Police Payslip Explained:
Exact Take-Home (3.9% Rise)
- Standard Tax Code: The default code for a main job is 1257L.
- Emergency Tax: Codes like BR, 0T, or W1/M1 mean you are likely overpaying tax.
- National Insurance: You currently pay 8% on earnings above the primary threshold.
- Tax Refunds: You can claim back overpaid tax for up to 4 previous years.
If you spot an error on your payslip, never use a "tax refund company" from social media. They legally take up to 48% of your refund as a fee. Checking your tax code and claiming directly via your HMRC Personal Tax Account is completely free.
⚡ Quick Facts: Police Pay 2027
- The 3.9% pay rise increases the starting salary of a Constable to £32,256.
- Most officers fall into the 13.44% contribution tier for the PPS 2015 Pension.
- The 10% Unsocial Hours allowance is taxable and NI-able, but not pensionable.
- A pension trap exists for part-time officers doing overtime near the £27k boundary.
2026/27 pay rise scenarios
What the 3.9% Pay Rise means for your monthly take-home
The government confirmed a 3.9% pay award from 1 September 2026. This table compares the old pre-September pay to the new scale. It assumes standard tax codes and PPS 2015 deductions.
Interactive Police Pay Calculator (Includes Allowances)
The tables above show standard basic pay. If you receive the 10% shift allowance or London weighting, use this calculator to model your exact take-home pay.
Police Pay Details
Override this if you have a different rank or custom pay arrangement.
Enter standard London Weighting or other pensionable allowances here.
Your Net Take-Home (2026/27)
£0.00 / month
Salary Breakdown:
👮 PPS 2015 Note
You are contributing to the Police Pension Scheme at the 0.00% tier. While these contributions are among the highest in the public sector, they are taken before tax, saving you 20% or 40% on the deduction.
The Pension Cliff Edge
The £27k Trap for Part-Time Officers
The Police Pension Scheme 2015 has incredibly high contribution rates. The lowest tier (for pensionable earnings up to £27,000) is 12.44%. The next tier (for earnings over £27,000) jumps to 13.44%.
Because the starting salary for a full-time constable is now £32,256, almost all full-time officers are in Tier 2 (13.44%). However, this creates a major "cliff edge" trap for part-time officers whose base salary is under £27,000. If a part-time officer does enough overtime to push their earnings past £27,000, their pension rate on all their earnings jumps to 13.44%, wiping out a huge chunk of the overtime pay.
If you work part-time and earn £26,500, you pay 12.44% (£3,296) into your pension. If a 3.9% pay rise pushes your earnings to £27,533, you cross the threshold into Tier 2.
Because the 13.44% rate is applied to your entire salary, you now pay £3,700 into your pension. The pension deduction jumps by over £400, swallowing a huge chunk of your £1,033 pay rise!
Police Pay Scales (2026/27)
Police pay in England and Wales is determined annually following recommendations by the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB). Your basic pay is determined by your rank and your pay point (which increases with years of service).
For a Constable, the pay scale typically progresses from Point 0 (initial training) up to Point 7 (top of scale). Similar progressive scales exist for Sergeants and Inspectors.
Allowances and Extras
Your basic pay is often supplemented by various allowances. It is crucial to understand how these are taxed:
1. Unsocial Hours / Shift Allowance
If you work between 8:00 pm and 6:00 am, you are entitled to an additional 10% of your basic pay for those hours. This payment is fully taxable and subject to National Insurance, but it is generally non-pensionable (you don't pay pension contributions on it).
2. Overtime
Overtime (whether rest day working or casual overtime) is paid at premium rates (e.g., time and a third, or time and a half). Like shift pay, overtime is taxable and subject to NI, but is non-pensionable.
3. London Weighting and Allowances
Officers in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police receive additional pay to offset the cost of living in the capital.
- London Weighting: This is a pensionable addition to your basic pay.
- London Allowance: This is an additional sum which is taxable but usually non-pensionable.