Transferee tracker, checked 19 October 2026
Police forces recruiting transferees now
Which forces in England and Wales are inviting serving officers to transfer in, for which roles, by when, and with what relocation money. Every entry comes from the force's own page or its own vacancy system, read on a stated date. If a force's page did not mention a package, neither do we.
Short answer
On 19 October 2026, 10 forces' own pages were inviting transferee applications: Avon and Somerset Police, Cumbria Constabulary, Dorset Police, Dyfed-Powys Police, Greater Manchester Police, Lincolnshire Police, Merseyside Police, South Wales Police, South Yorkshire Police, West Midlands Police. 5 forces stated a relocation package of up to £8,000 (Avon and Somerset Police, Cumbria Constabulary, Dorset Police, Humberside Police, Lincolnshire Police). 6 were recruiting armed officers as transferees.
Forces inviting transferees
Read by hand on 19 October 2026 from each force's transferee page, or from the force's own vacancy system where our feed can read it. "Inviting applications" means the page listed transferee roles or said applications were open that day. Campaigns open and close without notice, so always check the force page before you apply.
| Force | Status | Roles open to transferees | Closing date or intake | Relocation package (force's own words) | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avon and Somerset Police South West | Inviting applications | Police constable, detective constable, detective sergeant (including CID), patrol sergeant, custody sergeant, dog handler PC, counter terrorist specialist firearms officer (CTSFO) PC | Courses planned through the year; no closing date on the list | For some roles, officers relocating to the force area may be offered a relocation package of up to £8,000; the force says to check each vacancy. Source | Force page Our force jobs page |
| Cumbria Constabulary North West | Inviting applications | Constables, sergeants and inspectors across all roles; detective transferees (Barrow); Firearms Support Unit officers trained to ARV standard; national firearms instructors | Not stated | A relocation package of up to £8,000 may be available, considered case by case. Source | Force page Our force jobs page |
| Dorset Police South West | Inviting applications | Police constables, detective constables, surveillance constables, sergeants, roads policing PCs, armed response vehicle (ARV) constables, tactical firearms team constables, chief superintendent | Rolling: register an expression of interest | Up to £8,000 of reasonable relocation expenses, with receipts, for transferees who live beyond the force boundary and/or at least 30 miles from their future permanent workplace. Repayable in full if you leave, transfer or retire within two years. Source | Force page Our force jobs page |
| Dyfed-Powys Police Wales | Inviting applications | Response constables (Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and north Powys); Joint Firearms Unit constables (Cross Hands, Milford Haven, Llandrindod Wells) | 2027 start dates to be confirmed, likely June and November | None stated on the force's page | Force page Our force jobs page |
| Greater Manchester Police North West | Inviting applications | Constables for the Transport Policing and Crime Command, detective constables, neighbourhood constables and sergeants, authorised firearms officer (AFO) constables, national firearms instructors | Not stated | None stated on the force's page | Force page Our force jobs page |
| Humberside Police Yorkshire and the Humber | Transferee page live: check vacancies | Transferee page live; it points to the force's current vacancies rather than listing roles | Not stated | A relocation and removal package of up to £8,000 for officers who live outside the force area and at least 50 miles from their permanent place of work. Source | Force page Our force jobs page |
| Lincolnshire Police East Midlands | Inviting applications | Detective constables and detective sergeants for the Protecting Vulnerable Persons (PVP) department (PIP2 required) | Next intake early February 2027 | Transferring Officer Relocation Expenses Package: claims of up to £8,000 towards removal, storage, sale and purchase costs (including stamp duty) for eligible applicants. Source | Force page Our force jobs page |
| Merseyside Police North West | Inviting applications | Substantive police constable and detective constable transferees | Advert closing date 31 December 2026 | None stated on the force's page | Force advert Our force jobs page |
| South Wales Police Wales | Inviting applications | Substantive police officers; substantive sergeants or inspectors. Particularly neighbourhood and response officers, qualified PIP2 detectives and officers with specialist skills for critical roles | Not stated | None stated on the force's page | Force page Our force jobs page |
| South Yorkshire Police Yorkshire and the Humber | Inviting applications | Constables, sergeants, inspectors and chief inspectors (uniform and detective), transferees and rejoiners | Advert closing date 31 December 2026 | None stated on the force's page | Force advert Our force jobs page |
| West Midlands Police West Midlands | Inviting applications | All ranks advert (PC/DC, PS/DS and inspector/DI recruiting; chief inspector and above by expression of interest, as the advert's own update of 14 August 2026 put it); firearms officer transferees (ARV and CTSFO) for a February 2027 intake; roads policing constables (advanced drivers); PPU constables; force contact dispatch | No closing date in the advert data we read | None stated on the force's page | Force advert Our force jobs page |
Region from our force register. "Our force jobs page" is PolicePay's page for that force, with pay and entry routes. We have no commercial relationship with any force listed here.
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Relocation packages for transferees
Searches for a "police officer relocation package" often turn up broker or recruitment-agency pages. These are the packages forces themselves state, word for word in substance, with the conditions attached. Every one we found was capped at £8,000.
| Force | What the force says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Avon and Somerset Police | For some roles, officers relocating to the force area may be offered a relocation package of up to £8,000; the force says to check each vacancy. | Force page |
| Cumbria Constabulary | A relocation package of up to £8,000 may be available, considered case by case. | Force page |
| Dorset Police | Up to £8,000 of reasonable relocation expenses, with receipts, for transferees who live beyond the force boundary and/or at least 30 miles from their future permanent workplace. Repayable in full if you leave, transfer or retire within two years. | Force page |
| Humberside Police | A relocation and removal package of up to £8,000 for officers who live outside the force area and at least 50 miles from their permanent place of work. | Force page |
| Lincolnshire Police | Transferring Officer Relocation Expenses Package: claims of up to £8,000 towards removal, storage, sale and purchase costs (including stamp duty) for eligible applicants. | Force page |
Three things to check before you count on the money:
- Distance rules. Humberside's package is for officers living outside the force area and at least 50 miles from their place of work; Dorset's for those beyond the force boundary and/or at least 30 miles away. Moving a short distance may not qualify.
- Reimbursement, not a bonus. Dorset pays reasonable expenses backed by receipts, and Lincolnshire lists removal, storage, legal, estate agent and stamp duty costs. Budget for paying up front and claiming back.
- Clawback. Dorset says you repay the full amount if you resign, transfer or retire within two years of joining. Ask any force whether it has a similar rule before you sign.
Devon and Cornwall Police: the joint Devon and Cornwall and Dorset transferee FAQ says Devon and Cornwall does not currently pay removal expenses, while a third-party listing for an August 2026 transferee webinar mentioned a package of up to £8,000. We have not found the force's own page stating a package, so we do not list one. Ask the force. Joint FAQ.
One force also attached extra pay to a transferee role: Lincolnshire Police. From 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027, transferees joining the PVP teams may be eligible for an extra £200 a month under the force's Targeted Variable Payment scheme. Source.
Moving costs are only half the picture: a move can change your allowances, commute and housing costs for years. The transfer pay and pension guide and the police mortgage borrowing calculator help you put numbers on that.
Transferring to armed policing
"Transfer to armed police" can mean two different things: moving forces while staying a firearms officer, or becoming one. The transferee adverts we read were all the first kind. They wanted officers who are already firearms-trained and deployable.
| Force | Transferee roles listed (firearms roles among them) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Avon and Somerset Police | Police constable, detective constable, detective sergeant (including CID), patrol sergeant, custody sergeant, dog handler PC, counter terrorist specialist firearms officer (CTSFO) PC | Force page |
| Cumbria Constabulary | Constables, sergeants and inspectors across all roles; detective transferees (Barrow); Firearms Support Unit officers trained to ARV standard; national firearms instructors | Force page |
| Dorset Police | Police constables, detective constables, surveillance constables, sergeants, roads policing PCs, armed response vehicle (ARV) constables, tactical firearms team constables, chief superintendent | Force page |
| Dyfed-Powys Police | Response constables (Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and north Powys); Joint Firearms Unit constables (Cross Hands, Milford Haven, Llandrindod Wells) | Force page |
| Greater Manchester Police | Constables for the Transport Policing and Crime Command, detective constables, neighbourhood constables and sergeants, authorised firearms officer (AFO) constables, national firearms instructors | Force page |
| West Midlands Police | All ranks advert (PC/DC, PS/DS and inspector/DI recruiting; chief inspector and above by expression of interest, as the advert's own update of 14 August 2026 put it); firearms officer transferees (ARV and CTSFO) for a February 2027 intake; roads policing constables (advanced drivers); PPU constables; force contact dispatch | Force page |
- West Midlands Police's firearms transferee advert was for a February 2027 intake and named experienced armed response vehicle officers and counter terrorism specialist firearms officers. Advert.
- Cumbria's Firearms Support Unit wanted transferees trained to the national ARV standard, who would also train as advanced drivers and in tactical pursuit and containment if not already qualified.
- Dorset listed both ARV constables and tactical firearms team constables (the latter must already be specialist firearms officers), posted at Ferndown.
- Greater Manchester and Cumbria also listed national firearms instructor roles.
If you are not firearms-trained, the realistic route is to transfer in another role and then apply through the new force's firearms selection. How armed selection, the extra interview, firearms medical and enhanced financial vetting work is covered in armed police transfer explained.
Detective transfers
9 of the forces in the table listed detective roles for transferees, and most ask for PIP2 accreditation already in hand.
| Force | Roles listed | What the page asks of you |
|---|---|---|
| Avon and Somerset Police | Police constable, detective constable, detective sergeant (including CID), patrol sergeant, custody sergeant, dog handler PC, counter terrorist specialist firearms officer (CTSFO) PC | Must have completed probation in a Home Office force and live inside the force area; successful applicants must stay at least two years. Vetting clearance does not transfer and takes about three to six months. |
| Cumbria Constabulary | Constables, sergeants and inspectors across all roles; detective transferees (Barrow); Firearms Support Unit officers trained to ARV standard; national firearms instructors | Response bases at Barrow, Carlisle, Kendal, Whitehaven and Workington (no transferees for Kendal or Penrith response). Accepts Police Scotland officers; not the Civil Nuclear Constabulary; NCA officers only with Home Office force service in the last five years. Detectives must provide a PIP2 certificate. |
| Dorset Police | Police constables, detective constables, surveillance constables, sergeants, roads policing PCs, armed response vehicle (ARV) constables, tactical firearms team constables, chief superintendent | Same pay point and increment date if there is no break in service (Police Scotland pay is realigned to national rates). Do not resign until you have a written start date. |
| Greater Manchester Police | Constables for the Transport Policing and Crime Command, detective constables, neighbourhood constables and sergeants, authorised firearms officer (AFO) constables, national firearms instructors | Welcomes returning officers as well as transferees. |
| Lincolnshire Police | Detective constables and detective sergeants for the Protecting Vulnerable Persons (PVP) department (PIP2 required) | Serving in a Home Office force, confirmed in post, last three years of appraisals, in-date fitness test (level 5.4) and other mandatory training. Applicants unsuccessful in the past three months are not considered. |
| Merseyside Police | Substantive police constable and detective constable transferees | See the force page |
| South Wales Police | Substantive police officers; substantive sergeants or inspectors. Particularly neighbourhood and response officers, qualified PIP2 detectives and officers with specialist skills for critical roles | Probation completed at the rank applied for. Stages: interview, vetting, medical, fitness and biometric vetting (DNA, fingerprints and drugs). |
| South Yorkshire Police | Constables, sergeants, inspectors and chief inspectors (uniform and detective), transferees and rejoiners | See the force page |
| West Midlands Police | All ranks advert (PC/DC, PS/DS and inspector/DI recruiting; chief inspector and above by expression of interest, as the advert's own update of 14 August 2026 put it); firearms officer transferees (ARV and CTSFO) for a February 2027 intake; roads policing constables (advanced drivers); PPU constables; force contact dispatch | See the force page |
If you are a trainee detective, check whether the receiving force will let you finish there. Cumbria said a trainee who wants to transfer must commit to the National Investigators' Exam and the detective course. The NIE hub and NIE exam dates cover the exam itself.
Live transferee adverts from force job boards
This board uses the same recruitment feed as our police jobs board, filtered to transferee adverts. It reads force vacancy systems directly and refreshes when you open the page. Many forces' sites block automated reading, so a force missing here may still be recruiting: the hand-checked table above covers several of those.
60
live vacancies we can read
3
forces with a readable job feed
4
forces confirmed recruiting
Last checked today. We check every force twice a day and show you exactly where each answer came from.
Showing 7 of 43 forces
West Midlands Police
Read from West Midlands Police's own job board, today.
Starting salary
£32,255
national scale
≈ £1,952/mo take-home
South Yorkshire Police
Read from South Yorkshire Police's own job board, today.
Starting salary
£32,255
national scale
≈ £1,952/mo take-home
Starting salary
£32,255
national scale
≈ £1,952/mo take-home
Greater Manchester Police
Read from Greater Manchester Police's careers page today. We can see what they mention, not a vacancy list.
Starting salary
£32,255
national scale
≈ £1,952/mo take-home
Derbyshire Constabulary
Read from Derbyshire Constabulary's careers page today. We can see what they mention, not a vacancy list.
Starting salary
£32,255
national scale
≈ £1,952/mo take-home
Leicestershire Police
Read from Leicestershire Police's careers page today. We can see what they mention, not a vacancy list.
Starting salary
£32,255
national scale
≈ £1,952/mo take-home
Lancashire Constabulary
Read from Lancashire Constabulary's careers page today. We can see what they mention, not a vacancy list.
Starting salary
£32,255
national scale
≈ £1,952/mo take-home
How a transfer works, in brief
Transfers between forces are run by the receiving force, against its own vacancies. There is no national transfer window. The forces in this tracker described broadly the same steps:
- Check eligibility. Almost every page asked for probation completed and confirmation in rank in a Home Office force, and no live disciplinary or performance matters. Lincolnshire asks you to wait until any investigation or open complaint is resolved.
- Apply against a live vacancy or register an expression of interest (Dorset). Some forces ask for appraisals (Lincolnshire wants the last three years) and a line manager support form.
- Interview. Often online: Dyfed-Powys says it usually uses Microsoft Teams, and Avon and Somerset uses a virtual interview.
- Conditional offer, then checks: vetting, medical, fitness and references, and in some forces biometric vetting (South Wales lists DNA, fingerprints and drugs testing).
- Start date and posting. Postings follow operational need: Avon and Somerset and Lincolnshire both say they note preferences but cannot guarantee a location.
The full step-by-step, including references and release dates, is in the police transfer process explained, and the decision itself in how to transfer between police forces. For shorter questions, see the transfer FAQ.
Vetting, medical and fitness: nothing carries over
Serving officers are sometimes surprised that a transfer means passing the checks again. On the pages we read:
- Vetting. Avon and Somerset says vetting clearance is not transferable between forces, takes about three to six months, and can take longer if you have worked in more than one force.
- Health and biometrics. Avon and Somerset says its medical and biometric checks can only be done within the force; clearances from other forces do not apply.
- Fitness and mandatory training. Lincolnshire wants your fitness test (to level 5.4), personal safety training, first aid and driving qualifications current and evidenced.
- Driving. Dyfed-Powys requires a full manual licence and the DVLA Group 2 medical standard, because every officer response drives.
Anything that could come up in vetting, such as debt, associations or past complaints, is better raised early. Our misconduct and vetting guides explain how vetting decisions are made.
Pay, pension and leave when you transfer
Dorset's transferee page sets out the position most clearly of the pages we read: a transfer is not a new start.
- Pay point. You transfer on the same pay point and increment date, provided there is no break in service. Officers from Police Scotland, which has its own pay scales, are realigned to the national rates.
- Pension. Pensionable service normally transfers with you and counts as continuous if there is no gap.
- No gap. Do not resign until you have a written start date and posting, and make the resignation effective from midnight before you join.
- Annual leave. Past service counts for leave entitlement, but you must use your current leave before you go: outstanding leave and time off in lieu do not transfer.
What does change is the money tied to the force and the post: London Weighting and the London Allowance, South East Allowance, overtime levels and any local payments such as Lincolnshire's targeted variable payment above. Work through those in transfer pay and pension explained, and compare take-home pay with the police salary calculator.
Police Scotland, NCA, BTP and CNC officers
Most transferee routes are written for officers in the 43 Home Office forces. Some go further:
- Police Scotland. Cumbria says it now accepts Police Scotland officers. Dorset realigns Police Scotland pay to the national rates.
- National Crime Agency. Cumbria accepts NCA officers only if they worked in a Home Office force within the last five years.
- Civil Nuclear Constabulary. Cumbria cannot take CNC officers as transferees; they must apply through the standard constable process.
- British Transport Police. West Midlands' roads policing advert accepted officers from a Home Office force or BTP.
- Non-Home Office forces generally. Dorset runs a separate route for them; check the force page.
Thinking of going further afield? Our guide to transferring to an Australian police force covers the forces that recruit UK officers, and police secondments cover temporary moves.
If the force you want is not listed
- Check its careers page directly. Our police jobs board links to every force's careers site, and each force page shows the routes our last check found.
- Look for an expression of interest or "talent bank" option. Avon and Somerset and Dorset both let officers register interest for future roles.
- Use the transferee alert above. When a force opens a campaign, we email the list.
- Compare forces on more than the advert: best police forces to transfer to sets out how to weigh pay, housing, workload and progression.
Not verified: we could not read every force's site, and some force systems block automated checks. A force missing from the table may still be recruiting transferees. Corrections are welcome through our contact page.
Questions
Which police forces are recruiting transferees right now?
On 19 October 2026 these forces' own pages invited transferee applications: Avon and Somerset Police, Cumbria Constabulary, Dorset Police, Dyfed-Powys Police, Greater Manchester Police, Lincolnshire Police, Merseyside Police, South Wales Police, South Yorkshire Police, West Midlands Police. Humberside Police had a transferee page that pointed to its current vacancies. Forces open and close transferee campaigns often, so check the force's own page before applying.
Which forces offer a relocation package to transferees?
On their own pages (read 19 October 2026): Avon and Somerset Police, Cumbria Constabulary, Dorset Police, Humberside Police, Lincolnshire Police. Each offered up to £8,000, with different conditions: distance from your new workplace, receipts for actual costs, case-by-case decisions, or only for some roles. Dorset says the money is repayable in full if you leave within two years.
How much is a police relocation package in the UK?
Every force package we found on a force's own page was capped at £8,000. It is a reimbursement of reasonable expenses (removals, legal and estate agent fees, stamp duty on some schemes), not a cash bonus, and each force sets its own eligibility rules. There is no national police relocation scheme for transferees that we could find.
Which forces are recruiting armed officers as transferees?
On 19 October 2026: Avon and Somerset Police, Cumbria Constabulary, Dorset Police, Dyfed-Powys Police, Greater Manchester Police, West Midlands Police listed firearms roles for transferees (ARV, AFO, CTSFO, firearms support or firearms instructors). Most ask that you are already firearms-qualified and currently deployable.
Can I transfer to armed policing if I am not firearms trained?
The transferee firearms adverts we read were for officers already trained and serving in the role (for example ARV-trained officers or current CTSFOs). If you are not firearms trained, the usual route is to transfer as a constable and then apply through the new force's own selection for firearms, after any minimum service it sets.
Do I keep my pay point if I transfer?
Normally yes, if there is no break in service. Dorset's transferee page, for example, says you transfer on the same pay point and increment date, and that officers from Police Scotland have their pay realigned to the national scales. Location allowances belong to the force and the post, so they can change.
Does my vetting transfer to the new force?
No. Avon and Somerset says vetting clearance is not transferable between forces and takes about three to six months, longer if you have served in more than one force. Expect vetting, a medical and a fitness test with the receiving force.
Can I transfer from Police Scotland, the NCA or the CNC?
It depends on the force. Cumbria says it now accepts Police Scotland officers but not Civil Nuclear Constabulary officers, and accepts National Crime Agency officers only if they served in a Home Office force in the last five years. Dorset has a separate route for officers from non-Home Office forces.
Do I need PIP2 to transfer as a detective?
For most detective transferee roles, yes. Lincolnshire requires PIP2 accreditation, and Cumbria asks for a PIP2 certificate, though it also welcomes officers who have passed the National Investigators' Exam but not yet finished the detective course.
How long does a police transfer take?
Avon and Somerset says successful applicants could start within about three months, subject to checks, with vetting alone taking about three to six months. Dyfed-Powys gives likely 2027 start dates of June and November. Plan for several months.
Should I resign before I get a start date?
No. Dorset tells transferees not to resign until every stage is complete and they have written confirmation of a start date and posting, and to make the resignation effective from midnight before the joining date, so there is no break in service.
How will I know when another force opens transferee recruitment?
Use the alert on this page. We re-read force transferee pages and the live feed, and email the list by hand when a force opens a transferee campaign or a package changes.
Sources
Each force's own page or advert, read on 19 October 2026. The live board uses our recruitment feed of force vacancy systems. Entries hide themselves 45 days after they were checked.
- Avon and Somerset Police: transferee page : read 19 October 2026
- Cumbria Constabulary: transferee page : read 19 October 2026
- Dorset Police: transferee page : read 19 October 2026
- Dyfed-Powys Police: transferee page : read 19 October 2026
- Greater Manchester Police: transferee page : read 19 October 2026
- Humberside Police: transferee page : read 19 October 2026
- Lincolnshire Police: transferee page : read 19 October 2026
- Merseyside Police: transferee advert : read 19 October 2026
- South Wales Police: transferee page : read 19 October 2026
- South Yorkshire Police: transferee advert : read 19 October 2026
- West Midlands Police: transferee advert : read 19 October 2026
- Dorset Police: relocation package : read 19 October 2026
- Lincolnshire Police: relocation package : read 19 October 2026
- West Midlands Police: firearms officer transferee advert (February 2027 intake) : read through our recruitment feed, 19 October 2026
- Devon and Cornwall and Dorset: joint transferee FAQs : read 19 October 2026
PolicePay is independent and not affiliated with any police force. Recruitment status, roles and packages change: confirm them with the force's recruitment team before you apply or resign.