Police pay by rank, 2026
Basic pay before London pay and before pension contributions. Take-home is after income tax and National Insurance on the standard tax code.
| Rank | Pay points | Bottom of scale | Top of scale | Take-home a month, bottom | Take-home a month, top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable | 7 | £32,379 | £52,215 | £2,236 | £3,404 |
| Sergeant | 3 | £55,656 | £58,401 | £3,570 | £3,702 |
| Inspector | 4 | £66,255 | £71,673 | £4,082 | £4,344 |
Every pay point, rank by rank
Police constable
- Pay point 1: £32,379
- Pay point 2: £33,738
- Pay point 3: £35,106
- Pay point 4: £36,474
- Pay point 5: £39,210
- Pay point 6: £44,715
- Pay point 7: £52,215
Police sergeant
- Pay point 2: £55,656
- Pay point 3: £56,793
- Pay point 4: £58,401
Police inspector
- Pay point 0: £66,255
- Pay point 1: £68,061
- Pay point 2: £69,858
- Pay point 3: £71,673
London pay
Officers in the Metropolitan and City of London forces are paid more, but the mechanism differs by rank. Constables and sergeants receive London Weighting of £3,273 a year, which is pensionable, and a force-set London Allowance of up to £6,845. Inspectors and chief inspectors are instead placed on a separate, higher London pay scale. Each rank page states the figure that applies.
What these figures leave out
Basic pay is only part of police pay. Overtime, an unsocial hours allowance, on-call and dog handlers' allowances, and shift enhancements are paid on top and vary by role and force. Pension contributions reduce take-home, and the member rate depends on the pension scheme, so it is not assumed here. Superintending ranks, and the legacy scale for constables appointed before 1 April 2013, are set out in the source report.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
These scales are for England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland set police pay through separate arrangements, so the figures should not be read across, although the rank structure is similar. Scottish income tax also differs, which the Scottish income tax calculator covers.
When these figures change
The Police Remuneration Review Body reports each year and the Government decides the award, which normally takes effect from 1 September. The figures here are the scales accepted for 1 September 2026.
Work out your own figure
These pages are the clean case: basic pay, the standard tax code, no student loan and before pension. Open the take-home pay calculator to add a pension contribution, a student loan plan or London pay.