All 43 England & Wales forces · Scotland · Northern Ireland · National forces
Police pay scales by force (2026/27): London, South East & UK comparison
All 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales share the same national basic pay scales from 1 September 2026 (3.5% PRRB award), but your actual salary and take-home pay depend on your force's regional location allowance — worth £10,079/year in London and £1,500 to £3,000/year across the eight South East forces — or whether you serve in Police Scotland or the PSNI.
How Constable and Sergeant pay compares across UK forces (2026/27)
Gross annual pay (basic + regional allowance) and estimated monthly take-home pay after pension, income tax and National Insurance on a standard 1257L tax code.
| Force group | Regional allowance | PC gross (PP1 – PP7) | PC net / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Police & City of London | +£10,079/yr | £42,335 – £62,093 | £2,528 – £3,497 |
| Hertfordshire, Surrey & Thames Valley | +£3,000/yr SE | £35,256 – £55,014 | £2,132 – £3,137 |
| Essex & Kent | +£2,750/yr SE | £35,006 – £54,764 | £2,117 – £3,120 |
| Hampshire & Sussex | +£2,000/yr SE | £34,256 – £54,014 | £2,072 – £3,072 |
| Bedfordshire | +£1,500/yr SE | £33,756 – £53,514 | £2,042 – £3,039 |
| 33 other England & Wales forces | None (national scale) | £32,256 – £52,014 | £1,952 – £2,942 |
| Police Scotland (12-point PC scale) | Scottish PNBS scale | £34,001 – £54,597 | £2,026 – £3,020 |
| PSNI (Northern Ireland, 2025/26 + NITA) | +£4,283/yr NITA | £35,447 – £54,539 | £2,153 – £3,122 |
How police location allowances work (and what is pensionable)
A common mistake when comparing police forces is treating every regional top-up as if it were part of basic salary. Under the Police Regulations 2003 (Annex F and Annex U), location payments fall into two categories with different pension rules:
- London Weighting (£3,260/year — pensionable): Paid to officers in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police. Because London Weighting is legally part of pay (Annex F), your PPS 2015 pension contribution (12.88% to 14.22%) is charged on it and it builds career-average pension benefits.
- London Allowance (£6,819/year — non-pensionable): Paid alongside London Weighting to post-1994 officers in the Met and City of London (combined LA1 + LA2). It is subject to income tax and National Insurance, but no pension contribution is deducted from it. Together with London Weighting, it brings the London addition to £10,079/year from 1 September 2026. See full Metropolitan Police pay scales →
- South East Allowance (up to £3,105/year — non-pensionable): Paid in eight forces around London (Hertfordshire, Surrey, Thames Valley, Essex, Kent, Hampshire, Sussex and Bedfordshire). The 2026/27 PRRB award raised the statutory cap from £3,000 to £3,105, but each Chief Constable sets the force's actual rate — Kent reduced its allowance for new and serving officers from £3,000 to £2,750 on 1 September 2026. Like the London Allowance, the South East Allowance is taxable and NI-able, but non-pensionable.
All 43 police forces in England & Wales by region (2026/27)
Constable starting and maximum gross pay (including any regional allowance) and estimated monthly take-home at the top of the constable scale (PP7).
London (2 forces)
| Force | Allowance | PC start (PP1) | PC max (PP7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Police Service → Also uses higher London basic pay scales for Inspector & Chief Inspector | London Weighting & Allowance (+£10,079) | £42,335 | £62,093 |
| City of London Police Same Annex F London scales and allowances as the Met | London Weighting & Allowance (+£10,079) | £42,335 | £62,093 |
South East & Eastern South East Allowance ring (8 forces)
| Force | Allowance | PC start (PP1) | PC max (PP7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hertfordshire Constabulary | South East Allowance (+£3,000) | £35,256 | £55,014 |
| Surrey Police | South East Allowance (+£3,000) | £35,256 | £55,014 |
| Thames Valley Police | South East Allowance (+£3,000) | £35,256 | £55,014 |
| Essex Police | South East Allowance (+£2,750) | £35,006 | £54,764 |
| Kent Police Reduced from £3,000 to £2,750 from 1 September 2026 | South East Allowance (+£2,750) | £35,006 | £54,764 |
| Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary | South East Allowance (+£2,000) | £34,256 | £54,014 |
| Sussex Police | South East Allowance (+£2,000) | £34,256 | £54,014 |
| Bedfordshire Police | South East Allowance (+£1,500) | £33,756 | £53,514 |
North West (5 forces)
| Force | Allowance | PC start (PP1) | PC max (PP7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Manchester Police → | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Merseyside Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Lancashire Constabulary | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Cheshire Constabulary | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Cumbria Constabulary | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
West Midlands (4 forces)
| Force | Allowance | PC start (PP1) | PC max (PP7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Midlands Police → | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Staffordshire Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| West Mercia Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Warwickshire Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
Yorkshire & the Humber (4 forces)
| Force | Allowance | PC start (PP1) | PC max (PP7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Yorkshire Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| South Yorkshire Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| North Yorkshire Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Humberside Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
East Midlands (5 forces)
| Force | Allowance | PC start (PP1) | PC max (PP7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nottinghamshire Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Leicestershire Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Derbyshire Constabulary | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Lincolnshire Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Northamptonshire Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
East of England — outside SE ring (3 forces)
| Force | Allowance | PC start (PP1) | PC max (PP7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Constabulary | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Suffolk Constabulary | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Cambridgeshire Constabulary | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
South West (5 forces)
| Force | Allowance | PC start (PP1) | PC max (PP7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avon and Somerset Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Devon and Cornwall Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Dorset Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Gloucestershire Constabulary | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Wiltshire Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
North East (3 forces)
| Force | Allowance | PC start (PP1) | PC max (PP7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northumbria Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Durham Constabulary | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Cleveland Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
Wales (4 forces)
| Force | Allowance | PC start (PP1) | PC max (PP7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Wales Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| North Wales Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Gwent Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
| Dyfed-Powys Police | National scale | £32,256 | £52,014 |
National & specialist UK police forces (BTP, MDP, CNC)
Three national specialist forces operate across Great Britain alongside the territorial forces:
- British Transport Police (BTP): Polices the rail network in England, Wales and Scotland. BTP aligns basic pay points with the England & Wales scales and pays London and South East allowances at qualifying stations, but uses its own BTP PensionPlus career-average scheme (10% via salary sacrifice, which reduces both income tax and National Insurance — see our BTP pay scales & calculator).
- Ministry of Defence Police (MDP): Armed civil police force protecting defence estates and nuclear assets across the UK; basic pay is set at 95% of Home Office scales, combined with the Civil Service Alpha pension scheme (4.60%–7.35% contribution vs 13.44% Home Office — see our MOD Police pay & Alpha pension breakdown).
- Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC): Armed force safeguarding civil nuclear sites and materials, governed by the Energy Act 2004 with pay aligned to national police pay scales.
Dedicated force & nation pay guides
Frequently asked questions
Do all UK police forces pay the same salary?
Basic pay is identical across all 43 territorial forces in England and Wales (Constable £32,256 to £52,014 from 1 September 2026). However, total pay differs because the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police add £10,079 a year in London Weighting and London Allowance (plus higher basic scales for Inspectors and Chief Inspectors), while eight South East forces pay a non-pensionable South East Allowance of £1,500 to £3,000. Police Scotland (£34,001–£54,597) and the PSNI in Northern Ireland have separate pay arrangements.
Which police forces pay the South East Allowance in 2026/27?
Eight forces Surrounding London pay the non-pensionable South East Allowance: Hertfordshire (£3,000), Surrey (£3,000), Thames Valley (£3,000), Essex (£2,750), Kent (£2,750 — reduced from £3,000 in September 2026), Hampshire & Isle of Wight (£2,000), Sussex (£2,000) and Bedfordshire (£1,500). The statutory maximum rose by 3.5% to £3,105 on 1 September 2026, though each Chief Constable sets the force’s actual payment.
Which is the highest-paying police force in the UK?
For federated ranks, the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police pay the highest total package: a Constable starts on £42,335 (£2,528/month net) and reaches £62,093 (£3,497/month net) at Pay Point 7 once the £10,079 London payments are included. Outside London, Police Scotland pays the highest basic salary (£34,001 to £54,597 for a Constable).
Can a force start new constables on Pay Point 2 instead of Pay Point 1?
Yes. Under the Police Regulations amendment effective 1 April 2025, Chief Constables in England and Wales have discretion to appoint new constables directly to Pay Point 2 (£33,609) rather than Pay Point 1 (£32,256). Check your force’s current recruitment page for its entry pay point.
Are Welsh police forces on the same pay scale as England?
Yes. Policing is not devolved in Wales, so South Wales Police, North Wales Police, Gwent Police and Dyfed-Powys Police use the exact same PRRB pay scales, PPS 2015 pension tiers and UK income tax bands as English county forces.
Sources: Police Regulations 2003 Annex F & Annex U; Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) Twelfth Report 2026; Police Federation of England & Wales force allowance schedules.