Rest Day Pay Cut Is Unacceptable

24 March 2026

Chiefs’ rest day proposals are a serious mistake that risk officer welfare and public safety, according to the Police Federation of England and Wales.

The PFEW has issued a stark warning to the Government not to accept proposals from police chiefs that would make it cheaper and easier for forces to intrude on the vital rest days officers need to keep communities safe.

Police officers are currently entitled to a minimum four hours’ compensation at time and a half when they are required to work on a cancelled rest day or bank holiday, recognising the disruption to protected rest and family commitments.

In its submission to the Government-controlled Police Remuneration Review Body, police chiefs have proposed to remove that safeguard with officers paid at time and one-third, calculated in 15-minute increments, for the exact time worked. The submission also seeks to tighten the rules around how cancelled rest days are re-rostered.

In response, the Federation is launching ‘Hands Off Our Rest Days’ as part of its wider Copped Enough campaign for better pay, working conditions and support for police officers.

Adam Williams, Chair of Gloucestershire Police Federation, said: “I’ve raised the NPCC recommendations directly with the Chief Constable, including submitting written questions that still remain unanswered.

“I have made clear to the Chief Constable the very real impact these proposals will have on our officers.

“A real‑terms pay cut at a time of rising demand is simply unacceptable. In Gloucestershire, the additional pressure since the start of the war in Iran has meant rest days are now regularly cancelled just to maintain basic service levels, let alone the extra staff needed to cover potential protests at sensitive sites within the county.

“The recommendations to remove what rights we have left, such as being compensated properly for working into rest days. This is a significant issue for all officers but I was informed that ‘welfare’ was at the forefront of their decision making during the NPCC’s discussions.

“Frontline officers tell me they feel less supported than ever. The feedback is consistent: frustration, fatigue, and a growing sense of being completely disenfranchised from senior decision‑making.

“Their voices must be heard – and I’ll continue to ensure they are.”

Police Federation National Chair Tiff Lynch said: “This weekend we’ll see further protests in London and that guarantees rest days for officers in the capital and beyond will be disrupted."

"At a time when policing is getting more dangerous and when thousands are choosing to leave, chief constables are proposing not to strengthen protections for their men and women but to weaken them.”

National Secretary John Partington said: “It is difficult to see how any Chief Constable who truly supports their officers could believe making it cheaper to cancel rest days is the right approach. They should scrap these plans now.”

“Policing continues to function largely because officers repeatedly step up, cancelling rest days, missing family time and working through fatigue. Making it easier and cheaper to intrude on that rest time is not a solution. It is a gamble with officer welfare and public safety."