Policy paper

Home Office evidence to the Senior Salaries Review Body, 2024 to 2025 (accessible)

Updated 1 March 2024

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Applies to England and Wales

February 2024

1. Executive summary

1. The Government recognises the critical work carried out by police officers on a daily basis. We remain committed to supporting the police to fulfil their essential role in cutting crime and keeping people safe.

2. The Government has published a total police funding settlement of up to £18.4 billion for 2024/25, an increase of up to £842.9 million when compared to 2023/24. This includes: Government grants to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs); flexibility for PCCs to raise additional money locally from council tax precept (which is a local decision); funding for national priorities, including major law enforcement technology programmes and crime programmes. Assuming full take up of precept flexibility, overall police funding available to PCCs will increase by up to £922.2 million next year. This increase in funding is specifically to support forces in meeting the costs of the 2023/24 pay award of 7%, assist forces with the costs arising as a result of changes to employer pension contributions from 31% to 35.3%, and to support forces in managing inflationary pressures in 2024/25. The funding announced at the 2024/25 police funding settlement does not account for cost pressures arising from future pay awards, including a 2024/25 pay award.

3. This year, the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) will consider the pay of chief police officer ranks (assistant chief constable to chief constable, and commander to commissioner within London) in England and Wales, for the first time since 2017/18. The Home Secretary’s remit letter asks the SSRB for recommendations on how to apply the pay award for chief officer ranks in 2024/25.

4. In 2023/24, the Pay Review Bodies recommended historically high pay awards for their respective workforces in light of the extraordinary macroeconomic context. Accepting these recommendations, whilst not increasing borrowing, required tough decisions. It is vital that the SSRB considers the historic nature of the 2023/24 pay award and the Home Office’s wider affordability position when making its recommendations for 2024/25.

5. When making recommendations on the remuneration for chief police officers, we ask that the SSRB has regard to the views of the PRRB in respect of officers in the federated and superintending ranks.

2. Pay proposals

Economic context

6. When considering police officer remuneration, the SSRB should have regard to HM Treasury’s economic evidence. This sets out that the economy fared better last year than many forecasts had predicted at the start of 2023 and revisions to gross domestic product (GDP) show that the economy also recovered more strongly from the pandemic than previously thought. However, in recent months, the economy has been more subdued with increases in interest rates, necessary to bring down inflation, having weighed on growth in advanced economies including the UK. The economy ended 2023 in a technical recession, having contracted over the final two quarters of the year.

7. Inflation has more than halved from its peak in late 2022 but remains above the 2% target. Returning inflation to the 2% target is critical for sustainable growth, though it will not fall in a straight line to get there with domestically driven pressures continuing to have an impact. The Bank of England forecast that inflation will return to the 2% target in the second quarter of 2024 before rising slightly again, towards the end of the forecast period. In its most recent November 2023 forecast, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) expects Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation to continue to fall gradually and average 3% in 2024/25, before returning to the target rate of 2% by the first half of 2025.

8. To combat high inflation, the Bank of England has raised interest rates to 5.25%. This has resulted in additional borrowing costs for many mortgage-holders, businesses, and Government. The Government is committed to supporting the Monetary Policy Committee to bring inflation back to target by aligning fiscal with monetary policy. Further borrowing, above what is forecast, would add to inflationary pressure which would put upward pressure on interest rates potentially causing them to stay higher for longer.

9. HM Treasury’s evidence also provides an overview of the labour market context. Settlement data are the most comparable data to Pay Review Body decisions, as they are a direct measure of consolidated pay awards, and so are not affected by broader labour market factors such as changes to working hours. According to XpertHR, median settlements across the economy have been between 5% and 6% so far in 2023/24, making the award for police officers slightly ahead of the wider economy.

10. Wage growth has started to ease from the historically high levels, seen in the summer of 2023, and is forecast to moderate further as the labour market loosens. In their November 2023 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the OBR forecast that earnings growth will fall below 4% this year and to around 2% in 2025. This measure of average earnings growth has historically been higher than average pay settlements, as it is affected by compositional changes in the labour force and factors such as changes to working hours.

11. Indicators suggest that recruitment difficulties have continued to ease over the last year and the number of vacancies has declined for 19 consecutive months. There are challenges at present in interpreting recent labour market forecasts, with both the most recent Bank of England and OBR forecasts produced ahead of the re-introduction of the Labour Force Survey in February 2024, which had been suspended since October 2023. Nonetheless, recent forecasts anticipate that unemployment will rise over the coming year. The OBR forecasts that unemployment will rise to 4.6% in the middle of 2024, and remain at this rate until the end of 2025, before falling back to 4.1% at the end of the OBR’s five-year forecast horizon

12. The increase in unemployment is expected to ease the level of vacancies across the private and public sector, supporting recruitment and retention across Pay Review Body workforces. HM Treasury’s evidence suggests that public sector workforces will also benefit from higher job security over this period given redundancies have historically been concentrated in the private sector during periods of rising unemployment.

Basic pay

13. The Government has published the police funding settlement for 2024/25^{[footnote 1]}. Overall funding for the policing system will rise by up to £842.9 million when compared to the 2023/24, bringing the total settlement for 2024/25 up to £18.4 billion. For PCCs, this means an increase of up to £922.2 million when compared to 2023/24 (if PCCs were to choose to take up the full precept flexibility), taking total funding for PCCs up to £16.4 billion. This additional funding is composed of additional precept income, and Government grant funding. This increase in funding is specifically to support forces in meeting the costs of the 2023/24 pay award of 7%, assist forces with the costs arising as a result of changes to employer pension contributions from 31% to 35.3%, and to support forces in managing inflationary pressures in 2024/25. The funding announced at the 2024/25 police funding settlement does not account for cost pressures arising from future pay awards, including a 2024/25 pay award.

14. In determining the 2023/24 pay award, the Government gave very careful consideration to the PRRB’s report. The recommended award, at 7%, was historically high in light of the extraordinary macroeconomic context and was significantly above affordability for police forces. The Government is committed to maintaining the additional 20,000 police officers recruited under the Police Uplift Programme. Therefore, the Home Office carried out significant internal reprioritisation to provide additional funding to forces over this Spending Review period of £330 million in 2023/24, increasing up to £515 million in 2024/25 as well as associated payments to forces with respect to counter terrorism police officers and Protective Security Grant officer pay. This is in addition to £350 million provided to support the costs of the 2022/23 pay award.

15. This was only made possible because of the hard work and significant risk the Home Office has taken to consider options to reduce reliance on taxpayer funding in other vital areas of delivery. This includes measures to maximise Home Office income, including from visa and citizenship fees. This is not considered to be repeatable for the 2024/25 pay award for various reasons, including limitations on the potential for significant further income generation as well as existing financial pressures.

16. The Home Office has carried out challenging reprioritisation over the last two years in order to support forces with the costs of the 2022/23 pay award, and the 2023/24 award. In addition to the impacts felt on the borders system, it has also meant difficult choices have had to be made within the police funding settlement to meet these costs. This includes a reduction in funding for crime programmes such as Safer Streets and other policing priorities including Special Grant funding and funding for the NPCC Hub, which in turn has a direct impact on outcomes in these areas. There is no scope for further reprioritisation of Home Office budgets without significantly further impacting on the outcomes that we can deliver for the public, including within forces, crime reduction programmes, centrally funded police technology and capabilities programmes, and the wider work of the Home Office.

17. The Home Office continues to work with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) on assumptions on pay and other anticipated pressures for the forthcoming financial year.

18. The impact and affordability of a pay award will vary by force, depending on individual force level pressures and the flexibility they have to manage this within their budget. Individual PCCs are responsible for setting a balanced budget and taking decisions to reprioritise and seek efficiencies to achieve this. In some cases, this will require trade- offs, for example reductions in staff and non-pay budgets in order to protect officer numbers. This assumes that all forces are maintaining officer numbers recruited as part of the Police Uplift Programme. An unfunded pay award is likely to significantly impact on forces’ ability to maintain officer and staff numbers, leading to increased reverse civilianisation as forces reduce the number of staff in specialist and back-office roles and replace them with officers, removing them from frontline roles. This reprioritisation will be necessary in order to meet both pay and non-pay pressures, consequently risking a reduction in the size of the workforce and, therefore, likely lead to a reduction in the effectiveness of policing by impacting frontline response and productivity.

19. Further affordability assessments will be undertaken when the SSRB submits its recommendations.

London Weighting

20. Historically, London Weighting has increased in line with annual pay increases. We ask the SSRB to consider the evidence put forward on whether there is a case for changing this in 2024/25. When reviewing London Weighting for chief officers, we ask that the SSRB has regard to the recommendations made by the PRRB. Any increase must be funded from within existing allocations and taking into account our affordability assessment set out above.

Allowances

21. The Home Secretary’s remit letter to the PRRB asks it to provide commentary on the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) schedule for a review of allowances, including the proposed timescales and priority order, and taking into consideration views from policing stakeholders. Any increases to allowances in 2024/25 will need to be funded from within existing allocations and will affect the overall affordability of a pay award.

22. The schedule of review includes allowances that chief officers may be eligible for. When considering those that are also available to chief officers, we have asked that the PRRB seeks the views of the SSRB.

3. Senior policing in England and Wales

23. There are 43 territorial or ‘Home Office’ police forces in England and Wales, that largely follow the same geographical boundaries of the administrative counties used for the purposes of local government from 1974 to 1989, with some notable exceptions.

24. The operating environment of different forces can vary significantly by area. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) provides comprehensive information about each force on their website through its Value for Money profiles, PEEL (police efficiency, effectiveness and legitimacy) assessments and other inspection publications.

25. The size and make-up of the police workforce is a matter for each chief constable to decide locally in conjunction with their PCC^{[footnote 2]}.There are two combined authority mayors, in Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, who exercise PCC functions. From the May 2024 elections, the first Mayor of York and North Yorkshire will exercise PCC functions. The Government is also seeking to transfer PCC functions to the Mayor of South Yorkshire and the Mayor of West Midlands from the May 2024 elections, provided the Orders relating to the transfer in both areas are agreed by parliament. In London, the Mayor exercises functions equivalent to a PCC for the Metropolitan police force area. The City of London Police has some special arrangements to acknowledge their historic status. The Common Council for the City of London is the police authority for the City of London Police.

26. Each force has a chief constable (or a commissioner in the case of the Metropolitan and the City of London forces) who has overall responsibility for the operational and employment decisions of that force. The chief constable is accountable to the PCC but the PCC cannot give operational orders.

27. Section 77 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 requires the Home Secretary to articulate the national threats that the police must address and the policing capabilities required to counter those threats. Chief constables are required to have regard to the Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) in exercising their roles. PCCs are required to hold chiefs to account for the delivery of the SPR and have regard to it when producing their police and crime plans. The SPR does not cover areas where chief constables and PCCs are able to make effective local risk assessments.

28. The Policing Protocol Order 2011, issued in accordance with the requirements of section 79 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act, set out how policing governance relationships should work, including the role of the Home Secretary, and clarified the roles and responsibilities of PCCs, chief constables and police and crime panels. Evidence collected in Part One of the PCC Review^{[footnote 3]} demonstrated the importance of ensuring that both PCCs and chief constables have a clear, shared definition of their respective roles and responsibilities to enable effective and constructive working.

29. On 16 March 2021, the then Home Secretary announced their intention to consult parties to the Policing Protocol on potential changes to the document, as required by statute. The Policing Protocol Order 2023^{[footnote 4]}, which came into force on 3 July 2023, ensures that the roles and responsibilities within policing are accurately reflected and better reflects the Home Secretary’s role in the policing system. This includes the Home Secretary’s role in setting the strategic direction on national policing policy and their ability to request information about policing matters as part of their duty to be accountable to Parliament for safeguarding the public and protecting national security.

30. Other changes included more plainly outlining when a police and crime panel may require a chief constable to attend a meeting; introducing more clarity and consistency in relation to PCCs’ financial delegation to chief constables to ensure this does not ‘interfere’ with operational independence by constraining day-to-day management of allocated budgets; and some simple changes that reflect how the system has evolved since the Policing Protocol’s inception, such as updating the current names of relevant parties as well as reflecting that some mayors now exercise PCC functions.

4. Chief officer workforce

Leadership

31. Through its National Centre for Police Leadership, the College of Policing is reforming processes for progression to chief officer, which will increase transparency and open up access to senior level development. This includes work to improve guidance for chief officer appointments and ensure consistency in standards. There are now national standards for chief officer level, and the first cohort of the new, modernised programme (the Executive Leaders Programme), that reflects the expectations of the most senior leaders in policing today, also began in June 2023. This programme is mandatory for those who want to reach chief officer level. All of this work follows the College’s review into chief officer development and progression, which set out six recommendations to help strengthen the volume and diversity of the chief officer pipeline. The aim is that forces will build aspiration, identify talent and start to develop future senior and chief officers earlier in their careers. Development will be delivered consistently as individuals progress through the ranks, with joint commitment from forces and the College.

Standards

32. The College of Policing is responsible for standards in the police. To ensure a strong pipeline of leaders, the College launched new national leadership standards for every level in policing in June 2023. The College is now working on reforms to promotion processes and once implemented, officers will need to demonstrate that they meet the required leadership standards before being able to progress to the next level.

Diversity

33. Police forces that reflect the communities they serve are crucial to tackling crime and maintaining public trust and confidence in a modern diverse society. The police officer workforce is now more representative than it has ever been. 34.7% are female and 8.4% are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

34. However, females and those from ethnic minority backgrounds are significantly underrepresented in the chief officer ranks. Of the 237 chief officers, 30% are female. 5.2% of chief officers are from ethnic minority backgrounds^{[footnote 5]}.

Appointments

35. Part One of Annex B of the Secretary of State’s determinations, made under Regulation 11 of the Police Regulations 2003, specifies that the Senior Police National Assessment Centre and the Strategic Command Course must be satisfactorily completed before a person may be substantively appointed to a rank higher than that of chief superintendent. Following a review into chief officer development and progression, the College has replaced these with a new Executive Leaders Programme, to reflect the needs of police leaders today. This will be added to the relevant determination in due course.

36. The College of Policing holds records of officers who have passed these courses which should be requested by those responsible for appointing chief officers in order to verify policing qualifications and experience.

37. It is entirely a matter for PCCs to make decisions around appointing, suspending and removing chief constables, as set out in Section 38 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. As part of their role in supporting PCCs and chief constables the College of Policing have developed guidance and a toolkit for making senior appointments. The College also support PCCs by providing details of career history, skills and qualifications, in order to ensure that PCCs have as much information they need to appoint chief constables.

38. The commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service is appointed by Royal Warrant based on the recommendation of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State is required to have regard to any recommendations made by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. The deputy commissioner is appointed by Royal Warrant based on the recommendation of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State must have regard to any recommendations made by the commissioner and any representations from the Mayor’s Office.

39. The chief constable is responsible for the recruitment of other chief officers. Sections 39 and 40 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 relate to the appointment of deputy chief constables and assistant chief constables by chief constables for forces across England and Wales outside London. Sections 45, 46 and 47 of the Act make provision for the appointment of senior Metropolitan Police Service officers including assistant commissioners, deputy assistant commissioners and commanders respectively.

40. The commissioner must consult the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime before appointing an assistant commissioner, deputy assistant commissioner and commander. The chief constable must consult the PCC before appointing a person to be deputy chief constable and assistant chief constable for forces outside London. It is for the chief constable (and commissioner) to decide how they wish to run their appointment process and which candidate they wish to appoint. They should involve an independent member during assessment, short-listing and interviewing of candidates.

41. Chief constables and deputy chief constables are appointed in post for a fixed term. Regulation 11 of the Police Regulations 2003 makes provision for fixed term appointments and extensions for chief officers. The initial fixed term appointments can be for up to five years, and thereafter extended by a further three years. Beyond that, appointments can only be made annually.

42. The College of Policing offers a range of services to help a PCC in their search for a chief constable. This includes helping to maximise the pool of potential candidates and ensuring the right candidate is identified; supporting the delivery of a process which is objectively seen to be fair and open; and ensuring that PCCs can fulfil their statutory functions in accordance with the regulations that govern appointments.

43. The College of Policing – in partnership with PCCs (via the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC)), the NPCC, Chief Police Officers’ Staff Association (CPOSA), the Home Office and Police Superintendents’ Association (PSA) – has developed guidance for appointing chief officers. This guidance is also applicable to chief constables when appointing a deputy chief constable or assistant chief constable. More information can be found on the College of Policing website and in the selection and appointment of Chief Officers Circular. Following the College’s review into chief officer development and progression, this guidance has been updated in consultation with the sector and will be published soon.

44. The updated guidance sets out that individuals on the Executive Leaders Programme, or individuals who have been supported to start the programme but are yet to do so can be appointed into chief officer roles on a temporary basis. An individual who is appointed temporarily into a chief officer role must commence the Executive Leaders Programme within 12 months of temporary appointment or at the next available opportunity if not already on the programme.

45. There is continued disagreement between parties on whether deputy chief constables’ contractual arrangements should be amended from fixed term appointments to the same status as all other ranks (excluding chief constables). In November 2022, the Home Office convened a working group with representatives from the NPCC, APCC, CPOSA, PSA and College of Policing. As consensus could not be reached at that time, further data from the APCC and the College, in parallel with any other developments on chief officer conditions of service, will enable us to keep this issue under review.

5. Chief officer pay and conditions

46. Pay, allowances and conditions of service for police officers are set out in the Police Regulations 2003. Allowances cannot be paid except as provided for in the Regulations or approved by the Home Secretary. Current rates of pay for chief officers are in Annex B. A summary of allowances and expenses that chief officers may be eligible for are attached at Annex C.

Pay structures

Chief constables and deputy chief constables

47. Since 1 September 2003, chief constables and deputy chief constables (and their Metropolitan Police Service equivalents) have received spot rate salaries. There are currently 12 salary groups.

48. The PCC of the police force is responsible for appointing the chief constable and holding him or her to account for the running of the force. A PCC may, on appointing a chief constable, set the chief constable’s salary at a rate up to ten per cent above or below the rate for the post. This decision is taken at the PCC’s discretion.

Metropolitan Police Service

49. The Metropolitan Police Service has five ranks at chief officer level. In order of hierarchy the ranks are: commissioner; deputy commissioner; assistant commissioner; deputy assistant commissioner and commander. With the exception of commander, all receive spot rate salaries.

City of London Police

50. The City of London Police has three ranks at chief officer level. In order of hierarchy the ranks are: commissioner; assistant commissioner and commander. The commissioner and assistant commissioner receive spot rate salaries.

Assistant chief constables and commanders

51. Unlike chief officers, assistant chief constables and commanders are paid via a pay scale. There are three pay points.

Pensions

52. Chief police officers are entitled to membership of a valuable defined benefit pension scheme, a guaranteed inflation-linked pension for life, based on salary and years worked. Defined benefit pension schemes are increasingly rare in the private sector. Instead, there are defined contribution schemes which are often less valuable with no guarantees and leaving all the investment and longevity risk with employees. In the Police Pension Scheme members benefit from significant employer contributions, of 31%^{[footnote 6]} of basic pay, on top of their own contribution. With effect from 1 April 2024, this will increase to 35.3%. The pension also comes with ancillary benefits, for example, spouse/partner pensions, child pensions and a death in service lump sum.

53. In the Spring 2023 Budget, reforms to pensions tax thresholds were announced. These included increasing the Annual Allowance threshold and removing the Lifetime Allowance. These changes have made the relative weighting of public service remuneration towards pensions more attractive for the highest earners and those with the longest service, and were designed to ensure highly skilled individuals have stronger incentives to remain in the workforce.

McCloud/Sargeant

54. The Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act (PSPJOA) 2022 achieved Royal Assent on 10 March 2022. The Act sets the framework for the retrospective remedy, including the deadline for all eligible members to be treated as having accrued service in the relevant legacy schemes for the remedy period (1 April 2015 to 31 March 2022) by 1 October 2023, and contain enabling powers where needed.

55. From 1 April 2022, all police officers who continued in service were moved to the reformed schemes, regardless of age. Legacy schemes (the Police Pension Scheme 1987 and Police Pension Scheme 2006) closed in relation to service after 31 March 2022. This marked the completion of the first, prospective phase of the remedy.

56. The secondary legislation was consulted on between 28 February to 23 May 2023. The regulations were laid on 19 July 2023 (the consultation report was published on the same date) and came into force on 1 October 2023. The changes allow the provision for the retrospective remedy to be made: eligible members will be able to choose to receive legacy pension scheme benefits or benefits equivalent to those available under the 2015 pension scheme for service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 (known as the remedy period).

57. The provisions in the Police Pensions (Remediable Service) Regulations 2023 now enable the police pension scheme to:

• Correct any overpayment or underpayment of pension benefits or member contributions already paid in relation to a member because of their choice.

• Facilitate the payment of appropriate compensation to address financial loss arising from the discrimination or operation of the remedy, for example, overpaid tax.

• Implement the retrospective remedy, for example, details of the “deferred choice underpin” mechanism.

Severance

58. Regulation 11 of the Police Regulations 2003 makes provision for fixed term appointments and extensions for senior officers. An initial fixed term appointment can be for a maximum of 5 years. This may be extended for a further period of a maximum of 3 years, and for subsequent terms each of a maximum of one year.

59. A PCC may compel a chief constable to resign or retire under section 38(3) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. Schedule 8 of the Act 2011, alongside Regulation 11A of the Police Regulations 2003, as inserted by the Police (Amendment) Regulations 2011, together specify the detailed procedure to be followed where a PCC proposes to call on a chief officer of police to retire or resign. Sections 48 and 49 of the Act set out the provisions for the suspension and removal of senior Metropolitan Police Service officers, including the commissioner and deputy commissioner.

Chief officer pay reform

60. In July 2023, the Government accepted the PRRB’s recommendation to reduce the pay groups for chief constables and deputy chief constables from 12 to three, as set out in Annex D. The recommendation was agreed subject to the development of full and coherent implementation plans. We are grateful to the APCC, NPCC and CPOSA for developing these.

61. The new pay structure will result in many chief officers receiving increases to their pay. In its last report, the PRRB noted concerns about the impact this could have on the morale of officers in lower ranks, particularly when cost of living pressure remain a concern for many. The new pay structure will therefore be phased in over a period of two years as shown in Annex E. We expect that transition will begin later in 2024, subject to formal consultation on amendments to Annex F made under the Police Regulations 2003

62. It is expected that the new pay structure help will increase the flow of talent into the chief officer ranks and enable greater mobility by reducing the pay differentials between forces. It will also reduce the pay differential between assistant chief constables and deputy chief constables in smaller forces.

63. The Government also accepted the PRRB’s recommendation to introduce a rent allowance for chief officers as an alternative to removal expenses. It will provide PCCs and chief constables with discretion to offer an individual a Delayed Movers Package or a Non-Movers Package to chief officers on joining a force, as an alternative to a relocation allowance. The Delayed Movers Package will be used for circumstances likely to be resolved within 24 months. The Non-Movers Package will be used for circumstances likely to exceed 24 months, tapered in years three to five.

64. The revised allowance will include the cost of suitable accommodation and ancillary costs associated with the rental including council tax, utilities and tax liabilities. The scheme will be limited and only be used to address domestic circumstances or caring responsibilities and not simply because a chief officer did not want to sell their house and move to their new workplace. It is expected the allowance will support chief officer mobility between forces.

65. We expect that the rental allowance will be introduced later in 2024, subject to formal consultation on amendments to Annex V made under the Police Regulations 2003.

Annex A: Home Secretary’s remit letter

SSRB remit letter from the Home Secretary: 2024 to 2025

Annex B: Chief officer pay with effect from 1 September 2023

Force weighting	Force	Chief Constables	Deputy Chief Constables
10.0	Greater Manchester West Midlands	£220,713	£169,698
8.5	West Yorkshire	£206,139	£165,318
6.5	Thames Valley	£195,207	£161,403
6.0	Merseyside Northumbria	£191,553	£158,394
5.5	Hampshire	£187,908	£155,385
5.0	Devon and Cornwall Kent	£184,272	£152,373
5.0	Lancashire	£184,272	£149,376
4.5	Avon and Somerset Essex South Wales South Yorkshire Sussex	£180,630	£143,361
3.5	Nottinghamshire	£173,340	£140,349
3.0	Cheshire Derbyshire Hertfordshire Humberside Leicestershire Staffordshire West Mercia	£169,698	£137,346
2.5	Norfolk	£166,047	£134,340
2.0	Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire Cleveland Dorset Durham Gwent North Yorkshire North Wales Northamptonshire Suffolk Wiltshire	£162,411	£133,248
1.5	Cumbria Dyfed-Powys Gloucestershire Lincolnshire Warwickshire	£158,757

A Police and Crime Commissioner may, on appointing a Chief Constable, set the Chief Constable’s salary at a rate up to ten per cent above or below the rate for the post as set out in the table above.

Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners and Deputy Assistant Commissioners

	Commissioner	Deputy Commissioner	Assistant Commissioner	Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Metropolitan Police Service	£315,480	£260,805	£220,713	£169,698
City of London Police	£195,942	..	£161,973	..

Assistant Chief Constables and Commanders

Pay Point
1	£115,026
2	£122,307
3	£129,600

Annex C: Pay, allowances and expenses

1. Pay, leave and sickness

• Chief constables and deputy chief constables receive a rate of pay based on their ranks and the sizes of their forces.

• A PCC may, on appointing a chief constable, set the chief constable’s salary at a rate up to ten per cent above or below the rate for the post as set out in Annex F of the determinations.

• Deputy chief constables salaries cannot be varied by PCC.

• Assistant chief constables and commanders remain on a pay scale.

• Other elements of pay, leave, sickness absence are set out in the determinations of the Police Regulations 2003.

2. Allowances and related payments

Replacement allowance

• Replacement allowance is only available to officers who were already members of the police on 31 August 1994. It was introduced in 2003 to replace rent and housing allowances, on their abolition.

• Several other allowances depend on whether or not an officer receives replacement allowance.

London Weighting

• Pensionable payment, currently £2,886 per annum for officers in the City of London Police or Metropolitan Police Service.

London Allowance

• Non-pensionable allowance for officers in the City of London Police or Metropolitan Police Service. The rate is determined by the Commissioner of the relevant force with regard to location and retention needs up to a maximum of:

• £5,338 a year if appointed on or after 1 September 1994 and not receiving a replacement allowance under Schedule 3;

• £1,011 a year, in other cases (provided that, in respect of any particular member, the total of the London allowance and replacement allowance payable to the member shall not exceed the London allowance that would be payable if the member were not receiving a replacement allowance).

London Transitional Supplement

• An allowance not exceeding £1,000 per annum, paid to members of the City of London Police or Metropolitan Police Service who joined before 1 September 1994 and who receive a replacement allowance.

• The total of the London transitional supplement, London allowance and replacement allowance payable to the member shall not exceed the London allowance that would be payable if the member were not receiving a replacement allowance.

South East England Allowance

• A member of the Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey or Thames Valley constabulary appointed on or after 1 September 1994 and not receiving a replacement allowance under Schedule 3 shall be paid an allowance at a rate determined by the chief constable of the relevant force with regard to location and retention needs, following consultation with the joint branch board, and not exceeding £3,000 a year.

• A member of the Bedfordshire, Hampshire or Sussex constabulary appointed on or after 1 September 1994 and not receiving a replacement allowance under Schedule 3 shall be paid an allowance at a rate determined by the chief constable of the relevant force with regard to location and retention needs, following consultation with the joint branch board, and not exceeding £2,000 a year.

South East England Transitional Supplement

• Applies to Hertfordshire, Kent or Surrey officers who joined the police service before 1 September 1994 and receive a replacement allowance payable at a rate less than the rate of the South East England Allowance that they would receive if not in receipt of a replacement allowance.

• They receive a supplementary allowance at the rate of the difference between that South East England Allowance and the replacement allowance that the member is receiving.

Motor Vehicle Allowances

• For all officers, there is an option of paying a lump sum per annum plus mileage for duty travel, or a mileage rate for casual users (sums dependent on cylinder capacity of vehicle).

• There are often other ‘benefit in kind’ arrangements for chief officers in the form of a car pool or provision of a dedicated car (as below under ‘Expenses’)

3. Expenses

Reimbursement of medical charges

• Applies where the charges are incurred by reason of an injury received without their default in the execution of their duty as a constable.

Removal expenses

• Paid where the member moves his home on joining the force in the rank of assistant chief constable or a higher rank.

• To qualify for reimbursement, an item of removal expenditure must be necessary, reasonable and backed by a receipt.

Relocation expenses

• PCCs/chief officers are required to pay all reasonable costs arising from the sale and purchase of a chief officers house, and should pay all tax liabilities arising from any relocation packages, so that, for the chief officer concerned, there is no personal financial disadvantage.

• This applies when the chief officer has been required to move home in the interests of the efficiency and effectiveness of the force.

Food expenses

• Reimbursed expenses when an officer:

• is necessarily prevented in the course of a tour of duty from obtaining a meal in their usual way (reimbursed the difference between the meal they then obtain and the meal they usually takes in the course of that tour of duty); or

• is retained on duty beyond their normal daily period of duty (reimbursed the cost of any meal they then necessarily obtain). Reimbursement for reasonable expenditure, backed by a receipt.

Accommodation expenses

• Reimbursed accommodation expenses necessarily incurred in connection with duty away from their usual place of duty, or necessary because they have been retained on duty beyond their normal daily period of duty. Reimbursement for reasonable expenditure, backed by a receipt.

Train travel expenses for certain ranks

• Superintending ranks and above who are required to travel by train in the execution of their duty are entitled to first-class travel.

Travel expenses

• Reimbursement (within limits set by the local policing body) applies where a member of a police force is:

• required to perform their normal daily period of duty in more than one tour of duty, or

• recalled to duty between two tours of duty, and travels to and from their home between tours, or, as the case may be, in consequence of their recall (in this paragraph referred to as ‘relevant travelling’).

• Note: Travel expenses are paid up to limits set locally by the PCC, as set out in Annex V of the determinations. In addition, chief officers are often provided with a dedicated car at a cost decided by the PCC and this would fall under ‘Motor Vehicle Allowances’ in Annex U of the determinations. It is made explicit in terms and conditions that private journeys in dedicated cars are permissible (including use of the car by a partner), but that this would be taxable as a benefit in kind.

Uniform

• It is the decision of the local policing body whether or not a chief officer receives free uniform.

Annex D: Overview of new pay structure for chief constables and deputy chief constables

Chief constables and MPS assistant commissioners

Current force weighting	Force	Salary with effect from 1 September 2023	Proposed pay group	Proposed salary
10.0	Greater Manchester West Midlands MPS Assistant Commissioners	£220,713	1	£220,713
8.5	West Yorkshire	£206,139	1	£220,713
6.5	Thames Valley	£195,207	1	£220,713
6.0	Merseyside Northumbria	£191,553	2	£191,553
5.5	Hampshire	£187,908	2	£191,553
5.0	Devon and Cornwall Kent	£184,272	2	£191,553
5.0	Lancashire	£184,272	2	£191,553
4.5	Avon and Somerset Essex South Wales South Yorkshire Sussex	£180,630	2	£191,553
3.5	Nottinghamshire	£173,340	3	£173,340
3.0	Cheshire Derbyshire Hertfordshire Humberside Leicestershire Staffordshire West Mercia	£169,698	3	£173,340
2.5	Norfolk	£166,047	3	£173,340
2.0	Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire Cleveland Dorset Durham Gwent North Yorkshire North Wales Northamptonshire Suffolk Wiltshire	£162,411	3	£173,340
1.5	Cumbria Dyfed-Powys Gloucestershire Lincolnshire Warwickshire	£158,757	3	£173,340

Deputy chief constables and MPS deputy assistant commissioners

Current force weighting	Force	Salary with effect from 1 September 2023	Proposed pay group	Proposed salary
10.0	Greater Manchester [1] West Midlands [1] MPS Deputy Assistant Commissioner	£169,698	1	£182,088
8.5	West Yorkshire	£165,318	1	£182,088
6.5	Thames Valley	£161,403	1	£182,088
6.0	Merseyside [2] Northumbria [2]	£158,394	2	£158,031
5.5	Hampshire	£155,385	2	£158,031
5.0	Devon and Cornwall Kent Lancashire	£152,373	2	£158,031
4.5	Avon and Somerset Essex South Wales South Yorkshire Sussex	£149,376	2	£158,031
3.5	Nottinghamshire [3]	£143,361	3	£143,006
3.0	Cheshire	£140,349	3	£143,006
2.5	Norfolk Surrey	£137,346	3	£143,006
2.0	Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire Cleveland Dorset Durham Gwent North Yorkshire North Wales Northamptonshire Suffolk Wiltshire	£134,340	3	£143,006
1.5	Cumbria Dyfed-Powys Gloucestershire Lincolnshire Warwickshire	£133,248	3	£143,006

[1] Currently 76.9% of chief constable rate. Proposed rate is 82.5% and £182,088.

[2] Currently 86.2% of chief constable rate, £158,394 as at 1 September 2023. Adjustment to 82.5% results in a £363 decrease. Review proposes to adjust to £0 and protect until a new Deputy Chief Constable is appointed.

[3] Currently 82.7% of chief constable rate, £143,361 as at 1 September 2023. Adjustment to 82.5% results in a £355 decrease. Review proposes to adjust to £0 and protect until a new Deputy Chief Constable is appointed.

Annex E: Transition to new pay structure for chief constables and deputy chief constables

Chief constables and MPS assistant commissioners

Current force weighting	Force	Salary at 1 September 2023	Transition uplift - year 1	Salary at 1 September 2024*	Transition uplift - year 2*
	GROUP 1	£220,713	£220,713	£220,713	£220,713
10.0	Greater Manchester	£220,713	£220,713	£220,713	£220,713
10.0	West Midlands	£220,713	£220,713	£220,713	£220,713
..	MPS Assistant Commissioner	£220,713	£220,713	£220,713	£220,713
8.5	West Yorkshire	£206,139	£213,426	£213,426	£220,713
6.5	Thames Valley	£195,207	£207,960	£207,960	£220,713
	GROUP 2	£191,553	£191,553	£191,553	£191,553
6.0	Merseyside	£191,553	£191,553	£191,553	£191,553
6.0	Northumbria	£191,553	£191,553	£191,553	£191,553
5.5	Hampshire	£187,908	£189,731	£189,731	£191,553
5.0	Devon and Cornwall	£184,272	£187,913	£187,913	£191,553
5.0	Kent	£184,272	£187,913	£187,913	£191,553
5.0	Lancashire	£184,272	£187,913	£187,913	£191,553
4.5	Avon and Somerset	£180,630	£186,092	£186,092	£191,553
4.5	Essex	£180,630	£186,092	£186,092	£191,553
4.5	South Wales	£180,630	£186,092	£186,092	£191,553
4.5	South Yorkshire	£180,630	£186,092	£186,092	£191,553
4.5	Sussex	£180,630	£186,092	£186,092	£191,553
	GROUP 3	£173,340	£173,340	£173,340	£173,340
3.5	Nottinghamshire	£173,340	£173,340	£173,340	£173,340
3.0	Cheshire	£169,698	£171,519	£171,519	£173,340
3.0	Derbyshire	£169,698	£171,519	£171,519	£173,340
3.0	Hertfordshire	£169,698	£171,519	£171,519	£173,340
3.0	Humberside	£169,698	£171,519	£171,519	£173,340
3.0	Leicestershire	£169,698	£171,519	£171,519	£173,340
3.0	Staffordshire	£169,698	£171,519	£171,519	£173,340
3.0	West Mercia	£169,698	£171,519	£171,519	£173,340
2.5	Norfolk	£166,047	£169,694	£169,694	£173,340
2.5	Surrey	£166,047	£169,694	£169,694	£173,340
2.0	Bedfordshire	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
2.0	Cambridgeshire	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
2.0	Cleveland	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
2.0	Dorset	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
2.0	Durham	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
2.0	Gwent	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
2.0	North Yorkshire	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
2.0	North Wales	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
2.0	Northamptonshire	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
2.0	Suffolk	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
2.0	Wiltshire	£162,411	£167,876	£167,876	£173,340
1.5	Cumbria	£158,757	£166,049	£166,049	£173,340
1.5	Dyfed-Powys	£158,757	£166,049	£166,049	£173,340
1.5	Gloucestershire	£158,757	£166,049	£166,049	£173,340
1.5	Lincolnshire	£158,757	£166,049	£166,049	£173,340
1.5	Warwickshire	£158,757	£166,049	£166,049	£173,340

Deputy chief constables and MPS deputy assistant commissioners

Current force weighting	Force	Salary at 1 September 2023	Transition uplift - year 1	Salary at 1 September 2024*	Transition uplift - year 2*
	GROUP 1	£182,088	£182,088	£182,088	£182,088
10.0	Greater Manchester [1]	£169,698	£175,893	£175,893	£182,088
10.0	West Midlands [1]	£169,698	£175,893	£175,893	£182,088
..	MPS Deputy Assistant Commissioner	£169,698	£175,893	£175,893	£182,088
8.5	West Yorkshire	£165,318	£173,703	£173,703	£182,088
6.5	Thames Valley	£161,403	£171,746	£171,746	£182,088
	GROUP 2	£158,031	£158,031	£158,031	£158,031
6.0	Merseyside [2]	£158,394	£158,031	£158,031	£158,031
6.0	Northumbria [2]	£158,394	£158,031	£158,031	£158,031
5.5	Hampshire	£155,385	£156,708	£156,708	£158,031
5.0	Devon and Cornwall	£ 152,373	£155,202	£155,202	£158,031
5.0	Kent	£ 152,373	£155,202	£155,202	£158,031
5.0	Lancashire	£ 152,373	£155,202	£155,202	£158,031
4.5	Avon and Somerset	£149,376	£153,704	£153,704	£158,031
4.5	Essex	£149,376	£153,704	£153,704	£158,031
4.5	South Wales	£149,376	£153,704	£153,704	£158,031
4.5	South Yorkshire	£149,376	£153,704	£153,704	£158,031
4.5	Sussex	£149,376	£153,704	£153,704	£158,031
	GROUP 3	£143,006	£143,006	£143,006	£143,006
3.5	Nottinghamshire [3]	£143,361	£143,006	£143,006	£143,006
3.0	Cheshire	£140,349	£141,678	£141,678	£143,006
3.0	Derbyshire	£140,349	£141,678	£141,678	£143,006
3.0	Hertfordshire	£140,349	£141,678	£141,678	£143,006
3.0	Humberside	£140,349	£141,678	£141,678	£143,006
3.0	Leicestershire	£140,349	£141,678	£141,678	£143,006
3.0	Staffordshire	£140,349	£141,678	£141,678	£143,006
3.0	West Mercia	£140,349	£141,678	£141,678	£143,006
2.5	Norfolk	£137,346	£140,176	£140,176	£143,006
2.5	Surrey	£137,346	£140,176	£140,176	£143,006
2.0	Bedfordshire	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
2.0	Cambridgeshire	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
2.0	Cleveland	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
2.0	Dorset	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
2.0	Durham	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
2.0	Gwent	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
2.0	North Yorkshire	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
2.0	North Wales	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
2.0	Northamptonshire	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
2.0	Suffolk	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
2.0	Wiltshire	£134,340	£138,673	£138,673	£143,006
1.5	Cumbria	£133,248	£138,127	£138,127	£143,006
1.5	Dyfed-Powys	£133,248	£138,127	£138,127	£143,006
1.5	Gloucestershire	£133,248	£138,127	£138,127	£143,006
1.5	Lincolnshire	£133,248	£138,127	£138,127	£143,006
1.5	Warwickshire	£133,248	£138,127	£138,127	£143,006

* To be adjusted following application of 2024/25 pay award.

[1] Currently 76.9% of chief constable rate. Proposed rate is 82.5% and £182,088.

[2] Currently 86.2% of chief constable rate, £158,394 as at 1 September 2023. Adjustment to 82.5% results in a £363 decrease. Review proposes to adjust to £0 and protect until a new Deputy Chief Constable is appointed.

[3] Currently 82.7% of chief constable rate, £143,361 as at 1 September 2023. Adjustment to 82.5% results in a £355 decrease. Review proposes to adjust to £0 and protect until a new Deputy Chief Constable is appointed.

1. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-12-14/hcws132 ↩

2. References to PCCs also include combined authority mayors with PCC functions, the Mayor of London, and the Common Council of the City of London as a police authority. ↩

3. Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament ↩

4. The Policing Protocol Order 2023 (legislation.gov.uk) ↩

5. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2023/police- workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2023 ↩

6. Including 23.4% in respect of future service. ↩