FAQs

Equality Health and Safety Lawful Orders Misconduct

Pay and Conditions Pensions and Retirement Pre-Retirement Seminars Support for Victims and Witnesses

 

Allowances, Travel and Expenses

 

Annual Leave

 

Compensation for duty on a public holiday

Where you are required to do duty on a public holiday you shall be granted:

Where less than eight days’ notice is received:

• payment of double time; and
• another day off in lieu. This day should be notified within four days of the notification of the requirement to work, and the lieu day will be treated as a public holiday should there be a requirement to work on that day.

In any other case, an allowance at the appropriate rate, i.e. double time.

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Court appearance whilst absent due to illness

If a member is certified as unfit for duty by a Doctor, and is due to give evidence in Court, unless the reason for the certification prevents the member from giving evidence (e.g. stress, throat infection, hospitalisation), the member is obliged to attend Court and give evidence.

Travelling expenses are recoverable, as are claims for refreshment expenses as outlined within Police Regulations 2003.

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Duty

 

Lawful orders

You can be required to carry out all lawful orders and must at all times punctually and promptly perform all the appointed duties and attend to all matters within the scope of your office as Constable.

An order is generally lawful provided that it is for Police purposes and would not render you liable to any criminal, civil or disciplinary action.

In case of doubt, contact your Federation Office.

You can be required to perform overtime by an Officer of a higher rank.

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Off duty telephone calls

Contrary to popular belief, there is no provision or entitlement to four hours payment (suitably enhanced) for receiving a telephone call at home.

If, however, a call is received and as a result of that call you are required or instructed to go somewhere, or perform duty, then the view is that this may well be a recall to duty and be eligible for the appropriate amount of compensation.

Answering the telephone does not constitute a recall to duty.

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On call

An on-call allowance of £15 for each daily occasion will be introduced for federated ranks officers. There will be no qualifying number of sessions before payments are made.

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OSPRE Part 1 & 2 - Duty time & expenses

1. Duty time will be allowed for Officers taking part in OSPRE Part 1 & 2
2. Travel time will also be allowed
3. There is no provision for time off being given for preparation work on either Parts of the OSPRE Exam. This includes the Guidance documents for the exams which should be read well in advance of the exam as part of a candidate’s preparation.
4. It is acknowledged that internal OSPRE Workshops may be made available; attendance at these workshops will normally be in the officer’s own time.
5. OSPRE Part 1 exam will normally last a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes, plus travel time. This should allow for the officer to complete the rest of their tour of duty, unless they have obtained prior authority to utilise TOIL for the remainder of their shift.
6. OSPRE Part 2 exam, a full tour of duty should be allowed and, for the following reasons, the officer given the full day to complete the exam; the distance the officer will have to travel, the nature of the exam and that this will be completed out of uniform. DMS should be updated accordingly.
7. Officers on rest days should request, in advance, that the rest days are reallocated.
8. Participation in the OSPRE Exams is done at the officer’s own expense therefore travel expenses and subsistence are not available for the OSPRE Examinations.

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Tax relief

You can claim tax relief on your Fed membership

Membership subscriptions of professional bodies and organisations, such as the Police Federation, attract tax relief.

That means if you claim tax relief on the subscription amount paid you can partly offset the cost by paying less tax – the Chancellor pays the difference.

For basic rate taxpayers for each £1 paid in subscription your tax bill could be reduced by 20p. Individual circumstances might apply but you should see how much you could save.

Click here to find out how to claim to tax relief.

Uniform Cleaning Allowance

Police officers nationally are entitled to an additional tax-free allowance of £140 a year for uniform cleaning.

All police officers should automatically have this added to their normal tax-free allowance/tax code and the information will appear on your her majesty’s revenue and customs (HMRC) notice of coding as:

14 (FRE) – refers to your additional tax-free allowance (£140) for uniform cleaning

If, after checking your payslip or notice of coding, you have questions about your uniform cleaning allowance, you must contact HMRC direct on 0300 200 3300.

HMRC will ask you for your national insurance number which is on both your payslip and notice of coding, for security checking.

Please note, the force’s Financial Services Department, payroll section, is not able to make these enquiries on your behalf.

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Voluntary exit scheme

It is for Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to decide whether to run a Voluntary Exit Scheme in their force and to determine, within the terms outlined below, what criteria for eligibility to apply are appropriate. If a scheme is run, it is for those officers who fall within the criteria of those eligible to apply to decide whether the terms of the offer are right for them. Only if both sides agree to the terms and are satisfied that they are suitable should the exit proceed.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has produced guidance for forces considering running a Voluntary Exit Scheme. The determination setting out the level of compensation is annexed to this Circular. For those below their pension age on their final day in service: 1 month’s pay for every year of service up to a maximum of 21 months’ pay. For those above their pension age but with less than thirty years’ service on their final day in service: 1 month’s pay for every year of service up to a maximum of 6 months’ pay. No compensation payments are available to those who have built up full pensionable service (30 years for Police Pension Scheme 1987, 35 years for New Police Pension Scheme 2006).

For more detail on the level of compensation and the rate at which it accrues, see this Home Office circular.

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Others

Quick Reference Guide 2023 – Police Regulations & Determinations

COVID-19 FAQs Terms & Conditions 005/17.8.2020

Breach of Confidence

Family and Friends – How to support wellbeing

Guide to Ill-Health Retirement Process

Guidelines for the management of Acute Behavioural Disturbance (ABD)

Officers Attendance at Court Protocol

Overtime – Rest Day – Annual Leave & Public Holiday Working Map

Police Pursuits – Insurance Liability

Post Incident Procedure (PIP) English

Post Incident Procedure (PIP) Cymraeg

Seconded Officers – Guidance

Voluntary Payroll Deductions

Winsor Days

 

Police Federation Fund Rules

These Fund Rules have been produced for the information of all contributing members to the Police Federation Voluntary Funds.

The Police Federation Fund Rules are made under the provisions of The Police Federation Regulations 1969, Part III as amended, having been agreed by the Police Federation Annual Conference 2015 and approved by the Secretary of State for Home Affairs.

The Fund Rules specify the use to which Federation Funds may be put, but reference should also be made to the Police Federation Regulations.

 

Reduction in pay due to absence from work

If, on any day, you have, during the period of 12 months ending with that day, been on sick leave for 183 days, you will cease for the time being to be entitled to full pay and become entitled only to half pay.

If, on a day you have been on sick leave for the whole of the period of 12 months ending with that day, you cease for the time being to be entitled to any pay whilst on sick leave.

The Chief Constable retains the discretion, however, to extend the period of entitlement to, as appropriate, full pay or half pay.

North Wales Police Federation has agreed a protocol with the Chief Constable in relation to when such discretion will be considered, details are available from the J.B.B. Office.

 

Unpaid Court Compensation for Assault

An Officer who is awarded compensation by a Criminal Court following an assault is eligible to make a claim under the Personal Accident and Sickness Policy of the Group Insurance Scheme if they are a subscribing member to the Scheme.

Up to £500 for unpaid compensation awarded by a Criminal Court following an assault to a serving police officer.

Claims can be submitted after 6 months if the awarded compensation has not been received.

To make a claim, a copy of the Court Award together with a brief letter of claim should be forwarded to the Federation Office.

Should you have any queries, please contact Sarah Bray or Nicky Williams on Ext 05400 who will be able to assist.

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