England and Wales · 2026/27 tax year
Police inspector pay scale 2026/27: England and Wales
Full-time inspectors in England and Wales are paid from £66,000 to £71,397 a year, on the scales in force from 1 September 2026. After tax, National Insurance and pension, that's £3,611.74 to £3,835.14 a month.
Inspector pay points
| Pay point | Salary | Take-home a month | Basic hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay point 0 | £66,000 | £3,611.74 | £31.63 |
| Pay point 1 | £67,797 | £3,686.13 | £32.49 |
| Pay point 2 | £69,588 | £3,760.26 | £33.35 |
| Pay point 3 | £71,397 | £3,835.14 | £34.22 |
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 £5,397 a year before deductions, or £223.40 a month after them.
Promotion to chief inspector starts at £72,807 a year. From the top of the inspector scale, that's about £58.37 a month more after deductions. Chief inspector pay scale
Inspectors in the Met and City of London
The Metropolitan and City of London police forces pay inspectors on a separate London scale.
| Pay point | London salary |
|---|---|
| Pay point 0 | £68,787 |
| Pay point 1 | £70,590 |
| Pay point 2 | £72,402 |
| Pay point 3 | £74,205 |
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.