Police sergeant pay is set nationally for every force in England and Wales. The sergeant scale has three pay points, and its lowest point sits above the top of the constable scale, so every constable gets a rise on promotion. This guide gives the current sergeant pay scale with the 2026 award, works out what the first promotion is worth in cash, and covers the allowances, overtime and the step on to inspector. It ends with what to do next if you are planning to sit the sergeants' exam.
All figures are basic pay before tax, National Insurance and pension contributions. They were checked on 30 October 2026.
Police sergeant pay scale 2026
The official scale in force from 1 September 2025 is set out in Appendix F of the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) report for 2026. The PRRB recommended 3.9% for 2026. The government awarded 3.5% to every rank and pay point from 1 September 2026, announced in a written ministerial statement on 15 July 2026.
| Pay point | From 1 Sept 2025 (official) | From 1 Sept 2026 (3.5%, approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| Sergeant pay point 2 | £53,568 | about £55,440 |
| Sergeant pay point 3 | £54,660 | about £56,570 |
| Sergeant pay point 4 | £56,208 | about £58,180 |
About the 2026 column. When we checked, the Home Office's latest police pay circular on gov.uk, Circular 011/2026, implemented the 2025 award. We could not find the amended 2026 pay table, so the 2026 figures are our calculation of 3.5% on the 2025 scale, rounded to the nearest £10. The official figures may differ by a few pounds. Check your payslip or the next Home Office circular.
Key fact: The sergeant scale starts at pay point 2 because points 0 and 1 were removed (in 2014 and 2020). There are only three points, so you reach the top two years after promotion.
Progression through the scale
You move up one pay point each year on your increment date, provided you meet the pay progression standard. In practice that means a satisfactory performance review and no live formal performance action. The rules sit in Annex F to the Police Regulations 2003.
Police sergeant salary vs constable: what promotion is worth
Most constables who sit the exam are at, or close to, the top of the constable scale. The table compares constable pay point 7 with each sergeant pay point.
| 2025 scale | Rise from PC point 7 | 2026 scale (approx.) | Rise from PC point 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constable pay point 7 | £50,256 | about £52,010 | ||
| Sergeant pay point 2 | £53,568 | +£3,312 (6.6%) | about £55,440 | about +£3,430 |
| Sergeant pay point 3 | £54,660 | +£4,404 (8.8%) | about £56,570 | about +£4,560 |
| Sergeant pay point 4 | £56,208 | +£5,952 (11.8%) | about £58,180 | about +£6,160 |
So the first year as a sergeant is worth about £3,400 in basic pay, and the third year about £6,200 a year over a top-scale constable. Over a career the gap compounds: pension in the 2015 scheme builds up on your pensionable pay each year, so higher pay also means more pension.
A worked example
HOLT is a constable on pay point 7. She passes the March 2027 sergeants' exam, is selected at step three and starts temporary promotion later that year. Using the 2026 figures and ignoring future awards:
- Before promotion: about £52,010 basic as a top-scale constable.
- Year one as a sergeant (pay point 2): about £55,440, roughly £3,430 more.
- Year two (pay point 3): about £56,570, if she meets the pay progression standard.
- Year three onwards (pay point 4): about £58,180, roughly £6,160 a year more than she would earn as a constable.
Future pay awards raise both scales by the same percentage, so the cash gap grows slightly each year. Overtime is paid on the higher hourly rate too, which widens the real difference for anyone who works regular overtime.
What it costs to get there
The cost is time rather than money. The exam needs about 14 weeks of revision around shifts, and step four is a mandatory 12 months of temporary promotion with a work-based assessment. Our NPPF step 2 guide explains every step and its timing.
Exam tip: The pay rise is fixed; the date it starts is not. Every sitting you miss pushes the rise back six months. Booking the next sitting and starting a plan now is worth more than waiting for a quieter year.
When your pay changes during the NPPF
Temporary promotion (step four)
After you pass the exam and are selected at step three, your force temporarily promotes you to sergeant. During temporary promotion you are paid as a sergeant. You become substantive at the end of the 12 months, once you pass the work-based assessment.
Acting up
If you cover a sergeant's duties without being temporarily promoted, you may be paid the acting up allowance. It has had a qualifying period of 10 days in a year. The PRRB recommended abolishing that qualifying period from 1 September 2026; we could not confirm whether the government accepted this, so check with your force or Federation representative.
London weighting and regional allowances
Basic pay is the same everywhere, but officers in and around London receive extra payments.
| Allowance | Who gets it | 2026 change |
|---|---|---|
| London Weighting | Officers in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police | Up 3.5% |
| London Allowance | Met and City officers, up to a maximum set nationally (forces decide how much they pay within it) | Maximum up 3.5% |
| South East Allowance (higher maximum) | Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey and Thames Valley | Maximum up 3.5% |
| South East Allowance (lower maximum) | Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Sussex | Maximum up 3.5% |
These rises were confirmed in the 15 July 2026 written statement. Because chief officers decide how much of the London and South East allowances to pay up to the maximum, two forces in the same band can pay different amounts.
Met police sergeant salary
A Met sergeant is on the same national sergeant scale as everyone else, plus London Weighting and the London Allowance. Unlike inspectors and chief inspectors, sergeants have no separate London pay scale. The London allowances together add several thousand pounds a year, so a Met sergeant's gross pay is noticeably higher than the same pay point elsewhere.
Detective sergeant salary
A detective sergeant (DS) holds the rank of sergeant and is paid on the same scale. The "detective" prefix describes the role, not a different rank (see our police ranks guide). Any difference in a DS's earnings comes from:
- overtime, which is common in investigative roles;
- on-call arrangements, which the PRRB has asked forces to standardise through national guidance;
- local payments some forces make to recruit and keep detectives.
The route to DS is the same as for uniform: pass the sergeants' exam, then step three and step four. Many DSs were detective constables first; our how to become a detective guide covers that path.
Overtime, and the step from sergeant to inspector
Sergeants and constables are entitled to overtime under police regulations; inspectors and above are not. The PRRB's 2026 report observes that some inspectors are likely to earn less than sergeants who work similar hours for this reason.
| Sergeant (2025 scale) | Inspector (2025 scale, outside London) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay points | 2 to 4 | 0 to 3 |
| Basic pay | £53,568 to £56,208 | £63,768 to £68,982 |
| Overtime | Yes | No |
The NPCC told the PRRB in 2026 that it wanted to remove inspector pay point 0 to widen the gap with sergeants. Check the next pay circular for any change. If you are weighing up the next step, our inspectors' exam guide sets out the format and the 65% pass mark.
Key fact: Basic pay is only part of the picture. Before you decide on inspector, compare a year of your actual overtime earnings with the inspector scale.
Other things that affect police sergeant pay
- Part-time working. Basic pay and most allowances are paid pro rata to your hours. Your increment date and pay progression work in the same way as for full-time officers.
- Late pay awards. When a pay award is announced or implemented after 1 September, forces have usually paid arrears back to that date. The 2026 award was announced in July, before the effective date.
- Pension. Your pension builds up on pensionable pay, so promotion raises both your salary and the pension you earn each year. Your contribution rate also depends on your pay band, which is one reason take-home pay rises by less than the gross figures suggest.
- Pay progression. If formal performance action is live on your increment date, your move to the next point can be held back. Keep your performance review up to date during step four.
- Allowances you lose or gain. Some role-based payments (for example, dog handlers' allowance) depend on the post rather than the rank, so a promotion that moves you out of a specialist role can change what you receive.
Key fact: Gross pay figures on this page are national. Your own payslip may differ because of local allowances, your increment date and your hours, so treat the tables as a guide, not a quote.
Working out your take-home pay
Your take-home pay depends on your tax code, National Insurance, your pension contribution rate (which varies by salary band), student loan repayments and any salary sacrifice. We don't build calculators. For a detailed figure at any rank and pay point, Police Take Home Pay has a dedicated calculator; enter the sergeant pay point you expect after promotion and compare it with your current payslip.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
This page covers England and Wales. Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland have their own pay arrangements, pay scales and award dates, so the figures above don't apply there.
Your revision plan
The pay rise depends on passing the exam. If you are a constable thinking about promotion:
- Check the 2027 dates on our sergeants' exam guide: 16 to 18 March (registration 18 January to 18 February) and 5 to 7 October.
- Take the free sergeants' diagnostic to see how far you are from the 55% pass mark.
- Start a 14-week plan with our sergeants' exam revision plan, with one topic quiz a day.
- Sit the free full-length sergeants' mock 1 under timed conditions and aim for 65% across three mocks before the exam.
All our exam and law guides are on the guides page. This is an independent revision site, not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or the Police Federation.
Frequently asked questions
+How much does a police sergeant earn in the UK?
In England and Wales, a sergeant's basic pay was £53,568 to £56,208 from 1 September 2025. With the 3.5% award from 1 September 2026 the range is about £55,440 to £58,180. London Weighting, regional allowances and overtime come on top.
+How much more does a sergeant earn than a constable?
On the 2025 scale, moving from constable pay point 7 (£50,256) to the bottom of the sergeant scale (£53,568) is a rise of £3,312, about 6.6%. After two annual increments the gap is £5,952, about 11.8%, before overtime and allowances.
+Is a detective sergeant paid more than a uniformed sergeant?
Not on basic pay. A detective sergeant holds the rank of sergeant and is paid on the same national scale. Differences in earnings come from overtime, on-call arrangements and any local payments a force makes.
+What is the police pay rise for 2026?
The government announced a 3.5% consolidated rise to all ranks and pay points from 1 September 2026 in a written statement on 15 July 2026. The Police Remuneration Review Body had recommended 3.9%. London Weighting and the maximum London and South East allowances also rose by 3.5%.
+Do police sergeants get overtime?
Yes. Constables and sergeants are entitled to overtime under police regulations, while inspectors and above are not. For many sergeants, overtime makes a real difference to annual earnings.
+How much does a Met police sergeant earn?
A Met sergeant is paid on the same national sergeant scale, plus London Weighting and the London Allowance. Together these add several thousand pounds a year on top of basic pay. Check your force's current rates.
+How long does it take to reach the top of the sergeant pay scale?
The sergeant scale has three points (2, 3 and 4). You move up one point a year if you meet the pay progression standard, so it takes two years from promotion to reach the top.
Revision aid, not legal advice. The College of Policing exams follow the 2027 Blackstone's Police Manuals, so check every point against your manual and the current law on legislation.gov.uk. Police Sergeant Exam is independent and not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or Oxford University Press.
Keep reading
- Police Ranks in the UK: Every Rank in Order, with Insignia and PayPolice ranks in the UK in order, from constable to chief constable and commissioner, with insignia, pay ranges, detective ranks and how promotion works.
- NPPF Step 2 and the Four Steps to PromotionNPPF step 2 explained: the four steps of the National Police Promotion Framework, from eligibility and the legal exam to selection, WBA and SIPP trials.
- Sergeants' Exam 2027: Dates, Format, Pass Mark and ResultsSergeants exam 2027 guide: March and October dates, registration windows, 55% pass mark, format, eligibility and results. Plan your sitting now.
- Inspectors' Exam 2027: Dates, Pass Mark, Format and RevisionInspectors exam 2027: May and November dates, the 65% pass mark, eligibility and how it differs from the sergeants' exam. Free timed mock included.