PFEW calls for three-year pay deal with annual seven per cent rises
The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has called on the Government to introduce a multi-year police pay settlement, including a minimum seven per cent consolidated pay rise this year and in each of the following two years.
The proposal forms part of the Federation’s submission to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB), which advises ministers on police pay and conditions.
National secretary John Partington said police officer pay had suffered “prolonged real-terms erosion” since 2010 and argued that a one-year settlement would not address the cumulative impact on officers’ earnings. He said a longer-term deal would provide certainty for both officers and forces planning their budgets.
The Federation said its evidence to the PRRB was based on concerns over pay restraint, increased pension contributions, fiscal drag and the continuing cost-of-living pressures facing officers.
Beyond the headline pay award, the PFEW submission to the PRRB also included a set of specific recommendations including shortening the constable pay scale points, so early-career officers are recognised sooner for the responsibilities they carry from day one and a detective allowance to address the persistent recruitment and retention crisis in investigative roles.
The Federation’s proposal is significantly higher than the position advanced earlier this year by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), which told the PRRB it would support a 3.5 per cent increase if fully funded by Government, or 2.5 per cent if no additional funding is provided.
The Home Office has said its current assessment is that a pay award of up to 2.5 per cent is affordable for most forces in 2026/27, warning that higher awards could place additional pressure on police budgets.
The Home Office will announce this year’s police pay award, which will come into effect on 1 September, in the coming weeks.