Promotion · England & Wales · 2026/27
How much more will I take home as a sergeant?
The typical promotion step — constable PP7 (£52,014 gross, £2,942/mo net) to sergeant PP2 (£55,443 gross, £3,133/mo net) — is £3,429 gross, worth around £191 a month net after pension, tax and NI. Pick your pay points below for your exact figure.
Sep 2026 scales (3.5% award applied; official PFEW tables pending) · England & Wales
Now (constable)
Monthly take-home
£2,942
Annual take-home
£35,299
As a sergeant
Monthly take-home
£3,133
Annual take-home
£37,593
+£191 per month
+£2,294 per year
Take-home is after pension, tax and NI on the September 2026 scales (3.5% award). The Police Federation has not yet published its official September 2026 tables, so a point may differ by a few pounds once it does. Your exact figure depends on your tax code, student loan and allowances.
Why the take-home rise is smaller than the gross rise
Three deductions take a slice of the £3,429 gross step. The PPS 2015 pension contribution (13.88%) rises with your salary — but the rate itself does not change: both constable PP7 and the whole sergeant scale sit in the 13.88% tier. Income tax is charged after the pension contribution, and National Insurance at your marginal rate. That is why a £3,429 gross rise delivers roughly £2,294 net a year rather than the full amount.
The upside compounds: your PPS 2015 CARE pension builds up on your actual salary each year, so every year at sergeant pay banks a larger pension accrual — plus the employer contribution (35.3% of pensionable pay) rises with your salary too.
Getting there: the NPPF sergeants’ exam
Promotion to sergeant requires passing Step Two of the National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF): the sergeants’ legal examination, a 150-question multiple-choice paper on Crime, Evidence and Procedure, and General Police Duties, set by the College of Policing. Passing the exam is one step; actually getting promoted is another — forces have fixed establishment numbers, so timing depends on vacancy cycles.
From our sister brand Join The Cops
Sergeants' exam prep launches 31 October 2026: join the waiting list
We are building preparation for the NPPF sergeants’ legal exam with Join The Cops, our sister brand (same publisher as this site) — opening with Evidence & Procedure, then Crime and General Police Duties. Join the waiting list and we’ll email you on launch day.
Frequently asked questions
- How much extra will I take home as a sergeant?
- The typical step — top-of-scale constable (PP7, £52,014) to newly promoted sergeant (PP2, £55,443) — is £3,429 gross, worth around £2,294 net a year (about £191 a month) after PPS 2015 pension, income tax and National Insurance. Use the calculator above for your exact pay points and allowances.
- Do newly promoted sergeants start at the bottom of the sergeant scale?
- Yes — newly promoted sergeants enter at Pay Point 2 (PP1 was removed from the sergeant scale) and reach the top of the scale (PP4) after two annual increments, subject to satisfactory performance.
- Will promotion to sergeant change my pension contribution tier?
- No. Both top-of-scale constable pay and the full sergeant scale sit in the 13.88% PPS 2015 contribution tier (£37,036 to £79,587, effective 1 April 2026), so the rate on your whole pensionable pay stays the same — only the amount rises with your salary.
- What is the NPPF sergeants’ exam?
- Promotion to sergeant in England and Wales requires passing Step Two of the National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF): a 150-question multiple-choice legal examination set by the College of Policing, covering Crime, Evidence and Procedure, and General Police Duties. Our sister brand Join The Cops opens sergeants’ exam prep on 31 October 2026, starting with Evidence and Procedure.
- Are these figures exact?
- They apply the confirmed 3.5% award to each September 2025 pay point, rounded to the nearest £3 as published points are. The Police Federation has not yet published its official September 2026 tables, so a point may differ by a few pounds once it does — we will update it then.
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.