Your New Police Pay Rate Starts Today
Today's the day. The confirmed 3.5% pay rise for every police rank in England and Wales, announced back in July, actually lands from 1 September 2026. If you've been waiting to see the number rather than just read about it, here it is.
- The confirmed 3.5% pay award is in effect from today, 1 September 2026, for every rank from Constable to Chief Superintendent
- A Constable with six years' service moves from £50,256 to £52,014 a year
- A newly appointed Constable now starts between £32,256 and £33,609, depending on force and point on scale
- Officers below the top of their pay scale may also be due a separate pay progression increment — typically another 2% to 6% — on top of this
- Find your exact rank and pay point, including the take-home impact, on our Pay Scales page
What 3.5% looks like, rank by rank
| Rank | 2025/26 rate | 2026/27 rate (from today) |
|---|---|---|
| Constable, starting | £31,164 | £32,256 – £33,609 |
| Constable, 6 years' service | £50,256 | £52,014 |
| Sergeant | £53,568 – £56,208 | £55,443 – £58,176 |
| Inspector | £63,768 – £68,982 | £66,000 – £71,397 |
| Chief Inspector | £70,344 – £74,310 | £72,807 – £76,911 |
| Superintendent | £84,177 – £99,015 | £87,123 – £102,480 |
| Chief Superintendent | £103,797 – £115,785 | £107,430 – £119,838 |
Figures are cross-checked against an independently published police pay-scales guide and match to the pound, except two Constable figures which are within £1. Inspector and Chief Inspector also have separate, higher rates in London-based forces — see the full breakdown on our pay scales page.
What actually happens on your payslip today
If your force's payroll runs to schedule, the new figure lands on your very next payslip. If a force needs a little longer to update its systems, the increase is backdated to today, so nobody loses out either way. From this shift onward, your hours are worth 3.5% more.
Not at the top of your rank's scale yet? You may also be due a separate pay progression increment on top of the 3.5%, worth typically another 2% to 6%. We covered that detail, plus London Weighting, in the full breakdown when the award was confirmed in July.
Make sure your app knows the new rate
Overtime Live works off whatever hourly rate you've entered in Settings. Update it now and every shift you track from today — including this one — counts on your real, current rate.
If you're an Inspector or Chief Inspector, the 3.5% lifts your salary like everyone else's — it doesn't come with standard overtime pay. If you're tracking hours against the 48-hour Working Time Regulations limit, our free Inspector Hours Tracker handles that separately from pay.
Check Your Full Pay Scale
Every rank, every pay point, 2026/27 — plus NHS Agenda for Change bands side by side.
View Police Pay Scales →