Police Officer Pay to Rise by 4.2% in September 2025

Police Officers in England and Wales will receive a 4.2% pay increase from 1 September 2025, following the Home Secretary accepting the recommendations of the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB). 

The increase applies to officers up to and including the rank of Chief Superintendent.

What else is changing?

• The on-call allowance will increase from £25 to £35 per day
• London Weighting and Dog Handlers Allowances have increased by 4.2%. There is no change to the South East Allowance.

What does this mean in practice?

For Officers in the ranks of Constable to Inspector, the new pay scales will mean a Constable at pay point one (appointed after April 2013) will now earn £31,164. A Sergeant at the top of the scale will see their pay go from £53,943 to £56,208.

Fully updated pay scales for 2025/26 are available in our downloadable Police Pay Guide. 

Cost of Living Pressures Still Continue

With inflation stabilising and public sector wage growth beginning to outpace the cost of living, this year’s settlement marks a modest improvement in real terms for many officers. However, cost-of-living pressures remain acute – especially for those with high housing costs, dependent children or limited savings.

Our own research, the [Police Family Finance Index – Spring 2025], which was quoted by the PRRB found that:

• 64% of serving Police Officers still report current financial concerns.
• Over 1 in 4 (28%) say they have less than £100 left at the end of the month.
• 17% of Officers said they had missed meals in the past year due to financial pressure.

Pay award welcomed with caution

The Police Federation of England and Wales welcomed the Government’s decision to go beyond the earlier 3.8% recommendation.

If you’d like to read more about the pay settlement from the Police Federation, it has published its reaction on www.polfed.org

Our Chief Executive Officer, Annette Petchey, said:

“For many officers, especially those early in their careers, this pay rise is more than just a number – it’s a lifeline. Building financial stability from the start is key to helping them stay in the job long-term. With the cost of replacing a single officer in their first two years exceeding £100,000, supporting smarter money habits from the moment pay rises kick in just makes sense.”

A chance to strengthen your financial future?

Whenever you get a pay rise, whether it be a spine point or national, it’s a good time to pause and ask: do I need to spend all of it, or could some of it go into savings?

That’s exactly the question Andy Picton, a former Metropolitan Police Officer and now our Business Development Manager, used to ask himself. Here’s what Andy had to say:

“When I got a pay rise, I’d take a moment and ask myself: do I actually need to spend all of this? If I was managing without it before, could I put some aside instead? Setting up a direct debit or saving straight from a salary makes it easier to avoid spending it without thinking. It helped me build up a bit of a buffer for later”.

How can we help?

Pay awards alone won’t solve the longer-term pressures many officers are facing – but they do make a difference. At Police Friendly and Metfriendly, we’re here to help every member of the wider Police Family build financial resilience and plan for the future – whatever your rank or stage of career.

We host a range of free events, including regular saving and family finance webinars, designed to help you make your money go further – and in some cases, even access free money from the Government.

We’ve got a range of savings plans and ISAs designed to help you save regularly – starting from just £20/month.

We also have a range of Police Family Special offers available – but hurry, these end on 31st August 2025.

👉 View upcoming events
👉 See how Police Friendly and Metfriendly can help you save regularly.