Government announce 3.5% pay award for police officers

15 July 2026

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has released the statement below following the Government’s announcement that police officers will be awarded a 3.5 per cent pay rise.

The national secretary, John Partington, said: “In going against the advice of its own expert pay review body, the Home Office has sent a clear message to police officers that it will ignore the evidence that shows police officers are long overdue a proper pay rise.

“This is a pay rise on paper only, not in officers' pockets. Once inflation, higher pension contributions and frozen tax thresholds are taken into account, the average police officer will be no better off in real terms than before.

“Police officers risk their lives to protect the public. The Home Office knows exactly the sacrifices the job demands, yet it has ignored independent advice. A pay award that barely beats inflation will drive more experienced officers out of policing, make recruitment harder and put the public at risk by weakening public protection

“The Government found the money to give real pay rises to junior doctors and train drivers. But police pay declined by 22 per cent in real terms between 2010 and 2023 – while the rest of the public sector saw its pay go up by 10 per cent.

“It’s clearer than ever before that the government is controlling the pay review process. It handpicks the pay review body’s membership and tells them what they’re allowed to consider. It’s like a football match where one side selects the opponents’ players and referees the game.

Even with all that in their favour, the Government has chosen to overturn the result and fix the outcome. The time has come for a proper system of binding arbitration, along with collective pay bargaining, so police can be fairly paid.”

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