England and Wales · 2026/27 tax year
Police chief inspector pay scale 2026/27: England and Wales
Full-time chief inspectors in England and Wales are paid from £72,807 to £75,708 a year, on the scales in force from 1 September 2026. After tax, National Insurance and pension, that's £3,893.51 to £4,013.59 a month.
Chief inspector pay points
| Pay point | Salary | Take-home a month | Basic hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay point 1 | £72,807 | £3,893.51 | £34.89 |
| Pay point 2 | £74,226 | £3,952.24 | £35.57 |
| Pay point 3 | £75,708 | £4,013.59 | £36.28 |
Moving up the scale
Officers usually move up one pay point a year, subject to satisfactory performance, until they reach the top of the scale. From the first point to the top is £2,901 a year before deductions, or £120.08 a month after them.
Promotion to superintendent starts at £87,123 a year. From the top of the chief inspector scale, that's about £457.69 a month more after deductions. Superintendent pay scale
Chief inspectors in the Met and City of London
The Metropolitan and City of London police forces pay chief inspectors on a separate London scale.
| Pay point | London salary |
|---|---|
| Pay point 1 | £75,618 |
| Pay point 2 | £77,031 |
| Pay point 3 | £78,510 |
Overtime
Only constables and sergeants are paid overtime.
How these figures are worked out
- Take-home assumes full-time hours, tax code 1257L and the 2015 police pension scheme, with no allowances, student loan or other deductions.
- The basic hourly rate is the salary × 6/12520, the formula in Police Regulations Annex F.
- England & Wales pay scales from 1 September 2026: the 3.5% award applied to the 2025 scales. The official tables have not been published yet.
- Tax, National Insurance and pay rules last checked 27 October 2026.