Sophie RobinsonPolice Remuneration Review Body Award 2025-2026: A Complete Guide for Officers in England and Wales
What Is the Police Remuneration Review Body?
The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) is an independent advisory body that recommends pay and conditions for police officers in England and Wales. Established to provide impartial guidance to government, the PRRB covers all federated ranks (Constable to Chief Inspector) and superintending ranks (Superintendent and Chief Superintendent), as well as officers at ACPO ranks — approximately 149,000 officers in total.
Unlike most workers in the United Kingdom, police officers hold the Office of Constable rather than an employment contract. This means they are not "employees" under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996) in the conventional sense, and they cannot join a trade union or take industrial action. Under section 280 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULRCA 1992), police officers are prohibited from belonging to a trade union. Instead, officers are represented by the Police Federation of England and Wales (for Constables, Sergeants, Inspectors and Chief Inspectors) and the Superintendents' Association — both of which are staff associations rather than trade unions, and neither can call a lawful strike.
The PRRB process is therefore a review-and-recommendation mechanism rather than collective bargaining. The government is not legally obliged to accept PRRB recommendations, though in practice it has followed them — sometimes with modifications. Pay awards are implemented by the Home Office and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales.
Pay Award 2025-2026
The PRRB recommended a 4.2% consolidated pay increase for 2025-26. The government accepted this recommendation in full, effective 1 September 2025, funded in part through £120 million of reprioritised Home Office budget.
This is a consolidated award, meaning it is permanently built into officers' base salaries rather than paid as a one-off lump sum. The 4.2% uplift applies uniformly across all pay points and ranks covered by the PRRB.
Pay Scales by Rank (as of 1 September 2025)
Constables appointed on or after 1 April 2013
| Pay Point | Annual Salary (from 01/09/2025) |
|---|---|
| 1 | £31,164 |
| 2 | £32,472 |
| 3 | £33,789 |
| 4 | £35,106 |
| 5 | £37,737 |
| 6 | £43,038 |
| 7 | £50,256 |
Constables appointed before 1 April 2013
| Pay Point | Annual Salary (from 01/09/2025) |
|---|---|
| On commencing service | £32,820 |
| On completion of initial training | £36,375 |
| On completion of 2 years' service | £38,346 |
| 3 | £40,557 |
| 4 | £41,766 |
| 5 | £43,038 |
| 6 | £46,626 |
| 7 | £50,256 |
Senior Ranks (as of 01/09/2025)
| Rank | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Sergeant | £53,568 | £56,208 |
| Inspector | £63,768 | £68,982 |
| Chief Inspector | £70,344 | £73,149 |
| Superintendent | £84,177 | £99,015 |
| Chief Superintendent | £103,797 | £115,785 |
All figures are gross annual base salaries before income tax, National Insurance, and pension contributions. Certain forces may pay additional location allowances (for example, the Metropolitan Police pays a London weighting allowance).
Working Hours and Leave Entitlement
Working Hours
Police officers are subject to the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR 1998), which were extended to cover police officers. The WTR 1998 provides a statutory ceiling of 48 hours per week averaged over a 17-week reference period, the right to 11 hours' consecutive daily rest, and the right to a 20-minute rest break during shifts of more than six hours.
Officers may sign an opt-out agreement from the 48-hour week limit, though they cannot be compelled to do so. Night shift workers have additional protections under WTR 1998, including limits on the length of night shifts involving special hazards.
Annual Leave Entitlement
The Police Regulations 2003, as amended from 1 April 2025, significantly improved annual leave for officers. The new entitlements — being phased in over three years — are:
- On joining: 25 days per year (increased from 22 days)
- Maximum entitlement: 30 days per year, achieved after 10 years' service (previously required 20 years)
- Bank holidays: 8 days of public holidays, the same as most employees in England and Wales
For comparison, the statutory minimum under WTR 1998 is 28 days per year (including bank holidays) for a full-time worker. Police officers' leave entitlement at the start of their career (25 days plus 8 bank holidays = 33 days) already exceeds the statutory floor, and rises substantially with service length.
Redundancy and Departure Rights
Because police officers are not employees under ERA 1996, they are not entitled to statutory redundancy pay under Part XI of that Act. Police officers cannot be made redundant in the traditional sense — their removal from office is governed by the Police Regulations 2003 and, in cases of misconduct or incapacity, by the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 or the Police (Performance) Regulations 2020.
Officers who resign or retire receive no statutory redundancy payment. However, in circumstances where forces restructure and officers are required to leave service, forces may offer voluntary exit schemes with compensation calculated by reference to service length and final salary, though these are contractual arrangements rather than statutory rights.
For civilian police staff (police staff employed under normal employment contracts), ERA 1996 statutory redundancy pay applies: the formula is 0.5 to 1.5 weeks' pay per year of service, depending on age, capped at the statutory weekly pay limit of £700 (2026 rate). Civilian police staff benefit from the full range of ERA 1996 protections that sworn officers do not.
Notice Periods
For sworn officers, the notice period for resignation is set by the Police Regulations 2003 rather than ERA 1996. An officer wishing to resign must give at least one month's written notice to their chief constable. The chief constable may extend this period up to three months where operational requirements demand it.
ERA 1996 section 86 statutory notice — under which employees receive one week's notice per year of service (up to 12 weeks) — does not apply directly to sworn officers. However, where a force moves to terminate an officer's appointment on grounds of ill-health or other non-disciplinary grounds, the process must comply with the Police Regulations 2003 and natural justice principles.
Civilian police staff are entitled to ERA 1996 statutory notice rights in the usual way.
Pension Rights
Police officers participate in a defined benefit (DB) occupational pension scheme, providing far greater retirement security than the auto-enrolment minimum for most workers. The current scheme for officers who joined on or after 1 April 2015 is the Police Pension Scheme 2015 (PPS 2015), a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme.
Under PPS 2015:
- Accrual rate: Officers build up 1/55.3 of their revalued average career earnings for each year of service
- Normal pension age: 60 (in line with state pension reforms affecting public sector schemes)
- Employee contributions: Tiered by earnings — ranging from approximately 11.0% to 15.05% of pensionable pay
- Employer contributions: 35.3% of pensionable pay — substantially higher than the private sector auto-enrolment minimum of 3% under the Pensions Act 2008
The Pensions Act 2008 established auto-enrolment obligations for employers in the wider economy, setting a minimum 8% total pension contribution (at least 3% employer). Police officers' employer contribution of 35.3% represents more than eleven times that minimum, reflecting the hazardous and physically demanding nature of the role, and the inability to strike or otherwise exert industrial pressure.
Officers who joined before 2006 may retain membership in the older Police Pension Scheme 1987, and those joining between 2006 and 2015 were enrolled in the now-closed New Police Pension Scheme 2006 (NPPS). Legal challenges and the McCloud/Sargeant remedy process have led to transitional provisions for officers who suffered age discrimination during the 2015 reforms.
Your Rights Under the PRRB Framework
Although police officers sit outside the conventional employment law framework in several important respects, they retain significant statutory and regulatory protections:
- Working Time Regulations 1998: Officers are entitled to limits on working hours, daily and weekly rest, and minimum paid annual leave — the same WTR 1998 protections as most workers
- Equality Act 2010: Officers are protected against discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, disability, religion, and other protected characteristics — enforcement routes include employment tribunal claims
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974: Officers must be provided with safe systems of work, risk assessments, and appropriate personal protective equipment
- Police Regulations 2003: The primary source of officers' terms and conditions, covering pay, leave, hours, uniform, and welfare — these regulations carry statutory force under the Police Act 1996
- TULRCA 1992 context: While officers cannot join trade unions under section 280 TULRCA 1992, they have the right to be represented by the Police Federation or Superintendents' Association in disciplinary proceedings and regulatory matters
Officers facing unfair treatment in disciplinary hearings can appeal through the Police Appeals Tribunal. Grievances about pay implementation should be raised with the federation representative, who can escalate to force HR or, if necessary, to judicial review of the Home Office decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 4.2% pay rise take effect? The 4.2% consolidated increase applies from 1 September 2025. Officers should see the uplift reflected in pay from the next payroll cycle after that date. Any arrears from the start of September are typically paid as a back-dated lump sum if the force's payroll cycle runs monthly.
Does the 4.2% apply to all ranks? Yes. The award covers all federated ranks (Constable to Chief Inspector) and superintending ranks (Superintendent and Chief Superintendent). ACPO ranks above Chief Superintendent are separately reviewed but the same 4.2% uplift was applied for 2025-26.
Am I entitled to redundancy pay if my post is restructured? Sworn officers are not entitled to statutory redundancy under ERA 1996. If a force offers a voluntary exit scheme, the terms are set by the force and Home Office guidance, not by statute. Always seek advice from your Police Federation representative before agreeing to any exit package.
How do police pension contributions compare with a private sector job? Your employer (the Home Office/PCC) contributes 35.3% of your pensionable pay into the Police Pension Scheme 2015, compared with the minimum 3% required under the Pensions Act 2008 for private sector employers. The DB nature of the scheme — with an accrual rate of 1/55.3 per year and a pension age of 60 — provides guaranteed retirement income that defined contribution (DC) plans typically cannot match.
Can the Police Federation negotiate my pay on my behalf? The Police Federation is a staff association, not a trade union. It does not have collective bargaining rights under TULRCA 1992 and cannot call industrial action. However, the Federation presents evidence to the PRRB, lobbies government, and represents individual officers in misconduct and appeals proceedings. The Federation's evidence to the PRRB significantly shapes the recommendations made.
What is the minimum salary for a new Constable in 2026? A Constable appointed on or after 1 April 2013 starts on £31,164 per year (pay point 1, effective from 1 September 2025). In London, the Metropolitan Police adds a London allowance on top of this figure.
Related Tool
Interactive Pay Calculator Use our Police Remuneration Review Body 2025 Pay & Rights Calculator to estimate your take-home pay, annual leave entitlement, and pension contributions under the 2025-26 award — tailored to your rank, service length, and pay point.
This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult your union representative or a qualified employment solicitor.
