PCSO and Staff to
Police Officer Pay
Enter your salary or spine point, your hours and any shift allowance, then pick the force you would join. The calculator compares your take-home and the pension you build now with a new constable's, year by year up the 2026/27 scale. Free, no account, nothing stored.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 2 November 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
On take-home, usually yes within a few years. You are better off from year 1 if you earn less than about £29,800 full-time with no shift allowance. A new constable starts on £32,255 at most forces (about £1,952 a month after tax, NI and pension) and reaches £52,015 in year 7 (about £2,942 a month). You pay far more into the police pension (12.88% or more against 5.8% to 8.5% for full-time staff on the national spine) but you can retire on it in full at 60. Run your own figures below.
Your result
In year 1 you would take home about £12 a month less as a constable. From year 2 you would take home more each month as a constable. By the end of year 2 the extra pay would have made up the early shortfall.
As a PCSO now
£1,963
take-home a month
New constable, West Midlands
£1,952
take-home a month, year 1 (pay point 1)
Running total after 7 years
+£27,352
take-home as a constable vs staying
Provisional: these 2026/27 figures come from the Police Federation. The Home Office has not yet published its 2026/27 pay determination, so some points may change by about £1.
Year 1, line by line
| A year | PCSO now | Constable |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pay | £30,000 | £32,255 |
| Allowances | £0 | £0 |
| Gross pay | £30,000 | £32,255 |
| Pension contribution | £1,950 (6.5%) | £4,154 (12.88%) |
| Income tax | £3,096 | £3,106 |
| National Insurance | £1,394 | £1,575 |
| Take-home | £23,560 | £23,420 |
2026/27 income tax and National Insurance (England and Wales bands). Pension contributions come off before tax in both schemes.
Year by year, up the constable scale
| Year | Staying: a month | Constable: a month | Difference | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £1,963 | £1,952 (pt 1) | -£12 | -£140 |
| 2 | £1,963 | £2,021 (pt 2) | +£58 | +£555 |
| 3 | £1,963 | £2,091 (pt 3) | +£128 | +£2,092 |
| 4 | £1,963 | £2,161 (pt 4) | +£198 | +£4,469 |
| 5 | £1,963 | £2,301 (pt 5) | +£338 | +£8,526 |
| 6 | £1,963 | £2,554 (pt 6) | +£590 | +£15,612 |
| 7 | £1,963 | £2,942 (pt 7) | +£978 | +£27,352 |
Today's money: no future pay awards on either side and 2026/27 tax rules every year. Staff pay held flat (top of grade). Constables move up one point a year on the anniversary of appointment (after probation, if they meet the pay progression standard), to point 7 in year 7. The officer's pension rate is set on the previous year's pay.
Pension built
| LGPS (1/49) | Police 2015 (1/55.3) | |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly pension built in year 1 | £612 | £583 |
| Built over 7 years | £4,286 a year | £4,933 a year |
| You pay in over 7 years | £13,650 | £36,101 |
| Paid in full from | Your State Pension age (65 at the earliest) | Age 60 while you serve to retirement |
Before revaluation, in today's money. While you are a member, LGPS pension is revalued each year in line with CPI and police 2015 pension by CPI plus 1.25%. The two are paid from different ages, so a pound of each is not worth the same. If you left the police before retiring, your police pension would be paid in full from your State Pension age instead. The LGPS pension you have already built stays yours as a deferred pension when you switch.
What these numbers leave out
- Overtime in either job. Constables and sergeants are paid overtime under Police Regulations; police staff above spine point 24 lose premium overtime rates (the Point 24 bar).
- Your shift pattern as an officer. Response officers work nights, weekends and bank holidays. The unsocial hours allowance is only included if you enter night hours above.
- A 2026/27 police staff pay award. None had been agreed when this page was checked, so the spine figures are those from 1 September 2025. Officer figures already include the 3.5% from 1 September 2026. If staff get a rise, the gap narrows.
- The hours: a full-time constable works 40 hours a week against 37 for police staff.
- Union or Federation subscriptions, student loans and salary sacrifice schemes.
- Whether your force starts recruits on a higher point or recognises your experience. Pay points are national: PCSO or staff service does not move you up the constable scale.
- The employer's pension contributions and the full value of each defined benefit pension.
If you decide to apply
Start with the National Sift
Serving PCSOs apply through the same national process as everyone else: the application form, the National Sift, the online assessment centre and an in-person force interview, then vetting, medical and fitness. Your force may accept PCSO service instead of a level 3 qualification for the PCDA or PCEP. The sift comes first.
Independent practice, not an official assessment. 14-day refund: refund policy.
Recruitment window alerts
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How the comparison works
The calculator runs two careers side by side for 7 years: staying in your police staff or PCSO job or becoming a constable in the force you pick. A constable who starts on pay point 1 reaches the top of the scale in year 7. For each year it works out gross pay, then takes off your pension contribution, income tax and National Insurance to give take-home pay. Separately, it adds up the pension each job builds.
- Your pay now. Either the full-time salary you type or a Police Staff Council spine point, from £24,747 at point 9 to £60,912 at point 45 (the national spine from 1 September 2025). If you work fewer than 37 hours, it is pro rata. Any shift or unsocial hours allowance is added on top, as a percentage of basic pay or a fixed amount.
- Staff increments. If you say you are at the top of your grade, your staff pay stays flat. If not, it moves up one spine point a year to the top point you choose, or in equal steps to the top salary you type. Your force's grading scheme sets the real rules, so treat this as an estimate.
- The constable side. The 2026/27 constable scale from 1 September 2026, starting on pay point 1 (£32,255), or point 2 (£33,609) in a force that starts recruits there, such as the Met. Pay moves up one point a year to point 7 (£52,015). London Weighting (£3,260) and the London Allowance (£6,819) are added in the Met and City of London; the South East Allowance in the eight forces that pay it, at the maximum rate.
- Deductions. 2026/27 income tax and National Insurance, the same rules on both sides. Your LGPS contribution comes from the 2026/27 band for your actual pay. The constable pays 12.88%, 13.88% or 14.22% of pensionable pay. Both come off before tax.
- Pension built. The LGPS main section adds 1/49 of your pensionable pay to your pension account each year (1/98 in the 50/50 section). The Police Pension Scheme 2015 adds 1/55.3 of pensionable pay. Only basic pay and London Weighting are pensionable for officers.
The calculator adds no future pay awards on either side and keeps 2026/27 tax rules every year. That keeps the comparison honest: nobody knows the next awards. It also means the staff figures miss any 2026/27 staff award. No 2026/27 police staff award had been agreed when we last checked the talks (2 November 2026). The unions claimed 9% or £2,700, whichever is greater.
Four worked examples (2026/27 rates)
Each example runs through the same engine as the calculator: full-time, LGPS main section unless stated, no overtime, no future pay awards. They are illustrations, not predictions.
Provisional: these 2026/27 figures come from the Police Federation. The Home Office has not yet published its 2026/27 pay determination, so some points may change by about £1.
1. A PCSO on £27,000 joining West Midlands Police
Full-time, no shift allowance, at the top of grade, against a constable on pay point 1 with no allowance.
| Year | Staying: take-home a month | Constable: take-home a month | Difference a month | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £1,809 | £1,952 (point 1) | +£143 | +£1,713 |
| Year 2 | £1,809 | £2,021 (point 2) | +£212 | +£4,261 |
| Year 3 | £1,809 | £2,091 (point 3) | +£282 | +£7,650 |
| Year 4 | £1,809 | £2,161 (point 4) | +£353 | +£11,880 |
| Year 5 | £1,809 | £2,301 (point 5) | +£493 | +£17,790 |
| Year 6 | £1,809 | £2,554 (point 6) | +£745 | +£26,729 |
| Year 7 | £1,809 | £2,942 (point 7) | +£1,133 | +£40,321 |
In year 1 you would take home about £143 a month more as a constable. The gap grows as you move up the constable scale to the top in year 7.
The year 1 working, so you can check it. The PCSO pays 5.8% into the LGPS (the £18,401 to £29,000 band): £1,566. Taxable pay is £25,434; less the £12,570 personal allowance, 20% tax is £2,573. NI is 8% of pay above £12,570: £1,154. Take-home £21,707 a year, £1,809 a month. The constable on £32,255 pays 12.88% (£4,154), tax of £3,106 and NI of £1,575: take-home £23,420 a year, £1,952 a month.
2. Police staff on £35,000 joining Kent Police
Full-time, no allowance, at the top of grade, against a Kent constable on point 1 plus the South East Allowance (£35,360 in year 1).
| Year | Staying: take-home a month | Constable: take-home a month | Difference a month | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £2,242 | £2,138 (point 1) | -£104 | -£1,244 |
| Year 2 | £2,242 | £2,208 (point 2) | -£34 | -£1,653 |
| Year 3 | £2,242 | £2,278 (point 3) | +£36 | -£1,221 |
| Year 4 | £2,242 | £2,348 (point 4) | +£106 | +£51 |
| Year 5 | £2,242 | £2,488 (point 5) | +£246 | +£3,004 |
| Year 6 | £2,242 | £2,740 (point 6) | +£498 | +£8,985 |
| Year 7 | £2,242 | £3,143 (point 7) | +£902 | +£19,807 |
In year 1 you would take home about £104 a month less as a constable. From year 3 you would take home more each month as a constable. By the end of year 4 the extra pay would have made up the early shortfall.
3. Police staff on £45,000 joining the Metropolitan Police
Met staff are in the Civil Service pension schemes, not the LGPS. This example uses the 2026/27 Civil Service member rate for this pay (5.45%) and does not show the staff pension built. The Met starts constables on point 2 with London Weighting and the London Allowance (£43,688 in year 1).
| Year | Staying: take-home a month | Constable: take-home a month | Difference a month | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £2,830 | £2,598 (point 2) | -£232 | -£2,782 |
| Year 2 | £2,830 | £2,668 (point 3) | -£162 | -£4,722 |
| Year 3 | £2,830 | £2,712 (point 4) | -£118 | -£6,139 |
| Year 4 | £2,830 | £2,850 (point 5) | +£20 | -£5,897 |
| Year 5 | £2,830 | £3,150 (point 6) | +£320 | -£2,054 |
| Year 6 | £2,830 | £3,497 (point 7) | +£668 | +£5,957 |
| Year 7 | £2,830 | £3,497 (point 7) | +£668 | +£13,968 |
In year 1 you would take home about £232 a month less as a constable. From year 4 you would take home more each month as a constable. By the end of year 6 the extra pay would have made up the early shortfall. London pay does a lot of the work here: without it, a £45,000 member of staff would take years longer to catch up.
4. A PCSO on spine point 22 with a 10% shift allowance joining Cumbria
Point 22 (£33,603) plus a 10% shift allowance, with increments to come up to point 25, aged 30, against a Cumbria constable on point 1 with no allowance and no night hours entered.
| Year | Staying: take-home a month | Constable: take-home a month | Difference a month | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £2,351 | £1,952 (point 1) | -£399 | -£4,791 |
| Year 2 | £2,416 | £2,021 (point 2) | -£395 | -£9,526 |
| Year 3 | £2,484 | £2,091 (point 3) | -£392 | -£14,235 |
| Year 4 | £2,560 | £2,161 (point 4) | -£399 | -£19,020 |
| Year 5 | £2,560 | £2,301 (point 5) | -£259 | -£22,125 |
| Year 6 | £2,560 | £2,554 (point 6) | -£6 | -£22,202 |
| Year 7 | £2,560 | £2,942 (point 7) | +£381 | -£17,624 |
In year 1 you would take home about £399 a month less as a constable. From year 7 you would take home more each month as a constable. Over the 7 years shown the early shortfall is not fully made up. This is the case that catches people out: a shift allowance lifts a PCSO's pay, while the constable's basic pay leaves out the officer's own unsocial hours allowance. Enter the night hours you would expect as an officer in the calculator's extra options to see how much of the gap that closes. Over the seven years this PCSO would build £5,660 a year of LGPS pension, payable from 68, against £4,933 a year of police pension, payable from 60.
PCSO and police staff pay vs constable pay
The two sides are paid through completely different systems. Officers hold the office of constable and are paid on one national scale set each year after the Police Remuneration Review Body reports. Police staff, including PCSOs, are employees. Most forces in England and Wales grade their roles locally against the Police Staff Council's national pay spine, then apply the national staff award. The Metropolitan Police negotiates its own staff pay.
The constable scale, 2026/27
Provisional: these 2026/27 figures come from the Police Federation. The Home Office has not yet published its 2026/27 pay determination, so some points may change by about £1.
| Point | When | Gross a year | Pension rate | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | On appointment (most forces) | £32,255 | 12.88% | £1,952 |
| Point 2 | Year 2 | £33,609 | 12.88% | £2,021 |
| Point 3 | Year 3 | £34,972 | 12.88% | £2,091 |
| Point 4 | Year 4 | £36,335 | 12.88% | £2,161 |
| Point 5 | Year 5 | £39,058 | 12.88% | £2,301 |
| Point 6 | Year 6 | £44,544 | 13.88% | £2,554 |
| Point 7 | Year 7 | £52,015 | 13.88% | £2,942 |
Every new constable starts here whatever they did before. The pay rules (Annex F) start new constables on point 1, or point 2 where the chief officer has chosen that for all new recruits. Progression is one point a year on the anniversary of appointment; after probation it also depends on meeting the pay progression standard (an annual performance review and required training). The calculator assumes you progress every year. Most of the rise comes late: points 5 to 7 add more than points 1 to 4.
The Police Staff Council spine
| Spine point | Full-time salary | LGPS rate | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point 12 | £26,196 | 5.8% | £1,764 |
| Point 16 | £28,914 | 5.8% | £1,916 |
| Point 20 | £31,749 | 6.5% | £2,061 |
| Point 24 | £35,772 | 6.5% | £2,285 |
| Point 28 | £40,383 | 6.5% | £2,541 |
| Point 32 | £44,700 | 6.5% | £2,782 |
| Point 36 | £49,716 | 6.8% | £3,051 |
| Point 40 | £54,696 | 6.8% | £3,337 |
Your grade decides which points you can reach. There is no national PCSO grade, so two PCSOs doing the same work in different forces can be on different points. For a picture of where PCSOs sit:
- The ONS survey. The median full-time PCSO in the UK earned £36,182 gross, including overtime and allowances (ASHE 2026 (provisional), the tax year to 5 April 2026). The median full-time officer at sergeant and below earned £52,569.
- A force example. Thames Valley Police published PCSO starting salaries of £34,092 to £35,512 from 1 September 2026 (salary depends on shift pattern and location).
- The Point 24 line. Spine point 24 (£35,772) is where staff lose premium overtime rates under the Point 24 bar. Check your own basic salary against it: survey medians include overtime and allowances.
Read more in how much PCSOs get paid and the police staff pay scales for 2026/27.
Tax, National Insurance and pension deductions
Income tax and National Insurance work the same way for staff and officers: the 2026/27 personal allowance of £12,570, 20% basic rate tax, 40% higher rate tax and employee NI of 8% between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above. Both pension schemes take contributions before tax, so they also cut your tax bill.
The real difference is the pension contribution. Full-time staff on the national spine pay 5.8% to 8.5% into the LGPS main section. A constable pays 12.88% from day one.
| Your pay | Main section | 50/50 section |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £18,400 | 5.5% | 2.75% |
| £18,401 to £29,000 | 5.8% | 2.9% |
| £29,001 to £47,300 | 6.5% | 3.25% |
| £47,301 to £59,800 | 6.8% | 3.4% |
| £59,801 to £84,000 | 8.5% | 4.25% |
| £84,001 to £119,100 | 9.9% | 4.95% |
| £119,101 to £140,400 | 10.5% | 5.25% |
| £140,401 to £210,700 | 11.4% | 5.7% |
| £210,701 or more | 12.5% | 6.25% |
| Pensionable pay | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £37,035 | 12.88% |
| Over £37,035 to under £79,588 | 13.88% |
| £79,588 or more | 14.22% |
So on the same gross pay a constable takes home less than a member of staff. That is why the break-even point is lower than you might expect: a full-time member of staff with no allowance takes home about the same as a new constable on point 1 on a salary of around £29,800, against the constable's £32,255. At the top of the constable scale (£52,015) the matching staff salary is around £47,700.
LGPS bands are set on actual pensionable pay, including a shift allowance and overtime, not the full-time equivalent. A part-timer can sit in a lower band than a full-timer on the same grade. The police band for a new joiner is set on their pay on joining, then each year on the previous year's pensionable pay. The calculator does the same, so a move to 13.88% shows the year after your pay passes £37,035.
LGPS 2014 vs Police Pension Scheme 2015
Both are career average (CARE) defined benefit schemes: each year you build a slice of guaranteed yearly pension while the scheme carries the investment risk. They differ in how much they build, what they cost and when they pay.
| LGPS (police staff) | Police Pension Scheme 2015 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pension built each year | 1/49 of pensionable pay (1/98 in the 50/50 section) | 1/55.3 of pensionable pay |
| Per £10,000 of pensionable pay | £204 a year of pension | £181 a year of pension |
| Growth while you are a member | In line with the cost of living (CPI) | CPI plus 1.25% |
| What counts as pensionable pay | Basic pay, shift allowances and overtime | Basic pay and London Weighting only |
| Your contribution (2026/27) | 5.5% to 12.5% by band; 5.8% to 8.5% full-time on the national spine | 12.88%, 13.88% or 14.22% |
| Employer contribution | Set fund by fund at each valuation | 35.3% from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027 |
| Full pension from | Your State Pension age (65 at the earliest) | 60, while you serve to retirement |
| If you leave early | Deferred pension from your normal pension age, or from 55 reduced (57 from 6 April 2028 unless protected) | Deferred pension from your State Pension age, or from 55 reduced |
Two points stand out. First, the LGPS builds more pension per pound of pay for much less money from you. Second, the police scheme pays out years earlier: at 60, against 67 to 68 for people under 60 today. That earlier age is what the higher contribution buys.
In pounds, a constable on point 1 (£32,255) builds about £583 a year of police pension in their first year, before revaluation. A member of staff on £30,000 in the LGPS main section builds about £612. Because constable pay rises faster, the police side usually catches up on the pounds built within a few years, as the examples above show.
A pound of yearly pension at 60 is worth more than a pound at 68: it is paid for eight more years. Equally, the police pension at 60 only applies if you serve until you retire. If you leave the police early, your police pension becomes a deferred pension paid in full at your State Pension age, like the LGPS. The calculator shows the pension built, not a valuation.
For the full scheme comparison see LGPS vs police pension. To model a whole police career use the police pension calculator.
What happens to your LGPS pension when you switch
Becoming a constable ends your LGPS membership for that job: officers build pension in the police scheme instead. Nothing you have built is lost.
- 2 years' membership or more: you keep a deferred LGPS pension. It stays in your fund, rises each year with inflation and is paid in full at your LGPS normal pension age (your State Pension age, 65 at the earliest), or from 55 with a reduction (57 from 6 April 2028, unless you have a protected pension age).
- Under 2 years: you can usually take a refund of your own contributions, less tax, instead. A refund gives up the employer-funded part of the pension, so compare it with a transfer first.
- Moving it to the police scheme: possible, but not automatic. Regulation 189 of the Police Pensions Regulations 2015 lets a member ask the police scheme to accept a transfer from another pension scheme. The request must be in writing within 12 months of your first day of police service. The scheme manager may accept it (it is not obliged to). Both schemes are in the Public Sector Transfer Club. For a Club transfer the police scheme works out the pension it credits using actuarial guidance and tables (regulations 192 and 193).
Ask your LGPS fund for a transfer value and your force's police pension administrator what it would buy in the police scheme, well inside the 12 months. Compare that with leaving the deferred LGPS pension where it is: a transfer moves the whole pension onto the police scheme's rules and ages. We have not found a published rule that makes either option better for everyone: the answer depends on your figures.
More on leaving: leaving police staff: refund or deferred pension and the PCSO pension guide.
Training routes and how long they take
There is no PCSO or police staff route to becoming a constable. You apply on the same national routes as everyone else and are a paid constable from your first day on every one of them.
| Route | Who it is for | Length and probation | What your staff service can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCDA (degree apprenticeship) | No degree; you would like one | 3 years; 3-year probation | PCSO or police staff service can be accepted instead of a level 3 qualification (Annex BA); the PCSO learning programme can give recognition of prior learning |
| PCEP (entry programme) | No degree; learn on the job | 2 years; 2-year probation | PCSO or police staff service can be accepted instead of a level 3 qualification (Annex BA) |
| DHEP (degree holder) | Graduates in any subject | 2 years; 2-year probation | Gives you interview examples; the degree is the entry requirement |
| Policing degree holder | People with the licensed policing degree | Force programme; 2-year probation | Gives you interview examples |
Whether your force accepts PCSO or staff service instead of level 3 (and for how long you must have served) is a local decision. Some forces publish a minimum, such as 18 months as a PCSO. The PCSO to police officer pathway lists the forces we have checked.
The selection stages
- The national application form.
- The National Sift: a situational judgement test and a behavioural styles questionnaire, online.
- The College of Policing online assessment centre.
- An in-person interview with the force.
- Vetting (at least a full review of your staff clearance, or a new application if you change force), medical and the 15m bleep test to level 5.4.
Since 17 March 2026 regulation 10(1)(eb) of the Police Regulations 2003 has required the first four for every constable candidate except transferees from another force. There is no exemption for PCSOs or staff. The recruitment timeline planner shows how long each stage usually takes. The entry route quiz matches you to a route.
Hours, shifts and overtime
- The working week. Full-time police staff work 37 hours. A full-time constable's pay covers 40 hours. Part-time officers are paid pro rata to 40. So part of a constable's higher pay is three more hours a week.
- Overtime. Constables and sergeants are paid for overtime under Annex G of the Police Regulations 2003. Police staff above spine point 24 lose premium overtime rates and are paid at plain time or given time off (the Point 24 bar).
- Unsocial hours. Officers up to chief inspector get 10% of their hourly rate for each full hour worked between 8pm and 6am. Staff shift allowances are set locally and count as LGPS pensionable pay; the officer allowance is not pensionable.
- On call. Officers get £35 for each day with any time on call.
- Status. As a constable you hold an office rather than a contract of employment. You cannot take industrial action. The standards of professional behaviour apply off duty too. See police staff vs police officer.
The calculator leaves overtime out on both sides because neither is guaranteed. If you work regular nights now and would as an officer, enter your expected night hours in the extra options so both sides carry their shift pay.
Who comes out ahead
From the examples and the break-even figures above, at 2026/27 rates and with no overtime:
- Staff earning under about £29,800 full-time with no allowance take home more as a constable from year 1, even after the higher pension contribution.
- Staff between that and about £47,700 usually take a cut for the first few years, then take home more once they reach the higher constable points (5 to 7).
- Staff above about £47,700 take home less as a constable even at the top of the scale, unless London pay, a South East Allowance, unsocial hours or later promotion closes the gap.
- PCSOs with a big shift allowance should compare like with like: enter the night hours you would work as an officer.
- Older joiners have fewer years to 60, but every year in the police scheme still builds pension payable from 60. Joining at 50 gives ten years of police pension at 60, not a full career.
Money is only part of it. The job, the shifts, the powers and the risk are different. If you are unsure, the officer, PCSO and special constable comparison sets the roles side by side.
Myths about switching from staff to officer
- "My years as a PCSO will put me higher up the scale." No. Annex F has no provision for a higher starting point for staff service. Everyone starts on point 1, or point 2 where the force starts all recruits there.
- "I can skip the sift because I already work for the force." No. The national selection stages apply to every constable candidate except officers transferring from another force.
- "My LGPS pension becomes police pension." Not automatically. It stays in the LGPS unless you ask for a transfer within 12 months and the police scheme accepts it.
- "A higher salary means more in my pocket." Not always. A constable pays at least 12.88% into the pension against 5.8% to 8.5% for full-time staff on the spine, so the same gross pay leaves a constable with less.
- "My vetting carries over." It is reviewed again. At least a full vetting review is needed before moving from staff to officer in the same force. Officer candidates must declare all convictions and cautions.
- "The pension is only worth it if I stay 30 years." Every year counts. Each year adds its own slice of pension. What changes if you leave early is when it is paid: at State Pension age, not 60.
If you decide to apply
- Check your force is recruiting and which routes it runs: which forces are recruiting.
- Ask whether your service counts instead of level 3 for the PCDA or PCEP. Check too whether you completed the PCSO learning programme. Read the pathway guide.
- Practise the sift. It is the first test. Start with the free situational judgement practice.
- Prepare for the interview. Your staff work gives you real examples. Try the free police mock interview.
- Get your pension facts. Ask your LGPS fund for your latest benefit statement and a transfer value, so you can decide within 12 months of starting.
- Plan the money. If you face a pay cut at first, the can I afford to join the police tool plans the first years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do police officers get paid more than PCSOs?
Usually, once they are a few years in. A new constable starts on £32,255 at most forces (pay point 1 from 1 September 2026) and reaches £52,015 at point 7, in year 7. There is no national PCSO pay table: forces grade PCSOs locally. The ONS survey puts the median full-time PCSO in the UK on £36,182 and the median full-time officer at sergeant and below on £52,569 (gross pay including overtime, the tax year to 5 April 2026, provisional). A PCSO on a low grade can be better off from year 1; one with a good shift allowance may take a cut for a few years. The calculator works it out on your own pay. These 2026/27 figures are provisional until the Home Office publishes its 2026/27 pay determination.
Will I take a pay cut going from PCSO to police officer?
Only if your take-home now is above a new constable's. On pay point 1 with no allowance a constable takes home about £1,952 a month after tax, NI and the 12.88% pension contribution. A full-time member of staff in the LGPS main section with no allowance takes home about the same on a salary of around £29,800. Below that you would be better off from year 1; above it you would take a cut at first, then catch up as you move up the scale.
Does my PCSO or police staff service count towards my constable pay point?
No. The pay rules (Police Regulations 2003, Annex F) start every new constable on pay point 1, or point 2 where the chief officer has chosen to start all new constables there. There is no provision for a higher starting point for previous staff service. Your experience can count in other ways: some forces accept PCSO or police staff service instead of a level 3 qualification for the PCDA or PCEP.
What happens to my LGPS pension if I become a police officer?
It stays yours. With 2 years' membership or more you keep a deferred LGPS pension, increased each year in line with inflation and paid in full at your LGPS normal pension age (your State Pension age, 65 at the earliest) or from 55 with a reduction (57 from 6 April 2028, unless you have a protected pension age). With less than 2 years you can usually take a refund of your own contributions, less tax. From your first day as an officer you build pension in the Police Pension Scheme 2015 instead.
Can I transfer my LGPS pension into the police pension scheme?
Possibly, but it is not automatic. Under regulation 189 of the Police Pensions Regulations 2015 you can ask the police scheme to accept a transfer from another scheme, in writing within 12 months of your first day of police service. The scheme manager may accept it. Both the LGPS and the police schemes are in the Public Sector Transfer Club, which can give a better transfer value. Ask your LGPS fund for a transfer value and your force's police pension administrator what it would buy before the 12 months run out. Then compare it with leaving the deferred LGPS pension where it is.
Which is better, the LGPS or the police pension?
Per pound of pay, the LGPS builds more pension (1/49 against 1/55.3) for a much smaller contribution (5.5% to 12.5% against 12.88% to 14.22%). The police scheme pays in full from 60 instead of State Pension age and revalues by CPI plus 1.25% while you serve, against CPI in the LGPS. As a constable you usually earn more, so the pound amount built can still be higher. For a full career, being able to retire on a full pension at 60 is the police scheme's main advantage.
How long is police training if I join from police staff?
The same as for anyone else. The PCDA (degree apprenticeship) is three years with a three-year probation. The PCEP (no degree) and the DHEP (for graduates) are two years with a two-year probation. You are a paid constable from your first day on every route. Your force may give recognition of prior learning if you completed the College of Policing's PCSO learning programme.
Do PCSOs have to do the National Sift to become an officer?
Yes. Since 17 March 2026, regulation 10(1)(eb) of the Police Regulations 2003 requires every constable candidate, other than a transferee from another force, to complete the national application form and pass the national sift, the online assessment process and an in-person force interview. There is no exemption for PCSOs or police staff.
Do police officers get paid overtime?
Constables and sergeants are paid for overtime under the Police Regulations 2003 (Annex G). Officers also get an unsocial hours allowance of 10% of the hourly rate for each full hour worked between 8pm and 6am. They get £35 for each day with time on call. None of it is guaranteed, so the calculator leaves overtime out and only adds unsocial hours if you enter them.
Does the calculator include the 2026 police staff pay rise?
No 2026/27 police staff award had been agreed when we last checked the talks (2 November 2026). The unions claimed 9% or £2,700, whichever is greater. The spine in the calculator is the one from 1 September 2025. The constable figures include the 3.5% from 1 September 2026. If staff get a rise, the gap in the officer's favour narrows by roughly that much.
Is a constable's take-home lower because of the pension?
The pension contribution is the biggest difference. On £30,000 an LGPS member pays 6.5%; a constable pays 12.88% up to £37,035 of pensionable pay and 13.88% above it. Contributions come off before tax in both schemes, so a basic rate taxpayer's real cost is about 80% of the contribution.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 2 November 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.
- PSC Joint Circular 142: 2025/26 pay award and spine : Police Staff Council spine points 9 to 45, effective 1 September 2025 (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Police staff pay round 2026/27: PolicePay tracker : Status of the 2026/27 staff talks, checked 2 November 2026 (accessed 2 November 2026)
- UNISON: police staff pay claim 2026 : 9% or £2,700 claim (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Buckinghamshire Pension Fund: 2026/27 employee contribution rates (18 March 2026) : LGPS England and Wales employee contribution bands from 1 April 2026 (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013, regulation 20 : Pensionable pay: all salary, wages, fees and other payments, less listed exclusions (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013, regulation 23 : Pension accounts: 1/49 main section, 1/98 50/50 section (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013, Schedule 1 : Normal pension age: State Pension age, 65 at the earliest (accessed 2 November 2026)
- LGPS member website: how your pension is worked out : 1/49 into the pension account each year; adjusted each April in line with the cost of living (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Hampshire Pension Fund: pensionable pay (employer guide) : Contractual and non-contractual overtime and shift allowances count as LGPS pensionable pay (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Police Pensions Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/445) : Career average scheme, 1/55.3 accrual, normal pension age 60; reg 94 deferred pension at State Pension age (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Police Pensions Regulations 2015, regulation 189 : Request to accept a transfer payment: within 12 months of first day of eligible service; the scheme manager may accept (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Police Pensions Regulations 2015, regulation 192 : Club transfer statements (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Civil Service Pension Scheme: Public Sector Transfer Club : How Club transfers work between public service schemes (accessed 2 November 2026)
- SI 2026/267: Police Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 2026 : Officer contributions 12.88%, 13.88% and 14.22% from 1 April 2026 (accessed 2 November 2026)
- GAD: Police Pension Scheme (England and Wales) valuation as at 31 March 2020 : Police employer contribution 35.3% from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027 (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Home Office Circular 011/2026: Annex F (pay) : New constables start on point 1, or point 2 by chief officer decision; one point a year, subject after probation to the pay progression standard; part-time pay up to 40 hours (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Home Office Circular 011/2026: Annex U (allowances) : Unsocial hours allowance, on-call allowance, London and South East allowances (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Written ministerial statement HCWS264 (15 July 2026) : 3.5% officer pay award from 1 September 2026 (accessed 2 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances : 2026/27 personal allowance £12,570, basic rate 20%, higher rate 40% (accessed 2 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: National Insurance rates and categories : Class 1 employee NI 8% between £12,570 and £50,270, 2% above (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003, regulation 10 : National selection stages for constable candidates from 17 March 2026 (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Home Office Circular 002/2024, Annex BA : Qualifications for each entry route; PCSO and police staff service accepted instead of level 3 (accessed 2 November 2026)
- College of Policing: police constable entry routes : PCDA, PCEP, DHEP, the policing degree route and how long each takes (accessed 2 November 2026)
- ONS: ASHE 2026 (provisional), published 22 October 2026 : Median full-time gross pay for PCSOs and for officers at sergeant and below (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Thames Valley Police careers, updated pay scales effective 1 September 2026 : PCSO starting salary range published by the force (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Civil Service Pension Scheme: contribution rates 2026/27 : Member rates 4.6%, 5.45%, 7.35% and 8.05% by pensionable earnings (Example 3 and the calculator's Met option) (accessed 2 November 2026)
- LGPS member website: taking your pension : Earliest age to take an LGPS pension rises from 55 to 57 from 6 April 2028 (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Metropolitan Police: police staff pay and benefits : Met police staff join the Civil Service pension schemes (accessed 2 November 2026)
- Pensions Act 1995, Schedule 4 (as amended) : State Pension age by date of birth (accessed 2 November 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is independent and is not affiliated with any police force, the Home Office, the Police Staff Council or any pension scheme. This calculator is an estimate built on the assumptions shown, not financial or pensions advice. Pay awards, tax rules and pension rates change. Your own grade, allowances and pension record will differ. Check your payslip, your annual pension benefit statement and the force's advert before you decide. Details are as checked on 2 November 2026.