Police Officer Salary UK 2026: Constable Pay Scales by Rank
By State6 Prep · Current pay scales, effective 1 September 2026 after the 3.5% award.
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A new police constable in England and Wales starts on £32,256 a year, up from £31,164 before the 3.5% pay award took effect on 1 September 2026. The top of the constable scale is now £52,014, up from £50,256. Basic pay follows one national scale across all 43 forces, with London weighting on top for the two London forces.
This page sets out the full constable pay scale as it stands today, beside the previous rates, how progression works, London weighting, and what officers earn at each rank.
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See what you getThe Constable Pay Scale
Constables move up one pay point a year, provided their performance is satisfactory, reaching the top after around six years. These are the annual basic salaries on the scale for officers appointed since April 2013, shown at today's rates, in effect since 1 September 2026, beside the previous rates.
| Pay point | Current (from 1 September 2026) | Previous (1 September 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (starting) | £32,256(£35,517 London) | £31,164(£34,314 London) |
| 2 | £33,609(£36,870 London) | £32,472(£35,622 London) |
| 3 | £34,971(£38,232 London) | £33,789(£36,939 London) |
| 4 | £36,336(£39,597 London) | £35,106(£38,256 London) |
| 5 | £39,057(£42,318 London) | £37,737(£40,887 London) |
| 6 | £44,544(£47,805 London) | £43,038(£46,188 London) |
| 7 (top) | £52,014(£55,275 London) | £50,256(£53,406 London) |
Basic pay only, excluding overtime, shift and other allowances. Bracketed figures are for officers in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police, adding the pensionable London weighting of £3,261 a year (£3,150 before 1 September 2026, as the weighting rises with each annual award). The current figures apply the 3.5% award to each pay point using the standard pay point rounding, and match the officially announced new starting salary. The Home Office pay circular confirms the final tables, and this page will be corrected if any figure differs.
Beyond Basic Pay
London weighting. Officers in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police receive a pensionable London weighting of £3,261 a year on top of basic pay, up from £3,150 before 1 September 2026, and the inspecting ranks sit on higher London scales.
Overtime and allowances. Actual take-home pay is usually more than basic pay once overtime, shift working and other allowances are counted, so it varies from officer to officer and force to force.
Pension. Officers join the police pension scheme, a career-average scheme widely regarded as one of the stronger workplace pensions, funded by both officer and employer contributions.
Police Pay by Rank
Pay rises with rank, and promotion is the main way to increase your basic salary. These are the basic pay ranges outside London, with the London totals in brackets, at today's rates, in effect since 1 September 2026, beside the previous rates.
| Rank | Current (from 1 September 2026) | Previous (1 September 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Constable | £32,256 to £52,014(£35,517 to £55,275 London) | £31,164 to £50,256(£34,314 to £53,406 London) |
| Sergeant | £55,443 to £58,176(£58,704 to £61,437 London) | £53,568 to £56,208(£56,718 to £59,358 London) |
| Inspector | £66,000 to £71,397(£72,048 to £77,466 London) | £63,768 to £68,982(£69,612 to £74,847 London) |
| Chief Inspector | £72,807 to £75,708(£78,879 to £81,771 London) | £70,344 to £73,149(£76,212 to £79,005 London) |
Bracketed figures are for the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police. Constables and sergeants add the £3,261 London weighting to national basic pay; inspectors and chief inspectors sit on separate, higher London scales and add the weighting on top. The weighting was £3,150 before 1 September 2026 and rose in line with the award.
Sergeant and above are reached through a promotion process. If you are already serving and thinking about the next rank, our complete guide to police promotion board preparation covers how the boards work, and the free police promotion board questions for every rank show what is asked.
The 2026/27 Pay Award
The government confirmed the 2026/27 award on 15 July 2026: a 3.5% consolidated rise for officers of all ranks, in effect since 1 September 2026, following the Police Remuneration Review Body process. The Home Office is providing £373 million of additional funding over three years to help forces meet the cost.
Police pay is reviewed every year, with new rates taking effect from 1 September. The 2025/26 award was a 4.2% consolidated rise, shown in the previous figures above, and the 2027/28 round will follow next summer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the starting salary for a police officer in the UK?
A new constable in England and Wales starts on £32,256 a year, the entry point of the national pay scale effective 1 September 2026 after the 3.5% pay award. Before that date the starting salary was £31,164. Officers in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police also receive London weighting on top.
How much does a police officer earn at the top of the constable scale?
A constable reaches the top of the scale at £52,014 a year, up from £50,256 before 1 September 2026. You move up one pay point each year with satisfactory performance, so it takes around six years to progress from the starting point to the top.
Do you get paid while training to be a police officer?
Yes. On the main entry routes you are a paid, salaried officer from day one and earn a full constable salary while you train and study, rather than paying to train first.
What is London weighting for police officers?
Officers in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police receive a pensionable London weighting of £3,261 a year on top of basic pay, up from £3,150 before 1 September 2026, and there is a separate London allowance at the two London forces as well. The inspecting ranks are on higher London pay scales too. Check the current figures with the Police Federation, as they are reviewed each year.
When is the next police pay rise?
The 2026/27 award is now in pay: a 3.5% rise for officers of all ranks, announced on 15 July 2026 and in effect since 1 September 2026. The tables on this page show the current rates beside the previous ones. Pay is reviewed every year by the Police Remuneration Review Body, so the 2027/28 round will follow next summer.
Is police pay the same across all forces?
Basic pay follows the same national scale across the 43 forces of England and Wales. What varies is London weighting for the two London forces, plus overtime, shift and other allowances, so actual take-home pay differs from officer to officer.
Current figures reflect the 3.5% pay award confirmed on 15 July 2026, in effect since 1 September 2026. Previous figures are the Home Office pay scales effective 1 September 2025, reflecting the 2025/26 pay award. London weighting and the London inspecting scales are from the Police Remuneration Review Body 2025 report. Pay is set nationally and updated each year; always check the current figures with the Police Federation or your force before relying on them. State6 is an independent preparation platform and is not affiliated with any police force or staff association.