PSNI · NITA · Northern Ireland
PSNI take-home pay calculator
Work out your Police Service of Northern Ireland take-home pay after pension, National Insurance, income tax and the Northern Ireland Transitional Allowance (NITA). Income tax matches the rest of the UK — this calculator adds NITA and Plan 1 student loans automatically.
Based in England or Wales? Use the England & Wales calculator →
Pay scales: 1 Sep 2025 · Tax year 2026/27
Your details
When did you join?
Confirmed September 2025 scales. Updates when September 2026 PRRB is confirmed.
Contribution rates updated 1 April 2026 (Home Office consultation response)
Student loan
Many officers claim tax relief on Fed subscriptions and uniform upkeep via HMRC, changing their code to 1300L or similar. Check your payslip.
Pay periods
Working hours
Police officers are full-time on a 40-hourweek, so both default to 40. Working full time? Leave them equal. Part-time? Lower “your hours” (and set the full-time week to your force's standard if it isn't 40).
Salary sacrifice (pre-tax)
Other deductions (post-tax)
Salary sacrifice deductions reduce your taxable pay and therefore your income tax and NI. Other deductions are taken after tax.
Monthly take-home
£1,890
Annual take-home
£22,684
Weekly take-home
£436
Annual breakdown
Effective rate (tax + NI): 13.1% of gross pay · Employer also contributes ~31% pension (£9,661/yr on your behalf)
Tax code 1257L · Pay scales effective 1 September 2025.
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Overtime
Basic hourly rate (excl. allowances)
£14.98/hr
£19.98 /hr overtime (×1.33)
Estimated overtime pay
Overtime is non-pensionable. Tax shown is an estimate based on your marginal rate — actual deduction depends on your total earnings that month.
How PSNI pay works
Unlike Scotland, income tax is not devolved to Northern Ireland, so PSNI officers pay the same UK income tax rates, National Insurance and personal allowance as officers in England and Wales. PSNI pay also tracks the England & Wales pay scales, so your basic pay point is the same as a colleague across the water.
The distinctive part of PSNI pay is the Northern Ireland Transitional Allowance (NITA) — currently £4,283 a year on top of basic pay. NITA is non-pensionable, so it is taxed and subject to National Insurance but does not increase your pension contributions or benefits. Use the NITA toggle in the calculator to see its effect on your take-home pay.
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Useful reading
What this uses
- ✓UK income tax rates 2026/27 (same as E&W)
- ✓Northern Ireland Transitional Allowance (NITA)
- ✓Standard personal allowance (£12,570)
- ✓NI at 8% / 2% (employee Class 1, UK-wide)
- ✓PPS 2015 tiered contribution rates
- ✓Plan 1 (Student Finance NI) by default
PSNI pay — frequently asked questions
How is PSNI take-home pay different from England & Wales?
Less than you might think. Income tax is not devolved to Northern Ireland, so PSNI officers pay exactly the same UK income tax rates as colleagues in England and Wales — there is no separate "Northern Ireland rate." National Insurance and the personal allowance are also UK-wide. PSNI officers are paid on the England & Wales pay scales too. The main difference is the Northern Ireland Transitional Allowance (NITA), a PSNI-specific allowance on top of basic pay, and that Northern Ireland students typically repay their loan under Plan 1.
What is the Northern Ireland Transitional Allowance (NITA)?
NITA is an additional allowance paid to PSNI officers, currently £4,283 a year. It is non-pensionable, meaning it does not count towards your pension contributions or the pension you build up, but it is subject to income tax and National Insurance like normal pay. Tick the NITA option in the calculator above to include it in your take-home figure.
Are PSNI officers on the same pay scales as England & Wales?
Yes. PSNI officer pay follows the England & Wales pay scales set out of the Police Remuneration Review Body process, so a constable, sergeant or inspector in Northern Ireland is on the same basic pay points as one in England or Wales. This calculator uses the pay scales effective 1 September 2025, then adds NITA on top where applicable.
Which student loan plan applies in Northern Ireland?
Students from Northern Ireland who borrowed through Student Finance NI repay under Plan 1 — 9% of income above £26,900 (2025/26 threshold). The calculator defaults to Plan 1 for this reason, but you can change it if you studied elsewhere in the UK or have a postgraduate loan.
Does the PSNI pension work the same way?
Yes. PSNI officers are members of the Police Pension Scheme 2015, with the same tiered contribution rates as the rest of the UK — a percentage of pensionable pay deducted before income tax, giving relief at your marginal rate. Note that NITA is not pensionable, so it is excluded from the pension calculation.