Forces urged to copy Northamptonshire Police on overtime pay decision
5 September 2025
Forces should pay officers for planned overtime rather than the current ‘half hour for the King’, the Chair of Gloucestershire Police Federation has said.
Adam Williams said he supported Northamptonshire Police’s decision to change the way it applies the so-called ‘half hour for the King’ – the long-standing expectation that officers would routinely give extra time at the end of their shifts.
Officers have actually been paid for this half hour since 1994, when the Federation successfully challenged its non-payment. All PCs and Sergeants now get an extra payment of around £450 a year, pensionable, to reflect this.
However, demand is now so consistently high that officers are having to plan for extended shifts. Northamptonshire’s Chief Constable has argued this means the time counts as ‘planned overtime’, and should be paid in addition to the allowance.
Adam said: “I back Northamptonshire Police’s decision, and urge other forces to follow suit. Overtime that may once have been due to a rare surge is now an everyday occurrence.
“We will be raising it in force the next time we meet our Chief Constable. We will encourage the Chief to recognise the pressures on officers; this change would be a step in the right direction.”
PFEW National Secretary John Partington said: “Northants Police have done the right thing by recognising that relentless demand cannot just be absorbed and that officers must be properly compensated and the sacrifice of their time recognised. We accept the strong case that the Government needs to fund policing properly, but if Northants can do it, every other force can too.”
Northamptonshire Police Federation Chair Sam Dobbs said: “Police officers serve with pride, dedication and bravery but they cannot be expected to shoulder today’s relentless demand without proper recognition. Chief Constable Balhatchet’s decision ensures that when officers work beyond their shifts, that time is properly treated as planned overtime. It’s a fairer approach that values officers’ time and wellbeing, and it sends a clear message: the pressures breaking policing must be acknowledged and addressed. We've lobbied on this issue for some time and now it’s time for every force to follow Northamptonshire’s lead.”
Adam Williams said he supported Northamptonshire Police’s decision to change the way it applies the so-called ‘half hour for the King’ – the long-standing expectation that officers would routinely give extra time at the end of their shifts.
Officers have actually been paid for this half hour since 1994, when the Federation successfully challenged its non-payment. All PCs and Sergeants now get an extra payment of around £450 a year, pensionable, to reflect this.
However, demand is now so consistently high that officers are having to plan for extended shifts. Northamptonshire’s Chief Constable has argued this means the time counts as ‘planned overtime’, and should be paid in addition to the allowance.
Adam said: “I back Northamptonshire Police’s decision, and urge other forces to follow suit. Overtime that may once have been due to a rare surge is now an everyday occurrence.
“We will be raising it in force the next time we meet our Chief Constable. We will encourage the Chief to recognise the pressures on officers; this change would be a step in the right direction.”
PFEW National Secretary John Partington said: “Northants Police have done the right thing by recognising that relentless demand cannot just be absorbed and that officers must be properly compensated and the sacrifice of their time recognised. We accept the strong case that the Government needs to fund policing properly, but if Northants can do it, every other force can too.”
Northamptonshire Police Federation Chair Sam Dobbs said: “Police officers serve with pride, dedication and bravery but they cannot be expected to shoulder today’s relentless demand without proper recognition. Chief Constable Balhatchet’s decision ensures that when officers work beyond their shifts, that time is properly treated as planned overtime. It’s a fairer approach that values officers’ time and wellbeing, and it sends a clear message: the pressures breaking policing must be acknowledged and addressed. We've lobbied on this issue for some time and now it’s time for every force to follow Northamptonshire’s lead.”
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