Police superintendent salary & take-home pay 2026/27
A police superintendent in England and Wales earns £87,123 to £102,480 in 2026/27, about £4,471 to £5,104 a month after tax, NI and pension. Every pay point sits in the 14.22% pension tier, the top rate of the 2015 scheme.
Take-home
£4,471–£5,104 a month
Gross £87,123–£102,480 a year · pension 14.22%
Superintendent pay scale 2026/27
Net after PPS 2015 pension, income tax and NI. Tap a pay point to open it in the calculator and add overtime, a student loan or part-time hours.
Superintendent take-home with London & South East allowances
Met/City officers receive £10,079 a year (only the £3,260 Weighting is pensionable). South East forces set their own allowance, up to £3,105; the column shows £3,000. Tap a pay point to open it in the calculator and add overtime, a student loan or part-time hours.
* PP2–PP5 are linearly interpolated between the confirmed minimum and maximum. Confirm exact figures with your force HR or pay circular.
Source: Police Regulations 2003, Annex F · PRRB report 2026 · Police Federation pay scales (calculated from the announced award, official tables pending) · Checked 23 October 2026 · How we calculate
- Hidden promotion cost: the pension rate rises from 13.88% (chief inspector) to 14.22% on the whole salary, about £296 a year at PP1.
- Student loans: a Plan 2 holder repays 9% on earnings above £29,385, around £433–£548 a month across the scale.
- Employer pension: the force adds 35.3% of pensionable pay, around £30,754 a year at PP1.
Approaching retirement? Project your police pension
See what your PPS 2015 pension could pay at retirement, with the official early-retirement factors, the tax-free lump sum and your net monthly income.
Superintendent pay: the widest operational scale
The superintendent scale runs from PP1 (£87,123) to PP6 (£102,480), the widest gross range of any operational rank in England and Wales: £15,357 a year between the bottom and the top.
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After the 40% marginal tax rate, 2% NI and the pension contribution, that difference is worth around £7,597 a year net, approximately £633 a month: meaningful progression over a career at this rank, with a compounding effect on pension accrual too.
Check your exact intermediate point with force HR or your pay determination letter, particularly if you are near a pension tier boundary, since the tier rate applies to your full pensionable pay.
The pension tier: 13.88% or 14.22%?
The third PPS 2015 tier, at 14.22%, starts at £79,587 of pensionable pay and applies to the full amount. PP1 at £87,123 is in it from day one.
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At PP1 that is £12,389 a year in contributions; after income tax relief the net cost is around £7,433 a year (£619 a month). At PP6 (£102,480) the contribution is £14,573 a year, net cost roughly £8,248 (£687 a month).
From chief inspector to superintendent
The step from chief inspector PP3 (£75,709) to superintendent PP1 (£87,123) is £11,414 a year gross, worth around £5,492 a year net: the largest single jump in the operational career.
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That is roughly £458 a month extra after all deductions.
Promotion to superintendent requires completion of the Senior Leadership Development Programme (SLDP) or an equivalent pathway, followed by force-level competitive selection. There is no national exam at this rank; each force runs its own process, shaped by College of Policing frameworks. Plan for a sustained commitment during the qualification period.
Frequently asked questions
What is a police superintendent salary in 2026/27?
In England and Wales, the 2026/27 police superintendent pay scale starts at £87,123 on Pay Point 1 and rises to £102,480 on Pay Point 6.
How much does a police superintendent take home a month?
After PPS 2015 pension (14.22%), income tax and National Insurance, a superintendent outside London takes home between £4,471 (PP1) and £5,104 (PP6) per month.
What pension contribution rate do superintendents pay?
All superintendent pay points exceed the £79,587 top tier threshold under PPS 2015, so superintendents contribute 14.22% of their pensionable pay alongside the 35.3% employer contribution.
How much student loan does a superintendent repay?
A Plan 2 holder repays 9% on earnings above £29,385 (2026/27 threshold). Repayments are worked out on gross pay, so the pension contribution does not reduce them: at PP1 (£87,123) that is approximately £5,196 a year, around £433 a month. Plan 2 loans are written off 30 years after the April you were first due to repay.
Figures are estimates for guidance only. Assumptions: PPS 2015 pension, tax code 1257L, no student loan, no salary sacrifice, England & Wales. Confirm exact pay with your force HR.