Police Officer Pay to Rise by 3.5% in September 2026
Information correct at time of publishing: July 27, 2026
Police Officers in England and Wales will receive a 3.5% pay increase from 1 September 2026, following an announcement from the Home Office this week.
The increase applies to officers up to and including the rank of Chief Superintendent.
To support forces with the additional costs of the award, the Home Office will provide additional funding of:
£84m in 2026-27
£144m in 2027-28
£145m in 2028-29
What else is changing?
- London Weighting will be increased by 3.5% in line with the pay award. The maximum rates of London Allowance and the South East Allowance will also be increased by 3.5%. All Protection Allowance rates will be increased by £8. These increases will take effect from 1 September 2026.
- The PRRB recommended that the ten-day qualifying period for Acting Up Allowance should be abolished from 1 September 2026. This recommendation has been accepted but will instead be implemented following consultation on amendments to determinations made under the Police Regulations 2003.
- The PRRB further recommended that maternity support leave entitlements should be increased to two weeks with full pay from 1 September 2026. The second week of full pay will be available to those officers meeting the current service requirements to receive statutory paternity pay, as set out in determinations made under the Police Regulations 2003. The recommendation will also be applied to adoption support leave entitlements. Both changes will be implemented following consultation on amendments to the determinations.
- The PRRB recommended that rate three of the Protection Allowance should be applied for each day an officer is deployed to a qualifying country. This recommendation will be subject to further discussion with all relevant stakeholders to fully understand the impact.
What does this mean in practice?
For Officers in the ranks of Constable to Inspector, the new pay scales will mean a Constable at pay point one (appointed after April 2013) will now earn £32,255. A Sergeant at the top of the scale will see their pay go from £56,208 to £58,175.
Fully updated pay scales for 2026/27 are available in our downloadable Police Pay Guide.
Cost of Living Pressures Still Continue to impact
Cost-of-living pressures remain acute for Police Officers – especially for those with high housing costs, dependent children or limited savings.
Our own research, our Police Family Finance Index Report 2026, which was quoted by the PRRB and featured in several submissions to the PRRB found that:
- 68% of serving Police Officers still report current financial concerns.
- 56% say their financial situation has worsened over the past year
- Nearly 4 in 10 are in significant debt when housing costs are included
- 15% report missing meals due to lack of money.
PFEW response
The Police Federation of England and Wales has accused the Government of “fatally undermining the credibility” of the police pay review process after rejecting the Police Remuneration Review Body’s recommendation of a 3.9% pay award and instead imposing a lower 3.5% settlement.
The Federation said ministers had ignored the advice of the independent body they appointed, despite overwhelming evidence that police pay is driving a worsening recruitment and retention crisis. It described the decision as a political choice that will have lasting consequences for policing and public safety
You can read more about their response here.
PSA National Secretary Warren Franklin said: “It is positive that the service will receive a pay increase that is above the UK rate of inflation – something we specifically asked for within our submission and evidence to the PRRB. It is also encouraging that the rise over 2.5% will be paid for centrally by the government, rather than falling to over-stretched forces.
It is disappointing, however, that we have not seen an increase in the rate of on-call paid to those who volunteer to perform these essential roles. We have continually lobbied for the government to address the unfair expectations of accredited officers to work continuous, often dangerously long days, with little to no recompense.
We are also concerned that this year’s pay rise is not in line with the 3.9% recommended by the PRRB. We have repeatedly questioned this approach and the process in place to determine police officer pay. We have an independent body that is tasked with carrying out a huge amount of research and evidence gathering to make these recommendations, yet is often ignored, or directed to only make specific recommendations on matters determined by the home secretary.
We face a defining moment in policing, with the beginning of implementation of proposals within the White Paper and the publication of the Leadership Commission’s recommendations to government.”
You can read the full comment here.
Our Chief Executive Officer, Annette Petchey, said:
“Building financial stability for many young Police Officers from the start of their career is key to helping them stay in the job long-term. With the cost of recruiting and paying a single officer in their first two years exceeding £200,000, supporting smarter money habits and improving financial education makes sense and delivers tangible results.”
A chance to strengthen your financial future?
Whenever you get a pay rise, whether it be a spine point or national, it’s a good time to pause and ask: do I need to spend all of it, or could some of it go into savings?
Andy Picton, retired Met Officer said:
“If you can, don’t spend all of your pay rise. Putting some money away for you and your children’s future will be an action you’ll be thankful for.
I’m too old to be eligible for the LISA, but my kids aren’t, so I can help them get on the housing ladder by contributing to their savings. They should be able to get on the housing ladder more quickly, save money on rent, and do so thanks to generous government bonuses.”
How can we help?
Pay awards alone won’t solve the longer-term pressures many officers are facing, but they do make a difference. At Police Friendly and Metfriendly, we’re here to help every member of the wider Police Family build financial resilience and plan for the future, whatever your rank or stage of career.
We’ve got a range of savings plans and ISAs designed to help you save regularly for you and your family, with some options starting from just £20/month.
We also have a range of Police Family Special offers available, but hurry, these end on 31st August 2026.
See how Police Friendly and Metfriendly can help you save regularly.
We host a range of free events, including regular saving and family finance webinars, designed to help you make your money go further – and in some cases, even access free money from the Government.
Whether you are thinking about taking your first steps on the property ladder, saving for younger family members or are planning for your retirement, we can provide you with expert help in considering your options properly.