Frequently Asked Questions

I have had to remain at the end of my shift what can I claim?

If you work overtime after hours on your scheduled tour of duty, and you were not informed of the overtime prior to the commencement of this tour of duty, it is classed as unplanned overtime and you cannot claim overtime for the first 30 minutes worked.

For example, if your tour of duty is 14.30 x 22.30, you cannot claim overtime until 23.00. Any overtime you claim after that is at time and a third, for payment, or if you wish to claim time off, for the overtime, then for every completed 15 minutes, you are entitled to claim 1 unit and for every 3 units you work, you are given 1 bonus unit.

If you work unplanned overtime on 4 occasions during the same week then on the 5th and any other occasion in which you may have to work overtime you no longer lose the first half hour for the rest of that week.

If you were asked to work overtime prior to the commencement of your tour of duty this is planned overtime and you do not lose the first half an hour when calculating how much time you have worked over.

You may like to know why you lose the first half an hour. The reason is shown below.

In 1994 the first 30 minutes of casual overtime on the first four occasions was bought out for £270. Police officers basic, pensionable pay increased by £270 and that figure has increased with every pay rise since that date and is now worth £445. These half hours weren't just given up.

So, far from "working for The Queen" you are, and always have been, paid for these half hours whether you work them or not. As the compensation forms part of your pensionable pay, you will continue to be paid for these half hours (in your pension) long after you have ceased working as a police officer.

An officer retiring today will get an extra £1,640 in their lump sum and an extra £212 per annum in their pension - all because of that deal in 1994.