Following a study of our customer base, Cashfloat noticed the high number of requests for payday loans for police officers coming through our website. This prompted us to research this topic and publish the article that you’re reading now. It may come as a shock for many people to read that many police officers borrow short-term finance. This is because policing is a profession which has traditionally been viewed as a secure, well-paying job in the UK. So what has changed to make it difficult for members of the Force to make ends meet?
How much do police officers make?
Before we look at the reasons why they need payday loans, let’s look at the average police officer salary, as publicised by The Police Federation and the Met Police.
| Rank | Starting Salary Between |
|---|---|
| Police constables | £28,551 and £46,044 |
| Sergeants | £49,077 and £51,498 |
| Inspectors | £58,422 and £63,198 |
| Chief inspectors | £64,449 and £68,082 |
| Superintendent | From £77,121 |
| Chief Superintendent | From £95,094 |
| *Salaries are higher in the City of London | |
How to Become a Police Officer
Apart from being a minimum of 18 years old, there are no formal restrictions for applicants to the police as long as they can pass written tests and a fitness test. Despite this, 68% of successful applicants have at least A levels, while 30% of those are graduates. By contrast, in 1959 only 1% of officers had an education to A-level standard or above.
All probationary police constables undertake extensive professional training known as the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP) leading to a Level 3 Diploma in Policing (QCF) during the first two years of service. The IPLDP consists of four phases: Induction, Community, Supervised Patrol and Independent Patrol. Only when the probationary period has been completed are constables eligible to specialise in different aspects of policing. Promotion is not automatic and depends on the individual’s skills and talents.
Police Officer Benefits
Working for the police force does have some additional benefits, here are a few:
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Police Annual Leave and Sick Leave
Police officers are entitled to 25 days of annual leave if they have been in service for less than two years. For those with over twenty years in the force, this amount rises to 30 days. Police officers are allowed Sick Leave for up to 7 days when they are required to produce a medical certificate.
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Maternity Leave for Police Officers
Police officers are entitled to up to 15 months of Maternity Leave irrespective of their length of service, as long as notice is given by the 15th week before the expected week of confinement. From April 2012, officers with 63 weeks of continuous service at the expected date of confinement receive full pay and allowances for the first 18 weeks of maternity leave. Alternatively, the final five weeks can be spread over ten weeks but at 50% of their salary. After 18 weeks, they receive 39 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay as long as they have completed 26 weeks of service by the 15th week of the expected birth.
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Police Pensions
The revised Police Pension Scheme took effect from April 2015 and replaced previous schemes. Every new police officer is automatically enrolled, although they can opt out if they choose. The new scheme is CARE (Career Average Revalued Earnings). A fraction of 1/55.3 Pensionable Earnings is calculated for each year as earned pension, and the amount is revalued every year until retirement. The Normal Pension Age is 60, although officers can retire at the Normal Minimum Pension Age, which is 55.
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The Police Federation
Set up in 1919, the Police Federation is the largest Staff Association in the UK. It represents 122,000 rank and file officers. Its primary role is to represent and support its members, influence decision-making at a local and national level, and negotiate its members’ conditions of service and pay. It also offers them additional benefits like discounts on services such as mortgage facilities and car hire. Officers in Scotland are represented by the Scottish Police Federation. Those in Northern Ireland have a separate Federation.
FAQs about Working for the Police Force
Almost 1 in 12 police officers have a second job, according to the Police Federation of England and Wales, due to the low police officer salary. Officers have taken up jobs like teaching, photography, beauty therapy, and football refereeing. Police may take on extra jobs outside their working hours with approval from their force.
A police officer must have effective communication skills for dealing with all situations. They must be honest and trustworthy. A police officer who has some work experience with the community or young people will be more successful.
Most police officers will do some traveling during their careers, although they generally will not travel outside the cities in which they work.
Are Police officers struggling to get by?
In their August 2017 Pay & Morale survey, the Police Federation of England & Wales found that 1 in 10 officers couldn’t afford the essentials on their salary. Furthermore, many find themselves taking out wage day advance loans to cover the cost of living. When the Police Federation asked the same question to probationers (officers in their first 2 years of service and therefore on the lowest salary), this number increased to 1 in 6. These members of the rank and file are the ones who are more likely to apply for payday loans to make up the shortfall in their earnings.
With smaller police stations closing down, many more officers nowadays are in towns and cities. This, of course, makes their living expenses so much more especially considering the housing crisis. Renting privately has skyrocketed while their starting salaries are so low that most struggling police officers aren’t eligible for a mortgage.
Of the 30,000 officers who responded to this annual survey, 72% agreed that they needed a decent pay rise and said they were financially worse off because of rising living costs. Many of them said they were finding themselves going for wonga loans to help them pull through the month. 86% also said that they did not receive payment fairly considering the strain of their job. 62% felt that their workload was too heavy.
Are officers allowed to be in debt?
Although the Police Federation is sympathetic to police officers getting into debt, it emphasises that those in debt should make full disclosures of their situation so that it is not discovered during routine security or vetting checks. This is because it is felt that officers in debt can be vulnerable. Many officers solve their problems with an IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement) or a Trust Deed (in Scotland) as an alternative to bankruptcy.
Organisations that work with officers to solve their financial problems in this way say that they are suffering because of the cessation of overtime as well as cuts in other supplementary allowances. They might have mortgage payments that they are struggling to pay on lower salaries and initially make up the shortfall by using credit cards. Once they reach the maximum amount allowed on their cards, they turn to lenders providing payday loans for police officers as a way to make ends meet. Banks are reluctant to lend them more money because of all the back debt they already owe.
Payday Loans for Police Officers
Payday loans are never a solution for a long-term money problem. Police officers struggling with serious debt are encouraged to seek debt help. You can find a list of free debt management companies here.
However, if police officers in the UK face an emergency or unexpected expense and need money very fast, they can consider turning to lenders who offer payday loans for police officers. Cashfloat is proud to be one such lender, providing payday loans to police officers who are dealing with short-term financial difficulties.
It goes without saying that when it comes to financial products like payday loans, which have high interest rates, it’s important to compare different credit options before borrowing. Nowadays, many banks offer instant online access to financial products such as overdrafts and credit cards. Borrowing from family and friends could also be a possibility. However, it’s crucial to remember that payday loans should only be seen as a last resort for emergencies.
Conclusion
Being a police officer in the UK and surviving on the police officer salary is certainly worthy of much praise. As we have seen in this article, many police officers are struggling to make ends meet. If you are looking to become a police officer, you should take into account all the pros and cons mentioned in this article and make an informed decision.
