Transfer to the MOD Police
The NEOF Route
The Ministry of Defence Police takes serving and recent officers through its New Entrant from Other Forces (NEOF) route. It is shorter than joining as a New Recruit, but the nationality rule, the vetting and the pension are very different from a Home Office transfer. Written from the MDP's own NEOF pages and adverts, read on 23 October 2026.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 23 October 2026 · MOD Police (UK-wide)
Apply as a New Entrant from Other Forces (NEOF). You need to be a regular constable with at least 2 years' service and probation from a Home Office force or a recognised force such as BTP, the CNC, the PSNI or Police Scotland. You must be serving or have left within 36 months and be a sole British national. The process is an application, a sift, a 40-minute NEOF suitability interview at RAF Wyton, the PES-JRFT, a medical and SC vetting. Most NEOF officers train for 10 weeks and serve the rest of a 12-month probation. Adverts start at £33,222 and you move into the Civil Service alpha pension.
What the NEOF route is
The MDP recruits constables through two routes only: New Recruit (no previous policing experience, including service leavers) and New Entrant from Other Forces (NEOF) for serving or recent officers. The MDP does not use the word "transferee" on its current site. Every constable post is armed: Police Constable Authorised Firearms Officer Counter Terrorism (AFO CT).
NEOF is not a transfer in the Home Office sense. You leave your force and join the MDP as a new employee of the Ministry of Defence, on MDP pay, MDP conditions and the Civil Service pension. The MDP is outside the Police Remuneration Review Body's remit and its pay is set by the MOD.
You must be a sole British national holding a valid British passport, as a New Recruit must. Dual nationals cannot be accepted, even with years of service in another UK force. If that rules you out, look at the CNC transferee route, which publishes no sole-British rule.
Who can apply as a NEOF
| Requirement | What the MDP says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Where you serve or served | A UK Home Department (Home Office) force or a recognised civilian policing organisation, including BTP, the CNC, Ports Police, the PSNI and Police Scotland | NEOF entry criteria; NEOF application request |
| Rank and status | A regular constable who has completed probation | NEOF entry criteria |
| Length of service | At least 2 years' service | NEOF entry criteria; NEOF application request |
| Initial training | Completed (the form names PCEP, PCDA and PDHEP). With under 4 years' service, send evidence of completing your initial entry programme (PCEP, degree apprenticeship, degree holder or equivalent) | NEOF application request; NEOF entry criteria |
| Still serving or recently left | Serving, or left within the last 36 months | NEOF application request |
| Investigations | Not subject to a live conduct or performance investigation | NEOF application request |
| Firearms | You do not need to be AFO qualified | NEOF entry criteria |
| Everything else | The same nationality, residency, driving licence, criminal record, tattoo and finance rules as New Recruits | NEOF entry criteria |
Which forces count
- Any UK Home Office force.
- British Transport Police.
- The Civil Nuclear Constabulary.
- Ports Police.
- The Police Service of Northern Ireland.
- Police Scotland.
The MDP's list says "including", so other recognised civilian policing organisations may count. If yours is not named, ask before you apply. Military police service is not on the list: service leavers apply as New Recruits.
What this means for you
- Under 2 years or still on probation? You cannot use NEOF yet.
- Under 4 years' service? Have your PCEP, degree apprenticeship or degree holder programme completion evidence ready.
- Under investigation? A live conduct or performance investigation stops the application.
- Special constable, PCSO or staff? NEOF is for regular constables. Ask the MDP which route applies to you.
Nationality, residency and the other rules NEOF shares with New Recruits
| Rule | What the MDP says |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Sole British national with a valid British passport. Dual nationals and foreign nationals cannot be accepted. |
| Residency | 5 years' continuous UK residence before applying (no more than 6 months' total absence); 10 years for DV sites such as AWE, Menwith Hill or RNAD Coulport. Time abroad in the British Armed Forces or on UK Government service counts as UK residence. |
| Driving licence | Full UK manual car licence with no more than 6 penalty points. |
| Finances | No outstanding County Court Judgments; not registered bankrupt with outstanding debts; at least 3 years since discharge if previously bankrupt. |
| Tattoos and piercings | Tattoos on the face, head or neck forward of the ear or jawline mean automatic rejection; no facial piercings; flesh tunnels leaving a hole over 4 mm mean automatic rejection. |
| Criminal record | Disclose everything. Type A offences always lead to rejection; Type B offences almost certainly will. |
Residency trips up experienced officers more than anything else. If you have lived or worked abroad (other than in the British Armed Forces or on UK Government service) for more than 6 months in total in the last 5 years, you do not meet the rule. For DV sites the look-back is 10 years. GOV.UK says the rule is not flexible and is strictly applied. For more detail see MOD Police eligibility.
Previous police service: the conduct and performance bars
The MDP's police vetting page sets out when previous service in any UK force (as an officer, member of staff, PCSO or special) stops an application.
| Record | When | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Final Written Warning | In the last 5 years | Application will not progress |
| Written Warning | In the last 3 years | Application will not progress |
| Extension to a Final Written Warning | At any time | Application will not progress |
| Formal Unsatisfactory Performance Procedure (UPP) case | In the last 3 years | Application will not progress |
| Honesty and Integrity misconduct sanction | In the last 5 years | Application will not progress |
| Served Notice of Investigation or formal UPP | Currently | Application suspended |
| Dismissed for gross misconduct and on the Barred and Advisory List | Former officers | Will not progress |
| Resigned or retired while subject to gross misconduct proceedings | Former officers | Will not progress |
| Terminated as a probationer, or resigned instead of termination | Former officers | Will not progress |
| Dismissed under UPP | Former officers | Will not progress |
These are hard rules, not factors to be weighed. A Written Warning from two years ago means waiting another year before you apply. Work out your dates before you start. You must also disclose any contact with the police as a victim, suspect or witness and dealings with Military Authorities. Your social media accounts (including unused ones) must comply with the Code of Ethics.
Rejoiners and the 3-year rule
The MDP has no separate rejoiner route. What matters is how long ago you left the police service (any UK force, including the MDP itself) at the point of application:
| You left | You apply as | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Within the last 3 years (36 months) | NEOF | The NEOF process, shorter training and the remainder of a 12-month probation. |
| More than 3 years ago | New Recruit | The full process, including the competency interview, 21 weeks of training and 2 years' probation, regardless of how long you served. |
If you are near the 3-year mark, apply before it passes. The test is at the point of application, so a few weeks can decide which route you take.
The NEOF process, step by step
| Step | Stage | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eligibility | Check you meet the NEOF criteria. |
| 2 | Application request | The NEOF eligibility form on mod.police.uk. If eligible you are sent the application pack. |
| 3 | Sift | Your application is assessed. |
| 4 | NEOF suitability interview | Face to face at RAF Wyton or another location you are told about; two assessors; about 40 minutes. The job-related fitness test may be the same day. |
| 5 | Medical, fitness and vetting | Pre-employment medical, the fitness test if not done, Security Check (SC) and police vetting. Developed Vetting (DV) after your station allocation. |
| 6 | Hire | An offer as positions become available. |
| 7 | Appointment and training | Usually a 5-day conversion course and the 9-week firearms course. |
Unlike New Recruits, NEOF applicants have no competency based interview listed. The MDP lists no online tests, written exercise or role play for either route. The application request form is on mod.police.uk, not Civil Service Jobs.
Developed Vetting for DV sites is processed after your station allocation is confirmed and SC is granted. If you do not get DV, the MDP offers another posting suited to your clearance with no entitlement to relocation expenses. Do not commit to a house move until clearance for your posting is confirmed.
The NEOF suitability interview
- Where: face to face at MDP Headquarters, RAF Wyton (Cambridgeshire), or another location you are told about.
- Who: two assessors.
- How long: about 40 minutes.
- What it covers: your understanding of the force, your motivation, how the role may affect your personal life, your skills and experience, the code of ethics, dealing with vulnerable people and safeguarding.
- Same day: your job-related fitness test may be scheduled for the same day.
Experienced officers can underestimate this. You will be asked why the MDP, not just why policing: know what the MDP does (armed counter terrorism protection of defence sites), where it works and why you want to leave your current force. Have an honest answer about postings, nights and residential training. See MOD Police interview questions.
The six NEOF roles open on 23 October 2026
On 23 October 2026 the MDP listed six NEOF roles, none with a closing date. Treat them as open now, but check the MDP's current opportunities page before you apply.
| Role | Locations named | Advert pay | Extra requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised Firearms Officer Counter Terrorism | HMNB Clyde; RNAD Coulport; Peterhead; Barrow-in-Furness; Carlisle; Preston; Fylingdales; Whitehall; Raynesway; AWE Aldermaston; AWE Burghfield; Porton Down; Welford | From £33,222 | The core armed role. |
| Tactical Firearms Unit AFO CT | AWE Group (10-week specialist training) | £39,327 to £55,518 | 15m multi-stage fitness test to level 10.5 before employment; 10-week specialist training. |
| Special Escort Group AFO CT | AWE Aldermaston (C, C1 and D1 licence entitlements or willingness to gain them) | £41,327 to £57,518 | C, C1 and D1 licence entitlements or willingness to gain them; an extra SEG interview on Teams; extended time away from home. |
| Marine Unit AFO CT | Clyde, Portsmouth and Devonport Marine Units (swim test and marine medical before an offer) | From £33,222 | Swim test and marine medical before an offer; the advert calls the suitability interview and fitness test an assessment day. |
| National Firearms Instructor | HMNB Clyde; Imphal Barracks York; Donnington; AWE Aldermaston; AWE Burghfield; HMNB Portsmouth; HMNB Devonport; Fairford | £33,222 to £55,413 | You must have been a National Firearms Instructor within the last 2 years. |
| Operational Support Unit Officer | RAF Wyton (online information session Wednesday 4 November 2026, 6pm to 7pm; register by 11:45pm Monday 2 November 2026) | £30,643 to £49,413 | Firearms, search and public order plus mutual aid to Home Office forces. |
The Operational Support Unit is holding an online information session on Wednesday 4 November 2026 from 6pm to 7pm. You must register before 11:45pm on Monday 2 November 2026. The National Firearms Instructor role is only for officers who have been an NFI within the last 2 years.
NEOF training and probation
| Your situation | Training | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Not AFO qualified (standard NEOF) | 5-day residential conversion course at DSPS Southwick Park, then the 9-week Initial Firearms Course | 10 weeks |
| Qualified AFO | 5-day conversion course, then firearms training set by National Firearms Instructors | Set by the instructors |
| Gap in service with PPST lapsed over 24 months | 8-day PPST new starter course, 2-day conversion, 4 weeks at your duty station, then the 9-week firearms course if needed | 15 weeks |
| Non-firearms roles | 5-day conversion course only | 5 days |
- Where: the conversion course is residential at the Defence School of Policing and Security, Southwick Park, Hampshire. The 9-week firearms course is at a regional hub or training centre.
- Probation: the remainder of a 12-month probationary period.
- Pay: full salary from day one; all training costs covered.
- Fitness: the PES-JRFT in a 20 kg vest, the same test as New Recruits. TFU applicants also need the 15m multi-stage fitness test to level 10.5.
Full detail in MOD Police training.
NEOF pay: what the adverts say and what they do not
The NEOF AFO CT and Marine Unit adverts start at £33,222, which is point 4 of the MDP constable scale. New Recruits start on point 2, £30,643. The MDP does not publish how your previous service sets your starting point, or whether you can start higher than point 4.
Compared with a Home Office constable
- The top of the MDP constable scale (point 8) is £49,413.
- The top of the England and Wales constable scale (point 7) is £52,015 on our figures (the PRRB scales plus the 3.5% award from 1 September 2026).
- So on basic pay alone an MDP constable at the top of the scale earns £2,602 less (our arithmetic).
- At AWE the MDP adds the South East Allowance (Higher) of £3,105 and a priority posting allowance of £3,000: £55,518 at point 8 (our arithmetic). That is the top of the TFU advert range.
If you are near the top of a Home Office scale, a move to the MDP can mean a pay cut unless your site carries allowances. Ask the MDP, in writing, which point you would start on before you resign. See MOD Police pay scales and the pay calculator.
Promotion exam passes you bring with you
- Recognised: an OSPRE Part One pass and a Police Scotland promotion exam pass. Others are considered case by case.
- How long it lasts: three years from the date you gained it.
- How many uses: one promotion process only: constable to sergeant or sergeant to inspector.
- Older passes: passes gained before 1 April 2016 are treated as gained on that date and expired on 31 March 2019.
Our arithmetic on the rule: a pass gained in June 2024 would be valid until June 2027. If you are weighing a move, the clock is already running. For the Home Office exams, see the sergeant exam explained.
The pension switch: what you leave behind
This is the biggest long-term difference. As an MDP officer you automatically join the Civil Service pension scheme, alpha, not a police pension scheme.
| Home Office police | MOD Police | |
|---|---|---|
| Scheme for future service | Police Pension Scheme 2015 (or the equivalent police scheme) | Civil Service alpha |
| Normal pension age | 60 (members of a police force) | State Pension age |
| Age you can retire unreduced | 60 | 65 under the employer-funded Effective Pension Age (or 3 years below State Pension age if higher) |
| Member contribution at constable pay | Check your payslip | 4.6% (points 2 to 5) or 5.45% (points 6 to 8) on basic pay |
| Employer contribution | Not covered here | 28.97% |
In plain terms: a Home Office officer can retire on an unreduced police pension at 60. After moving to the MDP, the service you build in alpha is paid unreduced from 65. Leaving earlier means an early retirement reduction on your alpha pension, worked out from 65.
What happens to the police pension you have already built when you leave your force depends on your scheme and service. We do not cover it here: get a benefit statement and ask your scheme administrator before you resign. Read the MOD Police pension guide and transferring into or out of a police pension.
NEOF vs the CNC transferee route
| MOD Police (NEOF) | Civil Nuclear Constabulary | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can transfer | Regular constables with 2 years' service and probation from Home Office forces, BTP, CNC, Ports Police, PSNI or Police Scotland | Serving officers from Home Office forces, Police Scotland, PSNI, BTP and MDP who have passed probation |
| Left the police | Within 36 months: NEOF. Over 3 years: New Recruit | Break under 12 months: transferee. 12 months to 5 years: rejoiner |
| Nationality | Sole British national | No sole-British rule published |
| Interview | NEOF suitability interview at RAF Wyton (no competency interview listed) | Values Based Interview at a recruitment day |
| Fitness | PES-JRFT in a 20 kg vest (TFU: MSFT 10.5) | Multi-stage fitness test to level 7.6 |
| Firearms assessment | None listed at recruitment | Firearms assessment, waived for current AFO and ARV officers |
| Training | 5-day conversion plus 9-week firearms course (10 weeks) for most | 4-week or 19-week residential IFP |
| Probation | Remainder of 12 months | Six months |
| Pay | NEOF AFO CT and Marine adverts from £33,222 (OSU from £30,643); starting point rules not published | Salary and leave usually honoured; adverts £32,256 to £52,014 |
| Pension | Civil Service alpha | UKAEA Combined Pension Scheme (move to alpha delayed) |
The CNC says transferees usually keep their salary and leave entitlements from their last force. The MDP publishes no equivalent promise. If pay continuity matters most, ask both forces in writing before you choose. See transferring to the CNC.
What the MDP does not publish about NEOF
- How your previous service sets your starting pay point.
- Whether your annual leave entitlement carries over from your old force.
- Closing dates, intake dates or how many posts each NEOF campaign will fill.
- How long the process takes from application request to start date.
- Mobility terms: whether and how you can be moved to another site later.
- The pay progression rules once you are in post.
- Which allowances are pensionable and the alpha accrual rate.
Common mistakes NEOF applicants make
- Assuming a dual national can transfer. The sole British nationality rule applies to NEOF too.
- Leaving it more than 3 years. After that you are a New Recruit, whatever your service.
- Forgetting an old warning. A Written Warning in the last 3 years or a Final Written Warning in the last 5 stops the application.
- Expecting your old pay. The AFO CT and Marine adverts start at £33,222 (the OSU advert at £30,643) and the starting point rule is not published.
- Ignoring the pension age. You move from a police pension age of 60 to alpha with an unreduced age of 65.
- Treating the suitability interview as a formality. It is the main assessment on the NEOF route.
- Letting a promotion exam pass lapse. Recognised passes last three years and cover one promotion process.
- Moving house before DV. A failed DV can change your posting, with no relocation expenses.
Before you apply: a checklist
- Sole British nationality and a valid British passport.
- 5 years' continuous UK residence (10 for DV sites), with your travel and overseas time listed.
- 2 years' service, probation passed and initial training completed (evidence ready if under 4 years).
- No live investigation and no warnings inside the MDP's time limits.
- Full UK manual licence, 6 points or fewer.
- A pension statement from your current scheme and a written answer on your MDP starting point.
- Training for the PES-JRFT in a 20 kg vest (and MSFT 10.5 for TFU).
- Specialist extras: C, C1 and D1 entitlements (SEG), a swim test and marine medical (Marine), NFI status in the last 2 years (NFI).
PolicePay is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the MDP, the MOD or the Defence Police Federation. Check the MDP's own pages before relying on anything here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can police officers transfer to the MOD Police?
Yes, through the New Entrant from Other Forces (NEOF) route. You must be a regular constable who has completed probation with at least 2 years' service in a Home Office force or a recognised civilian policing organisation such as BTP, the CNC, Ports Police, the PSNI or Police Scotland. You must be serving or have left within the last 36 months. The same sole British nationality and residency rules as New Recruits apply.
Do I need to be firearms trained to join the MOD Police as a NEOF?
No. The MDP says NEOF applicants do not need to be AFO qualified. Most NEOF officers take a 5-day conversion course and the 9-week Initial Firearms Course, 10 weeks in all.
Is there a competency interview for NEOF applicants?
No competency interview is listed for the NEOF route. The MDP lists a NEOF suitability interview: face to face at RAF Wyton or another advised location, with two assessors, lasting about 40 minutes. The Special Escort Group role adds a separate SEG interview on Teams.
What do NEOF officers get paid at the MOD Police?
The NEOF AFO CT and Marine Unit adverts start at £33,222, which is point 4 of the MDP constable scale. The MDP does not publish how your previous service sets your starting point. Specialist adverts quote higher ranges that include site allowances, for example £39,327 to £55,518 for the Tactical Firearms Unit.
I left the police 4 years ago. Can I rejoin through NEOF?
No. The MDP says anyone who left the police service within the last 3 years at the point of application applies as a NEOF. After more than 3 years you can only apply as a New Recruit, regardless of how long you served.
Does my sergeant exam pass count at the MOD Police?
The MDP recognises an OSPRE Part One pass and a Police Scotland promotion exam pass, with others considered case by case. A recognised pass is valid for one promotion process only (constable to sergeant or sergeant to inspector) for three years from the date you gained it.
What happens to my police pension if I join the MOD Police?
As an MDP officer you join the Civil Service alpha scheme, with a normal pension age of State Pension age and an employer-funded Effective Pension Age of 65. Home Office police officers have a normal pension age of 60. What happens to the police pension you have already built depends on your scheme: get a statement from your administrator before you resign.
How long is probation for NEOF officers?
NEOF officers complete the remainder of a 12-month probationary period. New Recruits are on probation for the whole 2-year programme.
Can special constables or PCSOs use the NEOF route?
Not as NEOF. The route is for regular constables who have completed probation. The MDP does not describe a separate route for special constables, PCSOs or police staff, so ask the recruitment team which route applies to you. The MDP's rules on previous police service, such as recent written warnings, cover specials, PCSOs and staff too.
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.
- MDP: NEOF entry criteria : probation and 2 years' service; recognised forces; under 4 years' evidence; same rules as New Recruits; not AFO qualified; rejoiners; promotion exam passes (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: NEOF application request : serving or left within 36 months; initial training named; no live conduct or performance investigation (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: NEOF recruitment process : eligibility, application request, sift, NEOF suitability interview, medical, fitness, SC and police vetting, hire, training; remainder of 12-month probation (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: NEOF training : 5-day conversion; 10 weeks; qualified AFO route; 15-week route; non-firearms roles (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: Police vetting : previous police service bars for officers, staff, PCSOs and specials (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: New Recruit entry criteria : nationality, residency, licence, finances, tattoos, criminal record rules shared by NEOF (accessed 23 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Ministry of Defence Police entry requirements : rejoiners after 3 years apply as New Recruits; residency strictly applied (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: Current opportunities : six NEOF roles listed on 23 October 2026 with no closing dates (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: NEOF PC Authorised Firearms Officer Counter Terrorism : locations; pay from £33,222 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: NEOF PC Tactical Firearms Unit AFO CT : AWE Group; MSFT 10.5; 10-week specialist training; £39,327 to £55,518 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: NEOF PC Special Escort Group AFO CT : AWE Aldermaston; C, C1 and D1 entitlements; SEG interview on Teams; £41,327 to £57,518 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: NEOF PC Marine Unit AFO CT : Clyde, Portsmouth and Devonport; swim test and marine medical; pay from £33,222 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: NEOF PC National Firearms Instructor : eight locations; NFI within the last 2 years; £33,222 to £55,413 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: NEOF PC Operational Support Unit Officer : RAF Wyton; information session 4 November 2026; £30,643 to £49,413 (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: Salary, allowances and pension : constable scale; allowances; alpha; employer 28.97% (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: UK Security Vetting : SC minimum; DV after station allocation; no relocation expenses after a DV fail (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Public Service Pensions Act 2013, section 10 : normal pension age 60 for members of a police force; State Pension age otherwise (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Defence Police Federation Circular 03/22 : employer-funded Effective Pension Age of 65 for MDP officers in alpha (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Police Remuneration Review Body report 2026, England and Wales : basis of our England and Wales comparison figure (accessed 23 October 2026)
- CNC careers: Police officer transferees : CNC transferee eligibility, process, training, probation and pay (accessed 23 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
More in this guide series
Free tools for MOD Police and CNC applicants
Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the Ministry of Defence Police, the Ministry of Defence, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, the Civil Nuclear Police Authority, the Defence Police Federation, the Civil Nuclear Police Federation, the College of Policing or any other force. It does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Every fact here comes from the force's own pages, GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk or the other sources listed, read on the date shown. Each force sets and changes its own process and pay: check its current pages and your own invitation before relying on anything here. Our practice questions are original PolicePay material, not questions used by either force. Details are as checked on 23 October 2026.