Police Promotion Exams & Pay Rise Hub (2026/27)
Everything you need to plan your next rank or specialist move in England & Wales: compare the NPPF Step 2 Sergeants' exam, the NPPF Step 2 Inspectors' exam and the National Investigators' Exam (NIE), with 2026/27 exam dates, pass marks, Blackstone's syllabus weights and exact net monthly take-home pay increases.
Exams & promotion calculators
NPPF Step 2 Sergeants' Exam →
Constable → Sergeant (PS / DS)
- Format:
- 150 MCQ · 3 hours · online
- Pass mark:
- 65% overall (98/150) + 50% in all 4 syllabus areas
- Pay impact:
- Starts at £55,443 (£3,133/mo net) — +£3,429/yr above top PC
NPPF Step 2 Inspectors' Exam →
Sergeant → Inspector (Insp / DI)
- Format:
- 140 MCQ · 2 hrs 50 mins · online
- Pass mark:
- 65% overall (91/140) + 50% in all 4 syllabus areas
- Pay impact:
- Starts at £66,000 (£3,612/mo net) — +£7,824/yr above top Sgt, salaried (no overtime)
National Investigators' Exam (NIE) →
Constable → Detective Constable (DC)
- Format:
- 80 MCQ (70 scored) · 2 hrs 15 mins · online
- Pass mark:
- 55.7% overall (39/70 scored questions)
- Pay impact:
- Same Constable pay scale (£52,014 at PP7) + access to DS/DI detective progression & on-call allowances
Sergeant Promotion Pay Rise Calculator →
PC Pay Point 1–7 → Sergeant Pay Point 2
- Format:
- Compare gross, net, pension & overtime break-even
- Pass mark:
- Rule of promotion: PCs jump straight to Sergeant Pay Point 2
- Pay impact:
- +£16,386/yr gross (+£857/mo net) when promoted from PC Pay Point 4
Side-by-side comparison: Sergeant vs Inspector vs NIE
All three national exams test the four core volumes of Blackstone's Police Manuals (Crime, Evidence & Procedure, Road Policing, and General Police Duties), weighted toward either operational supervision, senior command or CID investigation.
| Feature | NPPF Sergeants' Exam | NPPF Inspectors' Exam | National Investigators' Exam (NIE) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who sits it | Substantive PCs / DCs seeking promotion to PS / DS | Substantive Sergeants seeking promotion to Insp / DI | Substantive PCs entering the PIP2 Detective pathway |
| Exam window | Once a year (March) | Once a year (October) | 4 times a year (Mar, Jun, Sep, Nov) |
| Questions & time | 150 MCQ · 3 hours | 140 MCQ · 2 hours 50 mins | 80 MCQ (70 scored) · 2 hours 15 mins |
| Pass threshold | 65% overall (98/150) + ≥50% per subject | 65% overall (91/140) + ≥50% per subject | 55.7% overall (39/70 scored) |
| Pass validity | 5 years | 5 years | 3 years to complete PIP2 portfolio (5 yrs if stepped out) |
| Salary on passing & posting | £55,443 – £58,176 | £66,000 – £71,397 | Constable scale (up to £52,014) + on-call |
How promotion changes your take-home pay (2026/27 national scale)
Net monthly figures assume the 2026/27 England & Wales pay scale (from 1 September 2026), standard tax code 1257L and the 2015 CARE police pension (13.44% contribution). London and South East forces add up to £10,079/yr on top.
| Rank & pay point | Gross / yr | Net / month | Step-up (net / mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constable — Pay Point 4 (3 yrs service) | £39,057 | £2,275 | — |
| Constable — Pay Point 7 (top of scale) | £52,014 | £2,942 | +£666/mo |
| Sergeant — Pay Point 2 (on promotion) | £55,443 | £3,133 | +£191/mo |
| Sergeant — Pay Point 4 (top of scale) | £58,176 | £3,285 | +£152/mo |
| Inspector — Pay Point 1 (on promotion) | £66,000 | £3,612 | +£327/mo |
| Inspector — Pay Point 4 (top of scale) | £71,397 | £3,835 | +£223/mo |
| Chief Inspector — Pay Point 1 | £72,807 | £3,894 | +£58/mo |
| Chief Inspector — Pay Point 3 (top) | £75,708 | £4,014 | +£120/mo |
| Superintendent — Pay Point 1 | £87,123 | £4,471 | +£458/mo |
Sitting the March 2027 Sergeants' Exam?
Passing NPPF Step 2 unlocks a minimum starting salary of £55,443 (rising to £58,176) and permanently boosts your 2015 CARE pension accrual every year until retirement. Test yourself right now with our free 10-question mini-quiz or train across all 3,000+ Blackstone's-aligned MCQs, 71 interactive lessons and 8 full mock exams on Join The Cops.
Police promotion — frequently asked questions
How does police promotion work in England and Wales?
Most of the 43 Home Office forces in England and Wales use the College of Policing National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF) for progression from Constable to Sergeant and from Sergeant to Inspector. NPPF has four steps: Step 1 (competence in current rank and line manager support), Step 2 (the national Legal Examination based on Blackstone's Police Manuals), Step 3 (force selection board and posting to a temporary promotion vacancy for 12 months), and Step 4 (work-based assessment portfolio for substantive confirmation in rank).
How much does your pay go up when promoted to Sergeant?
Under Police Regulations 2003 Annex F, a Constable promoted to Sergeant enters at Sergeant Pay Point 2 (£55,443 from 1 September 2026, or £3,133/month take-home after 13.44% pension, income tax and NI). If you are promoted from the top of the Constable scale (£52,014), your basic pay rises immediately by +£3,429/year (+£191/month net), and reaches £58,176 (£3,285/month net) two years later at Sergeant Pay Point 4.
Can you sit the Sergeants’ exam before reaching top Constable pay?
Yes. Once you have completed your initial two-year probationary period as a Constable (reaching Pay Point 3 or 4) and demonstrated competence in rank, you can register for the NPPF Step 2 Sergeants' Legal Examination. A Constable promoted from Pay Point 4 (£39,057) jumps directly to Sergeant Pay Point 2 (£55,443) — an immediate gross uplift of +£16,386/year (+£857/month net).
Does passing the NIE give you a pay rise?
No. Passing the National Investigators' Exam (NIE) and completing your PIP Level 2 portfolio moves you from uniformed Police Constable (PC) to accredited Detective Constable (DC) on the exact same pay scale (£52,014 at Pay Point 7). However, CID and Public Protection posts often carry regular on-call allowances (£35 per evening/weekend period under PRRB 2026) and open the door to Detective Sergeant (DS) and Detective Inspector (DI) roles.
How valid is an NPPF Step 2 exam pass?
An NPPF Step 2 pass (for either Sergeant or Inspector) remains valid for five years from the date you pass. You must secure a Step 3 temporary promotion posting within those five years, otherwise your exam pass expires and you have to re-sit Step 2.
Sources: College of Policing NPPF Step 2 Legal Examination Handbook & Candidate Specifications (2026/27); Police Regulations 2003 Annex F; Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) Twelfth Report 2026. Note: Police Scotland and the PSNI operate separate promotion frameworks — see Police Scotland ranks and PSNI ranks.