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Average Police Patrol Officer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A police patrol officer in United Kingdom earns about 36,800 GBP a year. That's 47% below the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 18,600 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 60,500 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a police patrol officer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
36,800 GBP
3,066 GBP per month
Lowest reported
18,600 GBP
1,550 GBP per month
Highest reported
60,500 GBP
5,041 GBP per month

A typical police patrol officer working in United Kingdom brings home around 3,066 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 18,600 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 60,500 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior police patrol officer working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the police patrol officer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How police patrol officer pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all police patrol officers in United Kingdom earn less than 35,400 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 27,400 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 44,500 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of police patrol officers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 18,600 GBP. The highest stretch to 60,500 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

18,600
Low
35,400
Median
60,500
High
27,400
25th
44,500
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Police patrol officer pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a police patrol officer in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical police patrol officer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    23,700 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +27% from previous
    30,100 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +29% from previous
    38,700 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +22% from previous
    47,400 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +12% from previous
    53,300 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +5% from previous
    56,100 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 29%. That is the point at which a police patrol officer typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Police patrol officer pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving police patrol officer pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average police patrol officer salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • High School
    26,500 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +43% from previous
    37,900 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +37% from previous
    51,900 GBP

Police patrol officer gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male police patrol officers in United Kingdom earn an average of 39,800 GBP a year, while female police patrol officers earn around 39,500 GBP. That works out to a 1% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Police Patrol Officer gender pay gap

1%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 39,800 GBP
Women 39,500 GBP

Pay raises for a police patrol officer in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 9% every 17 months, which works out to roughly 6% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Police patrol officer bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

29%

29% of police patrol officers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a police patrol officer a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3% of base salary. The remaining 71% of police patrol officers reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Police patrol officer: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Police patrol officer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Police patrol officer pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Sheffield
  • Birmingham
  • Glasgow
  • Bristol
  • Coventry
  • Belfast
  • London
  • Liverpool
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion73,300 GBP69,700 GBP36,500-112,700 GBP
ScotlandRegion53,800 GBP52,300 GBP26,500-81,900 GBP
SheffieldCity46,200 GBP45,100 GBP23,500-68,400 GBP
BirminghamCity45,300 GBP49,000 GBP20,900-68,300 GBP
GlasgowCity45,000 GBP45,000 GBP20,700-66,100 GBP
BristolCity45,000 GBP42,700 GBP21,300-67,900 GBP
CoventryCity44,800 GBP46,400 GBP22,600-69,400 GBP
BelfastCity44,300 GBP39,700 GBP23,400-67,000 GBP
LondonCity44,300 GBP47,600 GBP20,000-69,200 GBP
LiverpoolCity44,300 GBP45,700 GBP18,600-67,500 GBP
EdinburghCity42,800 GBP42,500 GBP22,300-65,400 GBP
DerbyCity42,700 GBP44,700 GBP18,200-65,900 GBP
PlymouthCity42,600 GBP42,300 GBP20,500-64,900 GBP
CardiffCity42,000 GBP45,000 GBP20,900-66,000 GBP
PortsmouthCity41,900 GBP45,000 GBP20,300-63,500 GBP
SomersetCity41,500 GBP44,700 GBP18,200-66,400 GBP
ManchesterCity41,500 GBP40,900 GBP23,800-63,200 GBP
LeedsCity41,500 GBP41,500 GBP23,000-65,100 GBP
NottinghamCity41,400 GBP39,700 GBP20,000-64,800 GBP
ArmaghCity41,100 GBP39,500 GBP23,000-59,800 GBP
OxfordCity40,900 GBP40,900 GBP19,100-59,800 GBP
BradfordCity40,600 GBP38,000 GBP23,700-63,900 GBP
SouthamptonCity40,300 GBP42,600 GBP21,100-63,400 GBP
LeicesterCity40,200 GBP43,200 GBP20,000-65,200 GBP
AberdeenCity39,800 GBP37,100 GBP22,600-59,200 GBP
SwanseaCity39,800 GBP37,100 GBP22,600-59,200 GBP
WolverhamptonCity39,800 GBP42,800 GBP16,300-61,700 GBP
NewcastleCity39,800 GBP36,800 GBP22,300-63,000 GBP
ExeterCity39,800 GBP36,400 GBP20,000-58,600 GBP
BrightonCity39,800 GBP36,800 GBP22,300-63,000 GBP
PooleCity39,600 GBP42,400 GBP17,100-60,800 GBP
NorwichCity39,500 GBP35,600 GBP19,100-58,700 GBP
DundeeCity39,400 GBP36,800 GBP20,500-58,200 GBP
NewryCity39,100 GBP38,700 GBP19,200-58,800 GBP
LisburnCity38,700 GBP38,700 GBP20,200-57,400 GBP
PeterboroughCity38,000 GBP38,900 GBP19,400-61,800 GBP
GloucesterCity38,000 GBP35,200 GBP20,200-58,800 GBP
HartlepoolCity38,000 GBP36,800 GBP20,000-59,500 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity38,000 GBP39,600 GBP20,900-63,200 GBP
DerryCity37,800 GBP39,500 GBP19,100-60,900 GBP
SalisburyCity37,300 GBP33,600 GBP19,400-55,500 GBP
NewportCity36,800 GBP41,100 GBP16,900-58,500 GBP
WalesRegion36,800 GBP33,000 GBP17,800-54,900 GBP
StirlingCity36,800 GBP40,900 GBP15,700-58,400 GBP
TruroCity36,800 GBP36,800 GBP19,000-58,600 GBP
ChesterCity36,800 GBP36,700 GBP17,100-58,500 GBP
LincolnCity36,800 GBP38,000 GBP19,300-58,200 GBP
YorkCity36,800 GBP37,200 GBP20,200-56,600 GBP
DurhamCity36,700 GBP41,700 GBP16,900-60,900 GBP
RiponCity36,600 GBP32,900 GBP18,900-54,100 GBP
CambridgeCity36,200 GBP36,800 GBP17,800-59,700 GBP
CanterburyCity36,000 GBP36,000 GBP18,000-54,100 GBP
BangorCity35,600 GBP36,400 GBP15,700-58,100 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion35,500 GBP35,500 GBP19,300-54,200 GBP
AbingdonCity35,300 GBP36,600 GBP17,500-54,100 GBP
KirkwallCity35,300 GBP35,500 GBP17,500-52,800 GBP
StromnessCity35,300 GBP35,200 GBP17,000-52,800 GBP
St DavidsCity34,100 GBP30,800 GBP19,100-49,400 GBP
WinchesterCity34,000 GBP34,800 GBP15,500-52,800 GBP
InvernessCity33,300 GBP35,300 GBP16,000-56,100 GBP
StrontianCity33,000 GBP29,600 GBP19,000-49,700 GBP
WakefieldCity33,000 GBP37,200 GBP15,700-55,600 GBP
WellsCity32,300 GBP35,400 GBP17,000-51,800 GBP

Police Patrol Officer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a police patrol officer make per month in United Kingdom?

    A police patrol officer in United Kingdom earns about 3,066 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 36,800 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a police patrol officer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level police patrol officers in United Kingdom start near 18,600 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 60,500 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 27,400 and 44,500 GBP.

  • Is the median police patrol officer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 35,400 GBP, lower than the average of 36,800 GBP. Half of police patrol officers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for police patrol officers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a police patrol officer in United Kingdom earn around 1% more than women on average (39,800 vs 39,500 GBP a year).

  • Do police patrol officers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 29% of police patrol officers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3% of base salary.

  • Do police patrol officers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a police patrol officer about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do police patrol officers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A police patrol officer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 9% every 17 months, equivalent to roughly 6% a year.