home costs for the first 26 weeks. The section does not mention transferees.
Do not assume Police Scotland will pay your move. Ask before you accept. Housing allowance only continues for officers who received it before August 1994 (Police Scotland transferee page).
Moving from Police Scotland to another force
Each receiving force sets its own transferee rules, vacancies and pay placement. Start with our police transfers hub. Before you go:
- Ask SPPA what happens to your Scottish pension when you leave and get a statement of what you have built.
- Ask your new force which pay point you will be placed on. England and Wales post-2013 constables reach the top of the scale at point 7.
- If you move home out of Scotland you stop paying Scottish income tax; your new force's tax and pension tiers apply.
- Check whether your Scottish qualifying diploma or PLDP is recognised by the new force for promotion. The Scottish reg 9 rule works in one direction only.
- Settle TOIL, flexi-time and annual leave balances before you go.
Leaving and coming back
Police Scotland's rejoiner route is only for former Police Scotland officers who completed probation; others apply as new officers. Rejoiners need a manual licence, a BMI between 18 and 30, three years' UK residence immediately before applying and the eyesight standard, then go through a CVF application, references, a CVF interview, the fitness test, a medical, a substance misuse test and vetting. Training is set by a training needs analysis, there is no probation and pay is at the point matching your previous service in the rank. Police Scotland says it has a particular interest in rural and remote postings in Argyll and Highlands and Islands.
| Transferee | Rejoiner | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Serving officers in a Home Office force in England or Wales, PSNI or BTP, three years' service | Former Police Scotland officers who completed probation |
| Application and interview | CVF application and CVF interview | CVF application and CVF interview |
| Fitness, medical and substance test | Yes | Yes |
| Training | 3 weeks at the Scottish Police College and locally | Set by a training needs analysis |
| Probation | None | None |
| Pay | Point for length of service | Point matching previous service in the rank |
Common mistakes
- Comparing gross pay only. Scottish income tax and the flat 13.7% change take-home on every salary.
- Assuming a higher Scottish scale means more pay for you. A top-scale England and Wales constable can land on a lower Scottish point (worked example above).
- Applying with under three years' service. You would have to apply as a new officer.
- Coming from a non-Home Office force and expecting the transferee route. MoD, CNC, Royal Parks and port police officers start as new candidates.
- Leaving pension questions until after you move. Ask both administrators first.
- Assuming relocation is paid. The handbook's removal expenses rules do not mention transferees.
- Underestimating the bleep test. More people fail it than any other stage.
- Buying NPPF study materials for Scottish promotion. Scotland has no written exam, though an exam already passed may count under reg 9.
Calculators for a transfer decision
More for Scottish officers: Police Scotland pay scales, ranks in order, the 2027/28 pay rise tracker and the Police Scotland officers hub.
What we could not verify
- How Police Scotland maps service in another force to a Scottish pay point, including part-time service and service in a rank. Our tables assume one point per completed year.
- How pension already built moves between the England and Wales and Scottish schemes and on what terms.
- Whether service in another force counts towards the Scottish annual leave bands.
- Whether any relocation support is offered to transferees outside the handbook's removal expenses rules.
- The contents of Police Scotland's separate transferee FAQ page.
- How a receiving England and Wales force treats the Scottish qualifying diploma or PLDP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer to Police Scotland from England?
Yes, if you are a serving officer in a recognised Home Office force in England or Wales, the PSNI or BTP, with at least three years' service and no outstanding complaints. All substantive ranks can apply.
Who cannot transfer to Police Scotland?
Officers from the MoD Police, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, the Royal Parks, port police and other non-Home Office forces are treated as new candidates, with full foundation training and probation. Officers who joined their home force on a Direct Entry Detective Pathway are not eligible to transfer.
Is Police Scotland recruiting transferees now?
On 23 October 2026 Police Scotland said it had no current vacancies for transferee officers and invited officers to join its talent bank, saying it will contact you if your rank, skills and experience match a role. One Transferee Sergeant post in Orkney was advertised on the candidate portal, closing on 28 October 2026.
Do transferees serve probation in Police Scotland?
No. Police Scotland says transferees will not be required to serve a period of probation. There is a 3 week training course at the Scottish Police College and locally.
Where will I be posted if I transfer to Police Scotland?
Police Scotland says initial duties are operational policing at a territorial division, based on the divisional preference on your posting form.
What will I be paid if I transfer to Police Scotland?
The equivalent Police Scotland pay point for your length of service. Scottish scales start higher but the constable scale has 12 points over 11 years, so an experienced constable at the top of the England and Wales scale can land on a lower Scottish point. Scottish income tax and a flat 13.7% pension then apply.
Will I earn more in Police Scotland than in England?
It depends on your service. On our illustration a constable with 3 years' service takes home about £3,419 a year more in Scotland, while one with 7 years' service at the top of the England and Wales scale takes home about £2,897 a year less until Scottish increments catch up.
Do I need to do the fitness test to transfer to Police Scotland?
Yes. The transferee process includes a timed shuttle run on a 15-metre track to level 5.4, a medical (eyesight and BMI) and a substance misuse test, as well as reference checks and vetting.
What happens to my pension if I transfer to Police Scotland?
Your service in Scotland builds pension in the Police Pension Scheme (Scotland) 2015 at 1/56.1 a year, with a flat 13.7% contribution, run by SPPA. SPPA says the scheme offers options to transfer in service from other pension schemes. Ask your current administrator and SPPA what happens to the pension you have already built before you move.
Is the Police Scotland pension better than England and Wales?
The 2015 Scottish scheme builds 1/56.1 of pay a year against 1/55.3 in England and Wales, so the same pay builds about 1.4% less pension. Contributions differ too: a flat 13.7% in Scotland against 12.88%, 13.88% or 14.22% by pay in England and Wales. Normal pension age is 60 in both.
Do I get more annual leave in Police Scotland?
Police Scotland federated officers get 28 days with under 2 years' service, 34 days with 2 to 4 years, 36 days with 5 to 9 years and 39 days with 10 years or more (PNBS handbook 3.1). Public holidays are handled differently on each side of the border, so compare whole-year totals with HR before you decide.
Does my England and Wales sergeants' exam count in Police Scotland?
The Scottish promotion regulations say an exam or course passed in a listed UK force that would qualify you for promotion there from constable to sergeant is treated as the qualifying diploma, for promotion up to and including inspector (SSI 2013/39 reg 9). Ask Police Scotland how it applies to your result.
Will Police Scotland pay my relocation costs?
The PNBS handbook's removal expenses section (5.3) lists two cases: joining at assistant chief constable rank or above and a serving officer the chief constable decides must move home for duty or efficiency reasons. It does not mention transferees, so do not assume costs are covered. Ask before you accept an offer.
Do I keep my housing allowance if I transfer?
Only if you received a housing allowance before August 1994: Police Scotland says it continues. There is no housing allowance for anyone else.
Do I pay Scottish income tax if I transfer to Police Scotland?
You pay Scottish income tax if you live in Scotland (GOV.UK). Most transferees will move home, so the Scottish bands apply: 42% starts on taxable income above £43,662 in 2026/27.
Do I keep my rank if I transfer to Police Scotland?
Police Scotland considers transferees at all substantive ranks. Transfers to specialist roles and senior ranks typically include its national promotion assessments.
Do inspectors who transfer to Police Scotland get overtime?
No. In Police Scotland overtime applies only to constables and sergeants (PNBS handbook 2.3). Inspecting and superintending ranks can accrue flexi-time instead (6.11).
Do transferees sit the Police Scotland entrance test (PSET)?
The PSET is not listed in Police Scotland's transferee process. Transferees complete a CVF application, background and reference checks, a CVF interview, national promotion assessments for specialist or senior roles, the 5.4 fitness test, a medical and a substance misuse test.
Does my service count for maternity pay if I transfer to Police Scotland?
The PNBS handbook (3.7) says service in any police force counts towards the 63 weeks' service needed for enhanced maternity pay, which rose to 26 weeks from 1 April 2026.
Which income tax do I pay in the year I move to Scotland?
GOV.UK says you pay Scottish income tax for a tax year if you lived in Scotland for a longer period than anywhere else in the UK during it. Tell HMRC your new address: if your rate changes it is backdated to 6 April of the tax year you moved.
Can I transfer to Police Scotland part-time?
Police Scotland offers flexible working including part-time working and compressed hours, but its transferee page does not say how part-time service is counted when placing you on a pay point. Ask before you apply. Part-time pay is the hourly rate (annual pay x 6/12520) times your hours.
Can I go back to Police Scotland after leaving?
Police Scotland's rejoiner route is only for former Police Scotland officers who completed probation. Others apply as new officers. Rejoiners are paid at the point matching their previous service in the rank and do not serve probation.
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.
- Police Scotland: Transferees : eligibility, exclusions, talent bank, process, fitness, training, no probation, posting, pay, housing allowance, national promotion assessments (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Scotland candidate portal, vacancies : Transferee Sergeant Orkney, closing 28 October 2026 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Scotland: Rejoiners : who can rejoin, pay point, no probation (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Scotland: Your community policing team : the 13 local policing divisions (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS Circular 2025/09, Pay Agreement 2025-26 and 2026-27 : enhanced maternity pay from 18 to 26 weeks (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Scotland: Apply to become a police officer : 18-week initial training; parental leave; career breaks; flexible working (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Scotland: Rewards and benefits : pension transfer in may be possible; constable scale over 11 years (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS Circular 2026/01, Federated Ranks Pay : Scottish pay points from 1 April 2026 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- SPPA: How your police pension works : 1/56.1; flat 13.7%; pension age 60; options to transfer service in (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2015, SSI 2015/142 : reg 49(4) accrual and reg 160 contribution rate (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Pensions Regulations 2015, SI 2015/445 : England and Wales 2015 scheme (1/55.3) (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/267 : England and Wales tiered contribution rates from 1 April 2026 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Remuneration Review Body (GOV.UK) : England and Wales scales used for comparison (2025/26 Annex F plus the 3.5% award from 1 September 2026) (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003, regulation 33 and Annex O : England and Wales annual leave (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS police officer handbook, 3.1 Annual leave entitlement : 28, 34, 36 or 39 days by service (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS police officer handbook, 3.7 Maternity leave and pay : service in any police force counts towards the 63 weeks (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS police officer handbook, 5.3 Removal expenses : who qualifies and what is covered (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Service of Scotland (Promotion) Regulations 2013, reg 9 : promotion exams passed in other UK forces (accessed 23 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Scottish Income Tax : who pays it and the 2026/27 bands (accessed 23 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Scottish Income Tax, if you move to or from Scotland : longer-period rule, telling HMRC, backdating to 6 April (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS police officer handbook, 2.11 Pay calculations : hourly rate annual x 6/12520 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS police officer handbook, 6.11 Flexi-time : part-time additional hours are pensionable (accessed 23 October 2026)
- PNBS Circular 2026/02, Superintending Ranks Pay : superintendent and chief superintendent pay (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Scotland FOI 24-0659: fitness testing of serving officers (11 March 2024) : no fitness tests after the two-year probation (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.