UK police officers asking how to work out overtime pay often run into a wall — the rules differ by rank, by notice given, and by the type of rest day. This guide cuts through it, gives you the 2026 figures, and gives you a live overtime pay calculator to see your earnings tick up in real time, down to the penny.
Inspector rank and above: Inspectors, Chief Inspectors, Superintendents, and above are salaried officers with no statutory overtime entitlement under the Police Regulations 2003. Figures shown for these ranks are notional only.
How Police Overtime Pay Works (England & Wales, 2026)
For officers from Constable to Chief Inspector, overtime payment rates depend on three things: your base hourly rate, the type of duty (rest day, public holiday, or recall to duty), and the notice period given by your force. Here's how to calculate overtime pay for each scenario.
Your Hourly Rate (Base)
Your base hourly rate is your annual salary divided by your force's contracted annual hours — usually 1,932 hours for most forces in England and Wales. Use that figure as the starting point for all overtime wage calculations.
Rest Day Working Rates
| Scenario | Notice Given | Overtime Rate | Eligible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rest day working | 15+ days' notice | ×1.0 (single time) | Constable–Chief Insp |
| Rest day working | 8–14 days' notice | ×1.33 first 4hrs, then ×1.5 | Constable–Chief Insp |
| Rest day working | <8 days' notice | ×1.5 throughout | Constable–Chief Insp |
| Public holiday | Any notice | ×2.0 (double time) | Constable–Chief Insp |
| Recall to duty | <24hrs' notice | ×1.5 + 2hr minimum payment | Constable–Chief Insp |
| Inspector overtime | Any | Notional (salaried) | Notional only |
To use the overtime pay rate calculator above: identify which row applies to your shift, multiply your base hourly rate by the relevant multiplier, then enter that figure into the calculator. For example, if your base hourly rate is £15.80 and you're working a rest day with 5 days' notice, your overtime rate is £15.80 × 1.5 = £23.70/hr.
Police Hourly Rates 2026 — By Rank
These figures are derived from the 2026 Winsor pay scales and are approximate — your force may have local variations. Divide your actual annual salary by 1,932 for a precise figure.
| Rank | Approx Annual Salary | Base Hourly Rate | Overtime ×1.5 | Overtime ×2.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable (entry) | £29,682 | £15.36/hr | £23.04/hr | £30.72/hr |
| Constable (top scale) | £46,044 | £23.83/hr | £35.74/hr | £47.66/hr |
| Sergeant | £49,788 | £25.77/hr | £38.66/hr | £51.54/hr |
| Inspector | £59,175 | £30.63/hr | Salaried — no statutory OT | |
Tracking Your Own Shifts — Why It Matters in 2026
Discussion in UK policing communities has intensified since the PFEW revealed that the majority of forces cannot produce reliable records of officer working hours. When officers on forums and communities like r/policeuk ask how to track overtime, the answer is consistent: don't rely on your force to do it.
Having your own accurate records — shift by shift, rest day by rest day — gives you something to work from if you ever need to challenge a payslip, support a grievance, or raise a Working Time Regulations concern. The Overtime Live app is free, records every shift, and runs a live earnings counter so you always know where you stand.
How Officers Are Using It
The most common use case from police officers is tracking overtime shifts separately from their regular rota — flagging rest day working, recording the notice period given, and seeing at a glance what the shift earned. On iOS, the Live Activities feature puts the live earnings counter directly on the lock screen so you can check it mid-shift without unlocking your phone.
Track Every Overtime Shift — Live
Overtime Live shows your live earnings on your iPhone lock screen and Dynamic Island. Free. No subscription.