Police Officer Salary UK 2025 | Take-Home Pay Calculator
Calculate your actual take-home pay as a police officer, including Police Pension Scheme 2015 contributions, shift allowances (12.5%-20%), London Weighting, and overtime. Covers all ranks from probationer constable to chief inspector. Updated for 2025/26.
Police Officer Take-Home Pay Calculator 2025
UK Police Officer Pay Scale 2025
| Rank | Base Pay Range | London Pay (with max weighting) | Approx. Monthly Take-Home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Probationer Constable | £28,551 | £36,219 | £1,710 (excl. pension) |
| Constable (Pay Point 1) | £29,637 | £37,305 | £1,770 (excl. pension) |
| Constable (Pay Point 5) | £35,000 | £42,668 | £2,080 (excl. pension) |
| Constable (Top Scale) | £46,227 | £53,895 | £2,650 (excl. pension) |
| Sergeant (Min) | £46,332 | £54,000 | £2,660 (excl. pension) |
| Sergeant (Max) | £48,231 | £55,899 | £2,730 (excl. pension) |
| Inspector (Min) | £57,162 | £64,830 | £3,090 (excl. pension) |
| Inspector (Max) | £59,910 | £67,578 | £3,180 (excl. pension) |
| Chief Inspector (Min) | £62,943 | £70,611 | £3,270 (excl. pension) |
| Chief Inspector (Max) | £65,616 | £73,284 | £3,360 (excl. pension) |
*Approximate monthly take-home before Police Pension Scheme deductions. Pension contributions reduce take-home by approximately £300-£700/month depending on salary. Use the calculator above for a full breakdown including pension.
Police Career Development and Specialist Roles
| Specialism | Additional Allowance / Premium | Route |
|---|---|---|
| CID / Detective | No pay premium (same pay scale); career prestige | Detective Development Programme |
| Firearms (AFO) | Firearms Supplement (varies by force) | ARV / AFO training |
| Dog Handler | Dog Handling Allowance | Force selection + training |
| Traffic / Roads Policing | Advanced driver allowance (some forces) | TPAC / pursuit training |
| Counter Terrorism | Variable; often secondment-based | CTPHQ / MPSB routes |
| NCA (National Crime Agency | NCA pay scales (different from police) | NCA direct recruitment |
Understanding Police Officer Salaries in the UK in 2025
Police officer salaries in England and Wales are set by the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB), which makes annual recommendations to the Home Secretary. In 2025, following several years of below-inflation pay awards that eroded real-terms pay significantly, officers received a 4.75% pay increase. Despite this improvement, real-terms police pay remains below its 2010 peak when accounting for inflation, which continues to drive recruitment and retention challenges across forces.
The headline salary figures for police officers can be misleading, as they do not account for the significant Police Pension Scheme contributions that officers must make. An officer earning £35,000 per year might expect a take-home of around £2,080 per month before pension, but after the pension contribution of approximately 12.44% (around £4,356 per year), take-home falls to approximately £1,717 per month. This is significantly lower than many recruits expect, making the pension contribution calculator above essential planning reading.
The Police Pension Scheme 2015
Officers joining the police after 1 April 2015 are enrolled in the Police Pension Scheme 2015 (PPS 2015), a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme. Each year of pensionable service builds up 1/55.3 of that year's pensionable pay as a pension entitlement. This entitlement is then revalued annually in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1.25%. Officers can access their pension from the normal pension age, which is linked to the state pension age.
Contribution rates under PPS 2015 are tiered by salary: 12.44% on earnings up to £27,047; 13.44% on earnings between £27,047 and £51,515; and 13.78% on earnings above £51,515. These contributions are made on the gross salary before income tax, which means pension contributions attract tax relief at the officer's marginal rate. For a basic rate taxpayer, effective pension contributions after tax relief are considerably lower than the headline percentage.
Shift Allowances and Overtime Pay
Officers who work rotating or irregular shift patterns receive a shift allowance to compensate for the inconvenience and health impact of unsociable working hours. Standard rotating shifts attract a 12.5% allowance on base salary. Officers on the most demanding and unpredictable shift patterns may receive up to 20%. For a constable on £35,000, a 12.5% shift allowance adds £4,375 per year to gross pay, bringing total compensation to £39,375 before pension and deductions. Overtime is paid at time and a half for the first two hours and double time thereafter, though many forces manage operational staffing needs through rest day working and compensatory leave.
Special Constables: Voluntary Officers
Special Constables (Specials) are volunteer police officers who have the same powers as regular officers but are not salaried. They receive a flat-rate subsistence allowance to cover out-of-pocket expenses (typically £5 to £15 per duty day) but no salary. Specials typically serve 16 hours per month as a minimum commitment. Many Specials use their role as a route into regular police employment, as it demonstrates commitment and provides operational experience valued in the selection process for regulars.
Regional Pay Variations in UK Policing
Unlike many professions, police officer pay is largely standardised nationally through the PRRB process. The main regional variation is the London Weighting paid to Metropolitan Police and City of London officers. In 2025, this ranges from £3,369 for outer London to £7,668 for central London operations. Some English and Welsh forces also pay recruitment and retention allowances in high cost-of-living areas, though these are less structured than the London arrangements. Scottish police officers are paid under a separate arrangement through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for the Police, and Northern Ireland's PSNI has its own pay structure.
Frequently Asked Questions: Police Officer Salary UK 2025
What is the starting salary for a police constable in 2025?
A probationer constable in England and Wales starts at £28,551 in 2025. After the two-year probationary period, pay rises through pay points from £29,637 to £46,227. London officers receive additional London Weighting of £3,369 to £7,668 per year. Police Pension Scheme contributions of 12.44% of pay are deducted from gross salary, reducing actual take-home significantly below the headline figure.
How much does a police sergeant earn in 2025?
A police sergeant earns between £46,332 and £48,231 per year in 2025. With maximum London Weighting, this rises to approximately £54,000-£56,000. After pension contributions (13.44% at this salary band) and income tax and NI, a sergeant on £47,000 takes home approximately £2,300-£2,400 per month, depending on shift allowances and overtime.
How much do police pension contributions reduce take-home pay?
Police Pension Scheme 2015 contributions are tiered: 12.44% on pay up to £27,047, 13.44% on £27,047-£51,515, and 13.78% above £51,515. For a constable on £35,000, annual pension contributions are approximately £4,400/year (£367/month). Contributions do attract income tax relief, so the effective net reduction in take-home is lower than the gross percentage suggests. The pension received in retirement is a defined benefit and typically worth significantly more than the contributions made.
What is the London Weighting allowance for police officers?
London Weighting for police officers in 2025 ranges from £3,369 (outer London) to £7,668 (central London) per year, paid on top of national pay scale rates to Metropolitan Police and City of London Police officers. This allowance is subject to income tax and NI in the same way as base salary. After tax, a central London officer retains approximately £4,600-£5,200/year net from the weighting.
Do police officers get shift allowances and overtime?
Officers on rotating or unsociable shift patterns receive a 12.5% or 20% shift allowance on base salary. Overtime is paid at 1.5x for the first two hours and 2x thereafter, or compensatory time off in lieu. A constable on £35,000 with a 12.5% shift allowance earns an additional £4,375/year gross. Regular overtime can add a further £2,000-£6,000/year depending on operational demand.
What specialist roles can police officers move into for higher pay?
Specialist roles include CID/detective (same pay scale as uniform, but career benefits), Firearms (AFO) with a firearms supplement, Dog Handling with a dog allowance, Traffic/Roads Policing, and Counter Terrorism units. Senior detective roles (DCI, DSupt) carry the same pay as equivalent uniform ranks but offer strong career mobility. Officers can also transfer to the National Crime Agency (NCA) which has different (often higher) pay scales.
What is the difference between regular officers and Special Constables?
Special Constables are voluntary, unpaid police officers with the same powers as regulars. They receive only a small subsistence allowance (typically £5-£15 per duty day) to cover expenses. Specials typically commit to a minimum of 16 hours per month of policing duties. Many use the Special Constabulary as a route into regular paid employment by demonstrating commitment and operational experience during the selection process.