Police Pay Rise 2026/27: 3.5% Confirmed for England and Wales

The 2026/27 Police Pay Award: 3.5% Confirmed

The Government confirmed the 2026/27 police pay award on 15 July 2026: a 3.5% increase for officers of all ranks in England and Wales, effective 1 September 2026. It followed the recommendations of the independent Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) and, for the most senior ranks, the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB). The Home Office is providing £373 million of additional funding over three years to support forces with the cost.

Officers who have not yet reached the top of their pay scale receive their normal pay progression — typically between 4% and 6% — on top of the 3.5%, provided they meet the progression requirements.

How the Final Figure Compared to the Submissions

Home Office — up to 2.5% In its March 2026 evidence to the PRRB, the Home Office stated a pay award of up to 2.5% was affordable for most forces, pointing to four consecutive above-affordability awards — 5% in 2022/23, 7% in 2023/24, 4.75% in 2024/25, and 4.2% in 2025/26.

NPCC — 3.5% The National Police Chiefs' Council submitted evidence supporting a 3.5% increase if matched by sufficient funding — the figure the award ultimately landed on. Responding on 15 July, the NPCC welcomed the above-inflation award and the additional funding, while noting its disappointment that the PRRB's full recommendations were not accepted.

Police Federation — 7% The Police Federation of England and Wales had called for a 7% annual increase over three years, citing that officers are approximately 21% worse off in real terms compared to 2010 and that voluntary resignation rates are rising.

When Does It Take Effect?

The 3.5% applies from 1 September 2026. The official per-point pay-scale tables are published by the Police Federation shortly after the announcement; where the award lands in your pay packet before those tables are processed, any difference is backdated to 1 September.

Our calculators are being updated with the exact figures the moment the official tables are published.

How the PRRB Process Works

The Police Remuneration Review Body is an independent advisory group that examines police pay and conditions. It is not a negotiating body — police officers in England and Wales do not have the right to strike, which is why the review body process exists in their place.

Each year the PRRB receives evidence from:

• The Home Office (affordability and government position)
• The NPCC (operational and workforce perspective)
• The Police Federation (frontline officer representation)
• The Police Superintendents' Association (superintendent ranks)
• Other bodies including the College of Policing

The PRRB weighs all submissions and makes an independent recommendation to the Home Secretary. The government can accept the recommendation, accept it with modifications, or reject it — though rejection is rare.

Has the PRRB Ever Recommended More Than the Government Proposed?

Yes, consistently in recent years. The PRRB recommended 4.2% for 2025/26 despite the Home Office saying it could only afford a lower figure. It recommended 4.75% for 2024/25 and 7% for 2023/24. In each case the government accepted the recommendation, finding additional funding to cover the difference.

This pattern is why many observers expect the final 2026/27 award to exceed the Home Office's 2.5% proposal.

What Different Award Levels Would Mean for Police Pay

Current Pay Scales (September 2025)

These are the confirmed pay scales currently in effect for officers appointed on or after April 2013. You can see the full breakdown including estimated take-home for every rank and pay point on the pay scales page.

Constable

Higher ranks

Met and City of London inspectors and chief inspectors are on separate, higher London scales: £66,462–£71,697 and £73,062–£75,855 respectively, before London allowances.

New Constable Pay Scale From September 2026 (3.5%)

The table below applies the confirmed 3.5% award to the current constable pay scale. These figures apply the award to the September 2025 scales and are accurate to within a pound or two; the official per-point tables may round individual points marginally differently.

Why the Headline Percentage Doesn't Tell the Whole Story

A 3.5% pay rise sounds straightforward. The amount that actually lands in your bank account is a different matter.

Pension Contributions Interact With the Pay Rise

Police pension contributions under PPS 2015 are tiered based on your pensionable pay. A pay rise can push you into a higher contribution band, meaning more goes towards pension before tax is calculated.

The current tiers (effective 1 April 2026) are:

• Up to £37,035 → 12.88%
• £37,036 to £79,587 → 13.88%
• £79,588 and above → 14.22%

An officer currently on PP5 (£37,737) is already in the 13.88% tier. The 3.5% rise takes them to approximately £39,058 — remaining in the same tier, so their pension deduction increases proportionally.

An officer currently earning just below a tier threshold faces a more significant impact. If the pay rise pushes their pensionable pay above £37,035, their contribution rate jumps from 12.88% to 13.88% — partially offsetting the gross pay increase.

Tax and National Insurance Apply to the Increase

Income tax at 20% and National Insurance at 8% apply to earnings above the relevant thresholds. For every £1,000 of gross pay increase, a basic rate taxpayer takes home approximately £720 — less if pension contributions also increase.

This is why a 3.5% gross pay rise rarely translates to a 3.5% increase in monthly take-home pay. See how the calculator handles these interactions for a full explanation of the methodology.

London Weighting

Officers in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police receive London Weighting of £3,150 (pensionable) plus a London Allowance of up to £6,588 (non-pensionable) — a combined £9,738 per year. The Home Office asked the PRRB to consider whether London Weighting should increase in 2026/27. Any uplift would affect Met officers' take-home separately from the basic pay award.

How to Work Out Your Take-Home Pay

Working out your actual take-home after pension, tax and National Insurance is genuinely complex — particularly around tier thresholds and how pension interacts with tax relief. The Police Take Home Pay Calculator handles all of this automatically. Select your rank, pay point and location and it shows your exact monthly take-home with a full breakdown. It covers:

• All ranks from Constable to Chief Superintendent
• Both pre and post April 2013 constable pay scales
• PPS 2015 tiered pension contributions
• London Weighting and South East allowances
• Overtime at all rates (casual, rest day, public holiday)
• Part-time contracted hours
• Student loan deductions (Plans 1, 2, 4, 5 and Postgraduate)
• Custom tax codes including 1300L for officers claiming Fed relief

Our calculators update with the exact new figures the moment the official September 2026 pay-scale tables are published.

Recent Police Pay History

To understand where 2026/27 might land, it helps to see the recent trend.

The four above-inflation awards between 2022 and 2026 restored some of the real-terms losses accumulated between 2010 and 2022. The 3.5% for 2026/27 is broadly in line with the wider public-sector settlements for the year.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Police Scotland

Police Scotland has already confirmed its 2026/27 pay award as part of a two-year settlement agreed in 2025. Officers in Scotland will receive a minimum of CPI inflation plus 1% — currently equivalent to approximately 3.5% to 4% — effective from April 2026. Scottish officers are on a slightly different pay spine and subject to Scottish income tax rates, which are higher above £44,000.

PSNI

PSNI officer salaries follow the England and Wales pay scales. The 2025/26 4.2% increase applied to PSNI, though implementation was delayed until January 2026 due to funding arrangements. All PSNI officers also receive the Northern Ireland Transitional Allowance (NITA) of £4,300 per year.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the 2026/27 police pay award?

It is a confirmed 3.5%, announced by the Government on 15 July 2026 and effective from 1 September 2026. It applies to all ranks in England and Wales, following the PRRB and SSRB recommendations.

Is the 3.5% on top of my pay progression?

Yes. If you have not yet reached the top of your pay scale, you receive your normal annual increment — typically 4% to 6% — in addition to the 3.5% award, provided you meet the progression requirements.

Will the 2026/27 pay award be backdated?

Police pay awards are effective from 1 September. They are not backdated to April. If the announcement is delayed beyond September, increases are typically backdated to 1 September.

How does the pay rise affect pension contributions?

Police pension contributions are tiered. A pay rise increases both the gross salary and potentially the contribution rate if you cross a tier threshold. Contributions are deducted before tax, so the net effect depends on your specific position relative to the tier thresholds.

Does the pay award apply to London Weighting?

Yes. From 1 September 2026 London Weighting rises to £3,260 and the London Allowance to up to £6,819, in line with the 3.5% award.

What is the PRRB?

The Police Remuneration Review Body is an independent advisory group that reviews police pay and conditions and makes recommendations to the Home Secretary. It was established because police officers in England and Wales do not have the right to strike.

The 2026/27 award of 3.5% was confirmed on 15 July 2026. The new pay-scale figures shown apply that award to the current scales and are accurate to within a pound or two; we will update them to the exact official figures when the Police Federation publishes its pay-scale tables. This is not financial advice.