Police Pay Award 2024/25: What the 4.75% Rise Means for Your Pay Packet
The 2024 police pay award was 4.75% — but after pension, tax and NI, how much extra does that actually put in your pocket each month?
The headline: 4.75%
The Police Remuneration Review Body recommended a 4.75% pay award for 2024/25, applied from September 2024. The Home Secretary accepted the recommendation in full — a rare event in recent history.
For a constable on Year 5, that moved basic pay from roughly £35,820 to £37,512 — an increase of £1,692/year.
What does 4.75% actually add to take-home?
The gross increase is not what lands in your account. Here's what happens to that £1,692 increase for a mid-scale constable:
| Deduction | Impact |
|---|---|
| Extra pension (12.44%) | −£211 |
| Extra income tax (20%) | −£338 |
| Extra NI (8%) | −£135 |
| Net increase | ~£1,008/year |
| Net increase per month | ~£84/month |
So a headline 4.75% rise adds roughly £84/month to a mid-scale constable's take-home.
How it compares across ranks
| Rank & Point | Gross Increase | Monthly Take-Home Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Constable Year 5 | +£1,692/yr | +~£84/month |
| Constable Year 10 | +£2,124/yr | +~£101/month |
| Sergeant Point 1 | +£2,119/yr | +~£100/month |
| Inspector Point 1 | +£2,598/yr | +~£99/month |
Inspectors benefit slightly less in take-home terms proportionally because more of their pay falls in the higher-rate tax band.
Real-terms context
CPI inflation peaked at 11.1% in October 2022. The 2024 award partially closes the gap opened over 2022–23, but officers are still broadly behind in real terms compared to 2019 levels.
The PRRB noted that police pay has fallen around 14% in real terms since 2010.
Is it enough?
That depends on your cost of living. For most officers in the South East, £84/month doesn't significantly change affordability — particularly given the cost of housing near major force areas.
Use our calculator to see exactly where your pay stands after all deductions, and compare the 2024/25 and previous scales to see your personal uplift.
Figures are for guidance only. Not financial advice. For personalised calculations, use the take-home calculator.