Federation calls for seven per cent pay uplift
3 March 2026
Police officers should receive a minimum pay rise of seven per cent for the next three years, according to the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW).
The Federation sets out its rationale for a sustained investment in officer pay in a report to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB).
It comes after the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), in its submission to PRRB last week, put forward its case for officers to be given a fully funded 3.5 per cent pay rise from 1 September 2026. It said if the increase was not fully funded, then it should be 2.5 per cent instead.
Crisis
“We welcome the fact that the NPCC is calling for an increase in officer pay, however, we do not feel 3.5 per cent goes far enough in terms of helping stem the current officer retention crisis,” says Jess Davies, chair of West Midlands Police Federation.
“A rise of 3.5 per cent amounts to another real-terms pay cut and is going to do nothing to stem the number of officers leaving policing which we feel is something that needs to be addressed urgently.
“As it stands, there are now more officers quitting the Force than leaving through retirement and we are facing losing more and more experienced officers if the Government doesn’t commit to sustained investment in officer pay.
“That will have an impact not just on the quality of supervision of our newer recruits but also risks harming public safety and the quality of service we provide for our communities.”
In the NPCC submission, its lead for pay and conditions, deputy chief officer Philip Wells said: “We are calling for a settlement that keeps pace with the cost of living, recognises the unique demands of policing, and properly rewards officers for the increasingly complex work and additional hours they commit to keeping the public safe. It must ensure policing keeps pace with wider earnings trends to ensure officers are fully supported and motivated.”
Unique risks
Alongside its pay claim, the Federation is calling for structural reform of police remuneration, including the introduction of a military-style ‘P Factor’ to recognise the unique risks, restrictions and psychological trauma within policing.
The evidence submitted to PRRB shows:
- Almost half of constables have five years’ service or less
- Record levels of mental health-related sickness absence, and
- Persistently high numbers of assaults on officers.
In addition to the pay increase, the Federation report calls for changes to allowances, including doubling the unsocial hours allowance from 10 to 20 per cent for work undertaken between 8pm and 8am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
It also wants to see increased annual leave, the introduction of long service and recuperation leave and paid compensation or time off in lieu for court warnings, regardless of notice.
Jess added: “The Federation’s Copped Enough campaign, which was launched last year, highlighted the fact that police officers are 21 per cent worse off in real terms than they were in 2010 with a third of officers struggling to afford food, rent or heating.
“That cannot be allowed to continue. Police officers put their lives on the line each and every day as they seek to serve and protect the public. They deserve to be paid fairly with a wage that reflects their unique role in society and the unique demands placed upon them.”
