Police constable salary 2026/27
If you are thinking of joining the police, or you have just joined, the number that matters is what lands in your account. Here is what a constable earns at each pay point from 1 September 2026, and how much of it you keep.
Constable pay points
| Pay point | Salary | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £32,255 | £1,952 |
| 2 | £33,609 | £2,021 |
| 3 | £34,972 | £2,091 |
| 4 | £36,335 | £2,161 |
| 5 | £39,058 | £2,275 |
| 6 | £44,544 | £2,554 |
| 7 | £52,015 | £2,942 |
Outside London, full time, 2015 police pension, tax code 1257L. Constables move up one point a year if they meet the pay progression standard, reaching the top after six years. The biggest jumps come at points 6 and 7.
Officers who joined before April 2013 are on a different, eight-point scale that starts higher but reaches the same top rate of £52,015.
Where a constable’s pay goes
The pension contribution is the deduction people tend to overlook. It comes out before tax, and it buys a defined benefit pension, so it is not money lost.
| Each year | Pay point 1 | Pay point 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | £32,255 | £52,015 |
| Police pension contribution | £4,154 | £7,220 |
| Income Tax and National Insurance | £4,681 | £9,496 |
| Take-home pay | £23,420 | £35,299 |
Your pension contribution rate also steps up as your pay rises, so a bigger share of each pay rise goes into the pension than on a lower salary. At pay point 1 the rate is 12.88%, and at pay point 7 it is 13.88%.
What each year on the scale is worth
Going from pay point 1 to pay point 7 takes your salary up by £19,760. In take-home terms that is about £990 more each month, which is less than the pay rise alone, because tax and the higher pension rate take a share of every step.
What overtime adds
Overtime is common in response policing, and it is paid on top of your salary. As an illustration, ten hours of overtime a month at pay point 1 raises take-home from £1,952 to about £2,100 a month. Use the calculator to put in your own hours, and see the police overtime calculator for how it is worked out.
What a police constable does
Constables are the front line of policing. Most start in response, answering 999 and 101 calls, or in neighbourhood teams that work with one area over time. Whatever the posting, you hold the office of constable, with the legal power to arrest, search and use reasonable force.
Typical duties
- Attending emergencies, from road crashes and break-ins to domestic abuse and missing people.
- Arresting suspects, booking them into custody and interviewing them.
- Taking statements, gathering evidence and building case files for the Crown Prosecution Service.
- Giving evidence in court.
- Patrolling, dealing with antisocial behaviour and working with councils, schools and charities.
- Writing up everything you do, often on a mobile device or body-worn camera.
Hours and shifts
Response officers work a rota of days, lates and nights, including weekends and public holidays, on a 40-hour week. Rest days can be cancelled at short notice, which is paid at a higher rate. Overtime is common, especially when a shift runs over because of an arrest.
How to become a constable
Each of the 43 forces in England and Wales recruits for itself and chooses which entry routes to offer:
- Police constable entry programme (PCEP): two years of training on the job, with no degree to study. You need two A levels or equivalent, or relevant experience.
- Police constable degree apprenticeship (PCDA): three years, earning a degree in professional policing practice while you work.
- Degree holder entry programme (DHEP): two years for graduates in any subject, leading to a graduate diploma.
- Professional policing degree holders: if you studied a pre-join policing degree.
Selection usually includes an online assessment with an interview and written exercise, a medical, background vetting and a fitness test. The fitness test is a 15-metre shuttle run to level 5.4. You are on probation until you finish your programme.
Where it can lead
After probation you can specialise, for example as a detective, roads policing, firearms or dog handler, or go for promotion to sergeant. Pay rises one point a year to the top of the scale, which is where most of the increase comes, as the table above shows.
Common questions
Do you need a degree to become a police officer?
No. The police constable entry programme has no degree requirement. Some forces also offer the degree apprenticeship, where you earn a degree while you work.
What is the police fitness test?
A 15-metre shuttle run in time with bleeps, where you need to reach level 5.4. You take it after passing the earlier stages of selection.
How much does a police constable earn in 2026?
From £32,255 at pay point 1 to £52,015 at pay point 7, from 1 September 2026, plus London or South East allowances where they apply.
How long does it take to reach the top of the constable scale?
Six years, moving up one pay point each year, as long as you meet the pay progression standard.