Police officers in England and Wales to receive 3.5% pay rise, government set to announce
It will mean that the starting salary for a police constable will be £32,256 to £33,609
LBC understands that police officers across England and Wales are set to receive a 3.5% pay boost, the government will announce later today (15 July).
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The increase is broadly in line with settlements across the public sector, with NHS doctors, school teachers and prison officers also receiving pay awards of 3.5%.
Since the general election, police officers have received above inflation pay awards totalling 12.5%, recognising the crucial role they play in protecting the public.
This latest increase will apply to all ranks and come into force on 1 September 2026.
The Home Office will provide additional funding of £373 million across the next three years to support police forces with the costs of the award and protect their budgets (£84 million in 2026-27, £144 million in 2027-28, and £145 million in 2028-29).
It will mean that the starting salary for a police constable will be £32,256 to £33,609.
The typical basic salary for a constable who has been in post for six years will be £52,014.
In addition, officers in London will receive London Weighting of £3,260 and London Allowance of up to £6,819, reflecting the demands of policing in the capital.
Officers who have not yet reached the top of their pay scale will receive pay progression increases of at least 2% - and typically between 4% and 6% - if they meet pay progression requirements.
In 2024-25, the median full-time gross annual earnings for constables and sergeants outside London were 29% higher than the median for all employed workers in the UK.
They were also 31% higher than the median across jobs that tend to require substantial training or high-level vocational qualifications, and 3% higher than the median for professional occupations, which are typically graduate jobs.
The award comes after the Home Office announced that police forces in England and Wales are receiving a funding boost of £834 million this financial year to restore neighbourhood policing, cut crime and catch criminals.
This brings total funding for forces to up to £18.4 billion, which is equal to a £3.2 billion cash increase and an 11% real-terms increase compared to 2023-24.
The Home Secretary will announce the pay award to parliament later today (15 July) via a Written Ministerial Statement.