Which Force Actually Fits You?
The 43 forces of England and Wales with real pay data behind every one, plus BTP, the MOD Police, the CNC, Police Scotland and the PSNI. Take the quiz for a quick match, or compare any of them side by side yourself. Looking up which force covers a postcode? The police.uk postcode search does that.
Take The Quiz
Question 1 of 4
Which nation do you want to serve in?
Picked a force? See which forces are recruiting, and which hold a final interview.
Or Compare Forces Yourself
Pick up to 4 forces and see real Constable pay, allowances and take-home side by side.
| Force | the Met | West Midlands |
|---|---|---|
| Region | London | West Midlands |
| HQ | London | Birmingham |
| Constable Starting Pay | up to £43,688 | £32,255 |
| Constable Top Pay | £62,094 | £52,015 |
| Est. Net Monthly (Start) | £2,598 | £1,952 |
| Regional Allowances | London Weighting (£3,260), London Allowance (up to £6,819) | None: national scale |
| Major Towns Covered | Westminster, Croydon, Ealing | Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton |
| Officer Reviews |
Starting pay assumes pay point 1 except where a force starts recruits on point 2 (the Met and BTP start on national point 2; the MOD Police starts on point 2 of its own scale, £30,643). London and South East allowances are maximum rates.
Want every UK force in one table, including BTP, Police Scotland and the PSNI? Use the starting pay by force tool or read which UK police force pays the most.
Recruitment window alerts
Shortlisted a force? Get told when it opens
Choose up to three forces. When we see one open a constable intake on its own site or the national list, we will tell you by email, written by hand. Occasional emails. Unsubscribe any time.
A Note On What "Best" Means Here
This tool compares what we can actually verify (pay, allowances and region) because those are knowable facts, not opinions. It doesn't score forces on culture, response times or promotion speed, because we don't have honest data on those and won't pretend to. Use it to shortlist, then do the human research (force open days, serving officers you know, force-specific pages) before you commit.
Is a higher-paying force a better deal? Run it through the regional affordability comparator. Weighing Scotland against England and Wales? See Police Scotland vs England and Wales recruitment.
See The Full Number For Any Force
Model take-home pay, allowances, part-time and overtime for any of the 43 forces in the free Salary Calculator.
Open Salary Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
Which UK police force pays the most?
In England and Wales, the Metropolitan Police pays the most to a new constable: it starts recruits on pay point 2 and with London Weighting and the London Allowance (paid up to a maximum) that is up to £43,688 from September 2026. The City of London Police pays the same London payments. 8 more forces pay a South East Allowance; the rest pay the national £32,255. Across the UK, Police Scotland starts constables on £34,001 (April 2026), more than the England and Wales national scale but less than London. British Transport Police uses the national scale from point 2 with its own London allowances.
How many police forces are there in England and Wales?
There are 43 territorial police forces across England and Wales, each covering its own policing area with its own recruitment process.
Does a higher-paying force always mean a better deal?
Not necessarily. London Weighting and South East allowances exist to offset a materially higher cost of living, so a higher headline salary in those forces doesn't automatically translate into more disposable income than a lower-paying force in a cheaper region. The regional affordability comparator works it through with housing costs.