England & Wales · 2026/27 rates
Police overtime calculator
Pick your rank and pay point, choose the overtime type, and see the hourly rate, the gross — and what actually lands in your account after tax and National Insurance.
Basic hourly rate (excl. allowances)
£14.98/hr
£19.98 /hr at ×1.33
Estimate at your marginal rate, assuming standard tax code and PPS 2015 pension on basic pay. Overtime itself is non-pensionable.
Working several shifts? Plan your whole monthPolice overtime rates 2026
Overtime rates for federated ranks are set nationally by Police Regulations and are multiples of your basic hourly rate (annual basic pay ÷ 52 ÷ 40 — allowances excluded).
| Type of working | Rate | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Casual overtime | Time and a third (×1.33) | Working beyond your rostered tour of duty |
| Rest day — short notice | Time and a half (×1.50) | Required to work a rest day with fewer than 15 days’ notice |
| Rest day — full notice | Time and a third (×1.33) | Rest day working with 15 or more days’ notice |
| Public holiday | Double time (×2.00) | Working a public holiday |
| Night duty enhancement | +10% of hourly rate | Hours worked between 8pm and 6am |
The multiplier is only half the story — the other half is the marginal tax on it. A constable at PP7 (£50,256) is £14 below the higher-rate threshold, so their overtime is taxed at 40% + 2% NI, while a PP3 constable pays 20% + 8%. Same shift, very different net. For a single shift, use the calculator above; for a month of shifts — where band-crossing genuinely changes the answer — use the Shift Planner.
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Useful reading
What this uses
- ✓Basic hourly rate = salary ÷ 52 ÷ 40
- ✓Police Regulations overtime multipliers
- ✓Marginal income tax + NI on the extra pay
- ✓Sep 2025 pay scales (England & Wales)
- ✓Overtime treated as non-pensionable
Police overtime — frequently asked questions
How is police overtime calculated?
Police overtime is paid from your basic hourly rate — annual basic pay divided by 52 weeks and 40 hours — multiplied by the rate for the type of working: time and a third (×1.33) for casual overtime and rest days worked with full notice, time and a half (×1.50) for rest days worked at short notice (under 15 days), and double time (×2.00) for public holidays. Allowances such as London Weighting are excluded from the hourly rate.
How much tax do I pay on police overtime?
Overtime is taxed at your marginal rate — the rate on your next pound of income, not your average rate. A constable at the top pay point (£50,256) sits just below the £50,270 higher-rate threshold, so almost all their overtime is taxed at 40% plus 2% National Insurance. Officers below the threshold pay 20% plus 8% NI. This is the "overtime tax trap": the headline overtime figure and what lands in your account can differ by nearly half.
Is police overtime pensionable?
No. Overtime is not pensionable under the Police Pension Scheme 2015 — no pension contributions are deducted from it, and it does not increase the pension you build up. That cuts both ways: you keep more of the gross than you might expect (no 12.88–14.22% pension deduction), but heavy overtime does nothing for your retirement.
Why is my overtime taxed so heavily in one month?
PAYE assesses each month’s pay when it is paid, so a month with a lot of overtime is taxed as a high-earning month. National Insurance works per pay period too — although above the upper earnings limit the NI rate actually falls to 2%, which softens the blow in very heavy months. If your total for the year ends up lower than PAYE assumed, HMRC refunds the difference through your tax code. Our Shift Planner models a full month of shifts with these band effects included.
What notice must I get for rest day working?
The rate depends on notice: fewer than 15 days’ notice pays time and a half, 15 or more days’ notice pays time and a third. Some forces also allow reallocation of the rest day instead of payment. Check Police Regulations Annex G / your force policy for the exact terms that apply to you.