7% Pay Rise Needed to Arrest Slide in Retention and Morale
9 March 2026
“A minimum of a 7% pay award for the next three years would provide a reset for policing and help check the downward spiral in retention, morale and operational capability,” the Chair of Surrey Police Federation has said.
Darren Pemble said he was backing the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW)’s call for a minimum 7% annual pay rise for each of the next three years in its 2026 report to the Police Remuneration Review Body. PFEW also called for a raft of improvements to officer conditions, including increased allowances and annual leave.
By contrast, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) is supporting a 3.5% pay rise if it is fully funded by the Government, or a below-inflation 2.5% if it is not.
Darren said: “PFEW’s pay submission comes ahead of another year of shrinking police budgets – all indications are that we will again be short-changed when it comes to public sector pay deals.
“As it stands, police officers do not have any industrial rights, so you would imagine that those holding the purse strings would consider this as an important factor when looking at a pay rise for officers. We do not believe that the ‘P Factor’ is properly recognised, given the risks, restrictions and obligations officers have that are unique to policing. I do not know of another profession that is so highly regulated.
“I have been in policing for 27 years, and I am amazed and shocked at how we are treated by those deciding on police pay. Politicians and the public acknowledge the difficult and courageous work we do, yet this never adds up to a fair pay award.
“For years, we have been falling behind inflation, and PFEW has been telling those in charge that we need our pay restored – we are 21% behind in real-terms pay. The call for a minimum of a 7% pay award for the next three years will provide a reset for policing and help check the downward spiral in retention, morale and operational capability.”
Darren warned that officers were leaving the service, not just because they were struggling to make ends meet financially, but also because of the excessive workloads and significant trauma they experienced.
He added that the NPCC’s call for a 3.5% or 2.5% pay rise suggested they were “out of touch”.
He said: “The NPCC is failing to understand the challenge our members face in protecting our communities and paying the bills. Is the NPCC out of touch with policing? I would like to see all Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners telling the Government that reducing budgets in policing will reduce the service we can offer, and that means we may not be able to be there when we are needed the most.
“Police officers run towards danger, risking their lives to protect their communities, but every year we feel less appreciated and are struggling to afford to live. This cannot be right. It is time for policing to be properly recognised for what we do every day.”
The PFEW is also calling for:
- Full recognition of the ‘P Factor’ in police pay, to properly reflect the risks, restrictions and obligations unique to policing.
- Fewer pay points for PCs to simplify progression and improve competitiveness, including removing the lowest pay points to reflect frontline expectations from day one.
- Increase the unsocial hours allowance from 10% to 20%, for work between 8pm and 6am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Acting up and temporary promotion payments should be paid from day one and made pensionable.
- The maximum London and South East allowance should be paid as standard.
- Increased annual leave, with any unused leave to be paid.
- A new long-service leave and recuperation leave.
- Workload payments to Inspectors and Chief Inspectors should be extended, with additional pay for hours worked beyond 48 per week, pending a full review of the 1994 PNB Agreement.
