Police Officers' Rights in England and Wales

Who this guide is for

Police officers in England and Wales: constables of any rank, including special constables. It also covers members of the public who want to complain about the police in England and Wales.

What this guide does not cover

• Police staff, including PCSOs: you are not a police officer. See our employee rights guide.
• Officers in Scotland or Northern Ireland: see the Scotland guide or the Northern Ireland guide.
• Police pay, overtime, allowances, rest days, working time, leave and pensions, including ill-health retirement. This guide does not set these out: ask your Police Federation or staff association.
• The detail of misconduct and performance procedures (investigations, notices, meetings, outcomes), vetting and the barred list. This guide covers the appeal to a police appeals tribunal only. Ask your Police Federation or staff association.
• Members of the armed forces: see our armed forces guide.
• Criminal investigations of officers, and claims against the police for compensation. Ask a solicitor.
• Tribunal time limits in detail: see our tribunal deadline guide.

What the rules depend on

1. Are you a police officer or police staff? Officers: this guide. Police staff, including PCSOs: see our employee rights guide.
2. Where is your force? This guide is for England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own guides.
3. What is it about? Discrimination, whistleblowing or health and safety: an employment tribunal claim. A misconduct finding: an appeal to a police appeals tribunal. A complaint by a member of the public: the force, then a review.
4. When did it happen, or when did you get the written decision or outcome letter? That date decides your time limit.

"Am I covered by the Equality Act?"

Yes. For the work part of the Equality Act 2010, holding the office of constable is treated as employment. You are treated as employed by the chief officer of police for your force, or by the local policing body that maintains your force for acts done by that body. You are protected from discrimination, harassment and victimisation at work in the same way as an employee.

A discrimination claim goes to an employment tribunal. It needs no minimum length of service. Discrimination awards have no upper limit.

"Can I claim unfair dismissal?"

Not ordinary unfair dismissal. The Employment Rights Act 1996 does not give people in police service the ordinary right not to be unfairly dismissed. Police officers do not qualify for statutory redundancy pay.

There are exceptions. You can go to an employment tribunal if you are dismissed because you made a protected disclosure (whistleblowing), or for certain health and safety reasons. A dismissal because of a protected characteristic can be a discrimination claim under the Equality Act 2010.

"I want to blow the whistle"

For whistleblowing law, a person who holds the office of constable is treated as an employee. You are protected from being treated badly (detriment), and from dismissal, because you made a protected disclosure. For what counts as a protected disclosure and who you can tell, see our whistleblowing guide.

"Health and safety"

You are protected from being treated badly or dismissed for certain health and safety reasons. For what counts, see our health and safety guide.

"What do I do first?"

Before most claims you must notify Acas for early conciliation. It is free, and it pauses your time limit if you notify Acas within that time limit. If you contacted Acas on or after 1 December 2025, early conciliation can last up to 12 weeks.

Going through your force's grievance procedure does not change your time limit. If it takes a long time, you still need to notify Acas before your time limit runs out.

"I've been found guilty of misconduct"

If a finding of misconduct or gross misconduct is made against you at a misconduct hearing, or a finding of gross misconduct at an accelerated misconduct hearing, you can appeal to a police appeals tribunal against the finding, the disciplinary action, or both. Former officers can appeal too.

You cannot appeal to a tribunal if the finding was made after you accepted that your conduct amounted to misconduct or gross misconduct.

The grounds are: the finding or the disciplinary action was unreasonable; there is evidence that could not reasonably have been considered at the hearing and could have materially affected the result; or there was a breach of the procedures, or unfairness, that could have materially affected the result.

Give notice of appeal in writing to your local policing body before the end of 10 working days beginning with the first working day after the day on which you are first supplied with a written copy of the decision. You can give notice late, within a reasonable time after that, with your reasons. The tribunal chair decides whether it can go ahead: it is dismissed if giving notice in time was reasonably practicable.

At a tribunal hearing you can be represented by a lawyer or a police friend.

If you are an officer below senior rank, a finding made at a misconduct meeting (not a hearing) is not appealed to a police appeals tribunal. This guide does not cover that appeal, or appeals about unsatisfactory performance or attendance: ask your Police Federation or staff association.

Since 7 May 2024, a misconduct hearing for an officer below senior rank is chaired by the chief officer of the force or someone they delegate to, sitting with two independent panel members. A legally qualified person advises the panel but does not decide the case. A hearing set up before 7 May 2024 may follow the old rules.

A misconduct case against you and your own discrimination or whistleblowing claim are separate. Being under investigation does not stop you bringing your own claim.

"I want to complain about the police"

Make your complaint to the police force concerned. Complain as soon as you can. This guide does not set out when a late complaint may be refused: ask the force. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigates only the most serious and sensitive incidents; most complaints are dealt with by the force.

If you are unhappy with the outcome, you may be able to ask for a review. Your outcome letter says whether you can, and who the review body is: the local police and crime commissioner or the IOPC. Apply within 28 days, starting with the day after the date you received the outcome letter. The IOPC considers a late review only in exceptional circumstances. A review decides whether the outcome of your complaint is reasonable and proportionate. It does not reinvestigate the complaint itself. If the outcome is not reasonable and proportionate, the IOPC can, for example, direct that the complaint is re-investigated, and a police and crime commissioner can recommend that the force re-investigates it.

Deadlines you must meet

• Most employment tribunal claims, including discrimination, whistleblowing and health and safety claims: 3 months less 1 day from the act you are complaining about. It is 6 months less 1 day only where that act (or the last act in a series) happened on or after 1 October 2026.
• Notify Acas within your time limit. Early conciliation pauses the clock. After it ends you have at least 1 month from the day you receive the Acas certificate to make your claim.
• Police appeals tribunal: notice of appeal before the end of 10 working days beginning with the first working day after you are first supplied with the written decision.
• Review of a public complaint: 28 days, starting with the day after you received the outcome letter.
• Your exact tribunal date depends on your facts: see our tribunal deadline guide.

Money figures

• Discrimination awards have no upper limit.

Traps

• Not being an employee does not mean you have no tribunal rights. Discrimination, whistleblowing and health and safety claims can still go to an employment tribunal.
• Police staff and PCSOs are not police officers. The office holder rules do not apply to them.
• The police appeals tribunal limit is counted in working days from when you are first given the written decision, not from the hearing date.
• Since 7 May 2024, misconduct hearings are not chaired by a legally qualified chair.
• A grievance does not stop the tribunal clock. Notifying Acas within the time limit pauses it.
• Do not use the 6-month limit for an act that happened before 1 October 2026.