Police inspector pay scale and take-home
Take-home is after income tax and National Insurance on the standard tax code, with no student loan and before pension contributions. The Police Pension Scheme member rate depends on the scheme the officer is in, so it is left off here rather than assumed; it reduces the figures below.
| Pay point | Basic pay | Income tax | National Insurance | Take-home a year | A month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay point 0 | £66,255 | £13,934 | £3,336 | £48,985 | £4,082 |
| Pay point 1 | £68,061 | £14,656 | £3,372 | £50,033 | £4,169 |
| Pay point 2 | £69,858 | £15,375 | £3,408 | £51,075 | £4,256 |
| Pay point 3 | £71,673 | £16,101 | £3,444 | £52,128 | £4,344 |
Officers move up one point a year, subject to the Pay Progression Standard, so the figures show a career progression through the rank rather than choices at a single moment.
Police inspector pay in London
Inspectors and chief inspectors in the Metropolitan and City of London forces are on a separate, higher scale rather than receiving London Weighting. The London scale for this rank is:
| Pay point | Outside London | London scale | London take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay point 0 | £66,255 | £69,054 | £4,217 |
| Pay point 1 | £68,061 | £70,863 | £4,305 |
| Pay point 2 | £69,858 | £72,681 | £4,393 |
| Pay point 3 | £71,673 | £74,493 | £4,480 |
A force-set London Allowance of up to £6,845 a year can also apply.
Police inspector pay with a student loan
At the entry point of £66,255, repayments are 9 per cent of pay above the plan threshold, taken through payroll after income tax and National Insurance.
| Plan | Threshold | Repayment a year | A month | Take-home after loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | £3,542 | £295 | £45,443 |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | £3,318 | £277 | £45,667 |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £33,795 | £2,921 | £243 | £46,064 |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | £3,713 | £309 | £45,272 |
The student loan repayment calculator covers every plan and any salary.
What is different in Scotland and Northern Ireland
These figures are for England and Wales. Police officers in Scotland and Northern Ireland are on separate pay scales set through their own arrangements, so the cash figures should not be read across, although the rank structure is similar. Income tax also differs in Scotland: at £66,255 Scottish rates would take £15,809 in income tax against £13,934, so take-home would be about £47,110, £1,875 a year less. The Scottish income tax calculator shows the working.
Ranks either side of inspector
| Rank | Bottom of scale | Top of scale |
|---|---|---|
| Sergeant | £55,656 | £58,401 |
| Inspector | £66,255 | £71,673 |
What these figures leave out
Basic pay is not the whole of police pay. Overtime, an unsocial hours allowance, a dog handlers' allowance, an on-call allowance and shift enhancements are all paid on top and vary by role and force. Pension contributions reduce take-home. Use the take-home pay calculator to add a pension contribution and a student loan to any of the figures above.