Police pay and redundancy calculator 2026 | Expert Zoom

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the police pay award for 2025-26 in England and Wales?

  The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) recommended a 4.2% pay award for 2025–26, which the Government accepted and funded through £120 million of reprioritised Home Office budget. The award was effective from 1 September 2025 and applies to approximately 149,000 police officers from constable up to chief constable in England and Wales.

• How much does a police constable earn in 2025-26?

  Under the 2025–26 PRRB award, a constable on commencing service earns £32,820 per year, rising to £50,256 at the top of the pay scale (effective 1 September 2025). Constables appointed on or after 1 April 2013 start at £31,164 on pay point 1. All constable spine points received a 4.2% uplift from the previous year.

• What is the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB)?

  The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) is an independent advisory body that makes annual recommendations to the Home Secretary on pay for police officers in England and Wales, from constable up to chief constable. Because police officers cannot legally strike and are not covered by TULRCA 1992 collective bargaining, the PRRB provides an independent mechanism for pay determination.

• What are police sergeant pay scales for 2025-26?

  Police sergeants in England and Wales earn between £53,568 (pay point 2a, the entry point on promotion from constable) and £56,208 (pay point 4, top of the sergeant scale) under the 2025–26 PRRB award, effective 1 September 2025. All pay points received a 4.2% uplift.

• How many days annual leave do police officers get?

  Under Police Regulations 2003 (as amended in April 2025), new entrant police officers receive 25 days annual leave, rising to 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 10 years of continuous service. This is in addition to 8 bank holidays in England and Wales. The WTR 1998 statutory minimum is 28 days.

• Are police officers entitled to statutory redundancy pay under ERA 1996?

  No. Police officers hold the office of constable and are not 'employees' for the purposes of the Employment Rights Act 1996. Statutory redundancy pay under ERA 1996 s.162 does not automatically apply. Some forces have introduced voluntary or compulsory severance schemes, often calculated using a formula similar to the ERA 1996 statutory redundancy formula. Officers should consult their Police Federation representative for their force's specific scheme.

• Which pension scheme covers police officers in England and Wales?

  New police officers joining from 2015 onwards are members of the Police Pension Scheme 2015 (PPS 2015), a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) defined-benefit scheme. The employee contribution rate is 14.25% and the employer contribution is 35.3% of pensionable pay. Legacy officers may remain in the Police Pension Scheme 2006 or Police Pension Scheme 1987.

• What notice period must a police officer give to resign?

  Under Police Regulations 2003, Regulation 6, constables and sergeants must give at least 1 month's written notice to their Chief Constable to resign. Inspectors, chief inspectors, superintendents and chief superintendents are typically required to give 3 months' notice. The Chief Constable may waive or reduce the notice period at their discretion.