Detective pay.
Detectives are paid on the same scales as uniformed officers of the same rank. Here’s what each detective rank earns from 1 September 2026, and what it comes to after tax.
Detective pay by rank
Basic pay outside London from 1 September 2026, with an estimate of monthly take-home (with the police pension, no student loan).
| Rank | Pay | Take-home/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Detective constable DC | £32,255 to £52,015 | £1,952 to £2,942 |
| Detective sergeant DS | £55,443 to £58,175 | £3,133 to £3,285 |
| Detective inspector DI | £66,000 to £71,396 | £3,612 to £3,835 |
| Detective chief inspector DCI | £72,806 to £76,911 | £3,893 to £4,063 |
Officers in London are paid more: London weighting and allowances, and higher inspector scales. Every pay point is on our police pay scales page, with a take-home calculator.
How to become a detective
- Get selected for PIP2. As a serving officer (or police staff investigator), show you’re competent at PIP level 1 and get your force’s backing.
- Pass the NIE. The National Investigators’ Exam: 80 questions in 2 hours on the law investigators need.
- Work as a trainee investigator. Build your PIP2 portfolio on real investigations, usually over six to 12 months.
- Get accredited. Once it’s signed off, you’re a PIP2 accredited investigator: a detective.
Some forces also recruit straight into detective work on a detective version of the degree holder entry route.
Detective plan
Start with the NIE.
Full 80-question NIE mocks, exam-style questions across all four areas, law flashcards and a plan round your shifts.£16.99 a month, or £79 for 6 months.
Questions people ask
How much does a detective earn in the UK?
Detectives are paid on the same scales as uniformed officers. From 1 September 2026, a detective constable earns £32,255 to £52,015, a detective sergeant £55,443 to £58,175 and a detective inspector £66,000 to £71,396 outside London.
Do detectives get paid more than uniformed officers?
Not on basic pay: a DC is on the constable scale and a DS on the sergeant scale. There’s no national detective allowance, though some forces have offered their own incentive payments for detective roles, and overtime and on-call payments can add to what detectives take home.
How do you become a detective?
Either as a serving officer, by passing the National Investigators’ Exam (NIE) and completing PIP2 as a trainee investigator, or by joining on a detective entry route that some forces run. You’re accredited once your PIP2 portfolio is signed off.
Do detective constables get overtime?
Yes. Detective constables and detective sergeants are paid overtime on the same terms as uniformed constables and sergeants.