Police Federation subscriptions 2026: how much, and is it worth it?
What the subscription costs before and after tax relief, what you get for it, what you keep if you do not pay, and the questions that decide whether it is worth it for you. Independent, and written to be fair to the Federation.
Independent information, not advice · Checked 14 October 2026 · Police Federation of England and Wales only
The full Federation subscription is £26.31 a month from 1 January 2026 (£315.72 a year). With the tax relief you are entitled to, it costs about £21.05 a month at the basic rate or £15.79 at the higher rate. The main thing it buys is access to Federation-funded legal help if you are investigated, prosecuted or face a hearing, plus full rep support and, in most branches, the option of group insurance. You do not need to pay to be represented in pay negotiations or to have a police friend. Whether it is worth it comes down to one question: could you fund your own lawyer if your career depended on it?
The question in plain terms
Every constable, sergeant, inspector and chief inspector in England and Wales is represented by the Police Federation of England and Wales, a body set up by statute. Paying the monthly subscription is a separate choice. The Federation’s own national membership page says “Membership of the Federation is optional”, and that if you do not subscribe you get limited support from reps and “will not be able to access legal assistance or funding”.
So the real question is not “is the Federation worth having”, because you have it either way for pay and conditions. It is whether the services you only get by paying are worth about £253 a year to you after tax relief. For background on what the Federation is, see the Police Federation explained.
PolicePay is independent and has no relationship with the Federation, any insurer or any law firm. We quote the Federation’s own pages for what it charges and offers, and the law for what everyone gets. We do not tell you whether to join.
How much the subscription costs
The national rate is set by the Federation and taken from your pay by your force. Federation branches report that the Federation’s annual general meeting voted for a £2 a month increase, taking the gross rate from £24.31 to £26.31 from 1 January 2026. Sussex’s branch lists £26.31 a month for serving officers. That is £315.72 a year; across the 2026/27 tax year (April to March) it comes to £315.72 if the rate does not change again before April 2027.
| Period | Per month | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 to 31 August 2020 | £21.58 | Suffolk branch |
| From 1 September 2020 | £23.58 | Suffolk and Lincolnshire branches |
| From 1 December 2022 | £24.31 | Suffolk and Lincolnshire branches |
| From 1 January 2026 (current) | £26.31 | Warwickshire and Sussex branches |
Student officers and probationers
Student officers used to pay half: £12.16 a month from 1 December 2022, according to the Suffolk and Lincolnshire branches. Branches report that from 1 January 2026 the 50% student discount ended, so “all new members joining the Federation will contribute at a single standard rate from their first day of membership”, with no change for student officers already paying the reduced rate. Lincolnshire’s page says there is no student rate for future cohorts.
When we read it on 14 October 2026, the Federation’s national “becoming a member” page still said membership costs £24.31 a month with 50% off for probationers in their first year. The branch pages above post-date that and agree with each other, so we use them. Check your own payslip, where the deduction appears as “Police Federation”.
The real cost after tax relief
The Police Federation of England and Wales is on HMRC’s List 3 of approved professional bodies, so the subscription comes off your taxable pay. In the Met and West Yorkshire HMRC says relief is “given to these employees through the payroll”. Everywhere else you claim it, once, and HMRC puts it in your tax code. You can backdate it for the current tax year and the 4 before.
| Your top rate | Net a month | Net a year | Tax relief a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| No tax relief claimed | £26.31 | £315.72 | £0.00 |
| Basic rate (20%) | £21.05 | £252.58 | £63.14 |
| Higher rate (40%) | £15.79 | £189.43 | £126.29 |
| Additional rate (45%) | £14.47 | £173.65 | £142.07 |
The Federation’s branches quote £21.04 as the real monthly cost at the basic rate; our £21.05 is the same calculation rounded to the nearest penny. Most constables and sergeants are basic rate taxpayers, because their pension contributions come off before tax; overtime or allowances can take some into the higher rate.
Lincolnshire’s branch says its force payroll does not give the relief, so officers have to claim it themselves. If you have not, you may be paying the full £26.31. Our tax relief checker shows what you could claim back for the subscription and the £140 uniform allowance, and the tax relief guide explains how. It is free to do yourself.
What subscribing members get
From the Federation’s national membership page, subscribing members get:
- Advice and support from elected workplace reps, who are trained on Police Regulations.
- Help, advice and representation from a Federation rep during performance and misconduct proceedings.
- The right to apply for legal assistance for criminal, misconduct and civil matters, subject to the Federation’s funding criteria.
- The option to join their branch’s Group Insurance Scheme (paid separately).
- Member discounts from affiliated providers, local benefits, and discounted overnight stays at Federation House in Leatherhead.
| What | Subscribing members | Non-subscribers |
|---|---|---|
| Advice from workplace reps trained on Police Regulations | Members | Non-subscribers get “limited access to support from reps” (Federation) |
| A Federation rep to help and represent you in performance and misconduct proceedings | Members | Anyone can choose a police friend under regulation 7 (another officer or staff member) |
| Legal assistance for criminal, misconduct and civil matters | Subscribing members who meet the Fund Rules, at the Federation’s discretion | Not available |
| Branch group insurance scheme (life cover, critical illness, legal expenses and more) | Separate and paid for, usually only open to subscribing members | Usually not available (Dyfed-Powys says non-paying members cannot join) |
| Member discounts and Federation House accommodation | Members | Not available |
| Branch welfare or benevolent fund | Varies: often a separate small subscription | Depends on the fund’s own rules |
| National voice in pay and conditions (evidence to the pay review body) | Everyone in the federated ranks | Everyone in the federated ranks: the Federation represents all of them by law |
| Tax relief on the subscription | Yes (automatic in the Met and West Yorkshire) | Not applicable |
Legal assistance: the heart of the subscription
Most of the value of the subscription is insurance against a bad day: a complaint, an IOPC investigation, a criminal allegation from something you did on duty, or a gross misconduct hearing. At a misconduct hearing you have the right to a lawyer of your choice (regulation 8 of the Conduct Regulations), but nobody pays for that lawyer unless you arrange it.
The Federation funds legal help under its Fund Rules. In outline, from the rules and the Federation’s pages:
- Legal assistance can cover misconduct and unsatisfactory performance proceedings, and criminal proceedings arising from duty or from being an officer. It can include costs such as expert fees.
- You apply through your branch, which checks you are a subscribing member; Federation headquarters then assesses the claim and instructs solicitors if it is approved. Funding is reviewed as the case goes on.
- The Federation says it has “absolute discretion” whether to fund.
- You must be a “qualifying member”: broadly, you started paying within six months of joining and have paid continuously. Late joiners and those who stopped and restarted are dealt with under a protocol that may restrict help (rule 20).
How often it pays out. In a Freedom of Information response dated 28 March 2025, the Federation said that from 1 January 2022 it received 2,210 applications for legal funding in misconduct-related cases, granted 1,982 of them, and provided £4,848,100.58 for misconduct and gross misconduct proceedings. That is about nine in ten applications granted, though it does not tell you how much each case cost.
The Gloucestershire branch says matters that happened off duty, or that are not otherwise about your role as an officer, “may not qualify for legal funding”, and that branch group insurance legal cover may help with matters outside the rules. The full detail is in our guide to representation and legal support in misconduct cases.
What non-members still get
Not paying does not leave you with nothing. These come from the law, not from the subscription:
- Representation in pay and conditions. Section 59 of the Police Act 1996 sets the Federation up “for the purpose of representing members of the police forces in England and Wales” in “all matters affecting their welfare and efficiency”, apart from promotion of individuals and, with exceptions, individual discipline. It puts evidence to the Police Remuneration Review Body, and any pay award applies to everyone in the rank whether or not they subscribe. In June 2026 it asked for at least 7% for 2026/27.
- A police friend. Regulation 7 of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 lets any officer facing misconduct proceedings choose a police officer, a police staff member, or a person nominated by their staff association, who is not otherwise involved. The police friend can advise you throughout, represent you at a misconduct meeting, make representations and come to interviews and hearings. A police friend who is an officer or staff member gets a reasonable amount of duty time. Membership is not a condition.
- A lawyer at a hearing. The right to legal representation at a misconduct hearing (regulation 8) does not depend on membership. You would pay for it yourself.
- Some help from reps. The Federation says non-subscribers still get “limited access to support from reps”. Ask your branch what that means in practice.
Stage by stage: member or not
How the difference shows up if you are investigated, from the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 and the Federation’s own description of its services. Funding is always subject to the Fund Rules and the Federation’s discretion.
| Stage | Subscribing member | Non-subscriber |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of investigation (reg 17) | Rep explains the notice and the allegation, and helps with any written response | Choose a police friend; get advice where you can |
| Interview | Rep attends as police friend; you can apply for funded legal advice | Police friend can attend but cannot answer for you (reg 20(9)); a lawyer at your own cost |
| Misconduct meeting | Rep can act as police friend and represent you | Police friend can represent you (reg 7) |
| Misconduct hearing | Apply for Federation funding for a solicitor and barrister | Right to a lawyer (reg 8), paid by you |
| Criminal investigation arising from duty | Apply for legal assistance under the Fund Rules | Your own solicitor; legal aid depends on the usual tests |
| Appeal (Police Appeals Tribunal) | Apply for funding under the Fund Rules | Your own lawyer or a police friend |
Specials are covered too: since 28 June 2022 special constables can be members of the Federation, and the Conduct Regulations treat it as their staff association. Ask your branch what specials pay.
Group insurance and welfare funds: separate and paid
Federation group insurance is often confused with the subscription. It is a separate scheme run by each branch through a broker, with its own monthly premium. Examples we checked on 14 October 2026:
| Branch | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hertfordshire | £36.40 | Includes insurance premium tax and the branch admin fee; life cover, critical illness, family legal expenses, travel and more (2026 renewal). |
| Dyfed-Powys | £34.25 | Optional partner extension extra. “Officers who are not paying members of the Federation are not able to join.” |
So if the group insurance matters to you, the real cost of being in the Federation is the subscription plus the premium, and leaving the Federation may mean losing the insurance too. Compare it against any life, critical illness or legal expenses cover you already have rather than assuming you need both.
Welfare and benevolent funds are also usually separate. North Yorkshire’s welfare fund, for example, costs £2.50 a month and gives grants and loans in hardship. Rules and costs differ by branch, and some funds are run by the force rather than the Federation.
What legal cover costs elsewhere
We looked for published, dated prices for cover that would do what Federation legal assistance does: fund a solicitor and barrister for a police officer in a misconduct investigation, a gross misconduct hearing or a criminal case arising from duty. We did not find one we could check and compare fairly, so we have not quoted a figure. What we can say:
- Legal expenses add-ons to home or car insurance are common, but they are written for specific types of dispute. Employment cover is often written for claims against your employer, which is not the same as defending a misconduct case. Read the policy wording and ask the insurer in writing whether police misconduct and criminal defence arising from duty are covered.
- Branch group insurance includes legal expenses cover in the branches we checked, but it is usually only open to Federation members.
- Other associations. The National Police Association describes itself as a proposed, volunteer-run staff association planning legal support. We found no live membership offer, price or terms. It has no statutory role in pay negotiation.
- Paying privately. Fees depend on the stage, the lawyer and the length of the case. Our guide to misconduct solicitors and legal cover sets out what to ask for in a written fee estimate.
What the Federation does well
- It funds most misconduct applications it receives. 1,982 of 2,210 since January 2022, on its own FOI figures, at a cost of about £4.8 million.
- It is there on the worst day. Members have reps trained on Police Regulations to advise and represent them through performance and misconduct proceedings.
- It has a statutory seat. No voluntary body has the Federation’s legal role in representing the federated ranks on pay and conditions.
- The cost is modest after relief. About £21.05 a month at the basic rate once tax relief is claimed.
- It covers civil matters too. Members can apply for help with civil claims, not only misconduct and criminal cases.
Fair criticisms
- Funding is discretionary. You pay for the right to apply, not for a guarantee, and off-duty matters may not qualify.
- Late joiners can be restricted. The qualifying member rule protects the fund but means you cannot simply join when trouble starts.
- The pay voice benefits everyone. Non-subscribers get the same pay award, so the subscription is not what secures it.
- It has walked away from the pay process before. The Federation withdrew from the Police Remuneration Review Body process in 2021; it submitted evidence again in 2026.
- Public information lags. The national membership page still showed the old rate and discount months after the change.
Opting out, and opting back in
- Talk to your branch first. The Federation’s national page says to contact your local branch to join or cancel. Ask what you lose, including any group insurance and welfare fund cover.
- Ask when the deduction stops. Sussex says cancellations received after the 1st of a month are processed by payroll the following month.
- Tell HMRC if your tax code includes relief for the subscription, so it is removed from the right date.
- Know the rejoining rule. If you rejoin later, the Fund Rules may restrict legal assistance under the late joiner protocol (rule 20). Ask your branch what would apply to you before you leave.
Whatever you decide, you keep your police friend right under regulation 7 and your statutory representation on pay.
What it costs over a career
At today’s rate, with no future increases (there will probably be some: the rate has gone up three times since 2020), the subscription adds up like this:
| Paying for | Gross | After basic rate relief | After higher rate relief |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | £316 | £253 | £189 |
| 5 years | £1,579 | £1,263 | £947 |
| 10 years | £3,157 | £2,526 | £1,894 |
| 20 years | £6,314 | £5,052 | £3,789 |
| 30 years | £9,472 | £7,577 | £5,683 |
Set against that, a funded misconduct hearing or criminal defence can involve solicitor and barrister fees over many months. We have not quoted a typical private fee because we could not find a checked, comparable source, but our guide to misconduct solicitors sets out how lawyers charge and what to ask.
Scenarios
Illustrations of how the same facts weigh differently for different officers. They are not recommendations.
| Officer | What applies | The point to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| Student officer joining in 2026 | Pays the full £26.31 from day one; about £21.05 after relief. Starting within six months of joining keeps qualifying member status under the Fund Rules. | Joining late and then needing help is the situation the late joiner rule is written for. |
| Response constable, five years in | More exposure to complaints, use of force and driving matters. The subscription and the branch group insurance both apply. | Could you fund a gross misconduct hearing privately? |
| Detective sergeant, higher rate with overtime | Net cost about £15.79 a month at the higher rate. Investigations into disclosure or case handling can happen in any role. | Check whether any legal cover you already hold covers duty matters. |
| Inspector with two years to retirement | Still a federated rank. A retired member can apply for help with a matter that arose while serving, if they were a qualifying member when they left. | Leaving now saves little and may leave a gap for past conduct. |
How to decide: a guide, not advice
These are the questions that make the difference. Answer them honestly for your role and your finances.
| Ask yourself | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Would you fund a solicitor or barrister yourself if you were investigated, prosecuted or taken to a hearing? | If not, Federation legal assistance is the main thing the subscription buys. |
| How exposed is your role to complaints, use of force, pursuits or serious incidents? | More exposure means a higher chance of needing representation. Any officer can be investigated. |
| Do you already have legal cover elsewhere that covers police work? | Check the wording. Cover for disputes with your employer is not the same as defence in a misconduct or criminal case. |
| Do you want the branch group insurance? | In most branches it is only open to Federation members. |
| Could you rejoin quickly if you changed your mind? | Late joiners may be restricted under the Fund Rules (rule 20). Leaving and rejoining is not a free option. |
| What does it cost you after tax relief? | About £21.05 a month at the basic rate, £15.79 at the higher rate. |
It is more likely to be worth it if you could not easily fund a lawyer for a hearing or a criminal case, your role carries more exposure to complaints and serious incidents, or you want the branch group insurance. It is less clear-cut if you already hold legal cover that you have confirmed in writing covers police misconduct and criminal defence, and you do not want the group insurance. In both cases the cost after relief is about £253 a year at the basic rate.
The subscription mostly pays for help you hope never to need. That is the same logic as any insurance: the question is not whether you expect to use it, but whether you could cope if you did and had nothing.
Checklist before you join, stay or leave
- What does my payslip show as the Federation deduction, and am I on a student rate?
- Have I claimed tax relief on it (outside the Met and West Yorkshire)?
- Am I a qualifying member under the Fund Rules, and what would change if I left and rejoined?
- Am I in the branch group insurance, and would leaving the Federation end it?
- Do I pay into a branch welfare or benevolent fund, and is it tied to membership?
- Do I hold any other legal cover, and has the insurer confirmed in writing that it covers police misconduct and criminal defence arising from duty?
- Who would I ask to be my police friend if I needed one?
- Could I pay for a lawyer at a gross misconduct hearing myself?
Myths
- “Federation membership is compulsory.” The subscription is optional. Statutory representation on pay applies to everyone in the federated ranks.
- “If you do not pay, nobody will sit with you in an interview.” Any officer or staff member can be your police friend under regulation 7.
- “The Federation always pays for a barrister.” Funding is discretionary and assessed case by case.
- “You can join when you need it.” Late joiners may be restricted under rule 20.
- “Group insurance is part of the subs.” It is a separate premium, usually only for members.
- “Subs are not tax deductible.” They are, and you can backdate the claim 4 years.
- “Students still pay half.” Not for anyone joining from 1 January 2026.
Not verified
We looked for these on 14 October 2026 and could not confirm them, so we have not relied on them.
- A national Federation statement of the 2026 rate. The national membership page still showed £24.31; the £26.31 figure comes from several branch pages reporting the national decision.
- Whether student officers who joined before 2026 move to the full rate at a set point. Branches say their rate did not change on 1 January 2026.
- The detailed funding criteria and the late joiner protocol. The Fund Rules say the National Board sets them.
- A national Federation welfare fund. We found branch-level funds only.
- Prices for comparable legal cover, private misconduct lawyers, and the National Police Association.
- What “limited access to support from reps” means for non-subscribers in each branch.
Paying already? Make sure you get the tax back
Our free checker works out the relief on your subscription and the uniform allowance for every open tax year, and links to the free GOV.UK claim.
Open the tax relief checkerFrequently asked questions
How much is the Police Federation subscription in 2026?
£26.31 a month from 1 January 2026, up from £24.31, according to Federation branch announcements of the national decision. That is £315.72 a year.
How much does the Federation subscription really cost after tax relief?
About £21.05 a month for a basic rate taxpayer and £15.79 for a higher rate taxpayer, once you claim tax relief. The Federation's own branches quote £21.04 for the basic rate.
Is there still a student officer discount on Federation subs?
Not for new joiners. From 1 January 2026 the 50% student rate ended for new members, who pay the standard rate from their first day. Branches say current student officers' rate did not change. The student rate was £12.16 a month from December 2022.
Is Police Federation membership compulsory?
No. The Federation's own membership page says membership is optional. By law (Police Act 1996, section 59) the Federation represents officers in the federated ranks on welfare and efficiency, which covers pay negotiation for everyone. Paying the subscription is what gives access to its member services, including legal assistance.
What do I lose if I stop paying Federation subs?
Access to Federation legal assistance and funding, full rep support (the Federation says non-subscribers get limited access to reps), branch group insurance in most branches, and member discounts. You keep your statutory representation in pay and conditions and your right to a police friend.
Can I get a police friend if I am not in the Federation?
Yes. Regulation 7 of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 lets you choose a police officer, a police staff member or a person nominated by your staff association. Membership is not required, and an officer or staff member acting as police friend gets a reasonable amount of duty time.
Does the Federation always pay for a lawyer?
No. Legal assistance is under the Fund Rules and funding criteria, and the Federation says it has absolute discretion. In an FOI response it said it granted 1,982 of 2,210 misconduct-related funding applications from 1 January 2022 to early 2025.
Can I join the Federation when I am under investigation?
You can join, but the Fund Rules treat people who did not start paying within six months of joining, or who stopped and restarted, under a protocol that may restrict what legal help they get (rule 20). Ask your branch before relying on it.
Is Federation group insurance included in the subscription?
No. Group insurance is run by each branch and paid separately, for example about £34 to £36 a month in the branches we checked. In most branches you must be a subscribing Federation member to join.
How do I opt out of the Police Federation?
Contact your local branch, which is what the Federation's national page says. Subscriptions are taken from pay by your force, so ask when the deduction will stop; Sussex says cancellations received after the 1st of the month are processed the following month. If you claim tax relief on the subscription, tell HMRC.
Is the Federation subscription tax deductible?
Yes. The Police Federation of England and Wales is on HMRC's List 3 of approved bodies. In the Met and West Yorkshire relief comes through payroll; elsewhere you claim it, alongside the £140 uniform flat rate, and can backdate 4 years.
Does the Federation represent officers who do not pay?
In pay and conditions, yes: section 59 of the Police Act 1996 sets it up to represent members of police forces in all matters affecting their welfare and efficiency, apart from individual promotion and most individual discipline questions. Individual services are mainly for subscribers.
Does this apply to Scotland and Northern Ireland?
No. This page is about the Police Federation of England and Wales. The Scottish Police Federation and the Police Federation for Northern Ireland are separate bodies with their own rates and services. Their subscriptions are also on HMRC's List 3.
Sources and how we checked them
Accessed on 14 October 2026. Federation pages are used as the source for what the Federation says it charges and provides; the law and HMRC are used for everything else. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- Police Federation of England and Wales: becoming a member : Membership optional; what subscribing members get; non-subscribers get limited rep support and no legal assistance; tax relief automatic in the Met and West Yorkshire. Still showed £24.31 and a probationer discount when read. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Warwickshire Police Federation: January 2026 increase to Federation subscriptions : £2 a month increase from 1 January 2026, £24.31 to £26.31 gross; student 50% discount ends for new members; no change for current student officers. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Sussex Police Federation: joining the Federation : £26.31 a month for serving officers; cancellations after the 1st processed the following month. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Lincolnshire Police Federation: your subscriptions : Rate history, student rate £12.16, net cost quoted as £21.04; relief not given through Lincolnshire payroll. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Suffolk Police Federation: claiming tax relief on Federation subscriptions : £21.58 to August 2020, £23.58 from September 2020, £24.31 from December 2022. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- HMRC List 3: approved professional organisations (updated 29 September 2026) : Police Federation of England and Wales listed, except Met and West Yorkshire where relief is given through payroll. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Police Act 1996, section 59 (legislation.gov.uk) : The Federation represents members of police forces and special constables in all matters affecting welfare and efficiency, with exceptions. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, regulation 7 (legislation.gov.uk) : Who can be a police friend; what they can do; duty time. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, regulation 8 (legislation.gov.uk) : Right to a relevant lawyer at a misconduct hearing or accelerated hearing. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Police Federation: legal advice and assistance : Funding process; absolute discretion. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Police Federation Rules (version 4, October 2024), Appendix 5 Fund Rules (PDF) : Qualifying members (rule 20), what legal assistance can cover. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Police Federation FOI 00432: legal representation for misconduct cases (28 March 2025) : 2,210 applications, 1,982 granted, £4,848,100.58 from 1 January 2022. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Police Federation: police pay 2026, our evidence to the PRRB (15 June 2026) : Asked for at least 7% for 2026/27 and a multi-year deal. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Gloucestershire Police Federation: conduct FAQ : Off-duty matters may not qualify for funding; group insurance legal cover may cover matters outside the rules. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Hertfordshire Police Federation: group insurance for police officers : £36.40 a month including IPT and admin fee (2026 renewal). Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Dyfed-Powys Police Federation: group insurance : £34.25 a month for serving officers; non-paying Federation members cannot join. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- North Yorkshire Police Federation: welfare fund and charities : Welfare fund membership £2.50 a month. Accessed 14 October 2026.
On this topic elsewhere
Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent reference site. It is not affiliated with the Police Federation, any staff association, insurer or law firm, and takes no commission. This page is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice, and it does not recommend joining or leaving any body. Check current terms with your Federation branch. Details are as checked on 14 October 2026.