Starting pay for new police cut to £19,000

The salary of newly recruited British police officers will start at £19,000 a year, following home secretary Theresa May’s decision to impose the first changes in pay rules for 30 years.

The recommendations were put forward by a pay review body last year and were strongly opposed by the police federation. The Scottish government has already said there will be no pay cut in Scotland.

New recruits with no experience will get £19,000 a year, but those who have worked previously as community support officers will get £22,000 – a move, said one Conservative MP, that would ensure people were paid for skills.

The changes will also mean that constables will be able to move to the top of their payscale – £36,000 a year – more quickly because of the abolition of three of the current 10 scales.