Evidence to the NCA Remuneration Review Body (NCARRB), 2026-27 (accessible)
Published 19 February 2026
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21 January 2026
Executive summary
The National Crime Agency (NCA), also referred to as ‘the Agency’, leads the UK’s fight against Serious and Organised Crime (SOC), a threat to national security, economic prosperity and the safety of citizens. It has a devastating impact on the lives of victims and communities across the country.
By bringing together unique capabilities, skilled officers and tradecraft, the NCA is the system leader in disrupting and bringing to justice SOC criminals who pose the highest risk to the UK.
SOC is increasing in scale in response to a number of drivers, including geopolitical instability, economic challenges and most significantly advances in technology. There is a need to continually adapt to the ever-changing threat posed by the most harmful offending, including child sexual abuse, organised immigration crime, economic and cybercrime, fraud and trafficking of illegal drugs and firearms.
Common aspects apply to the majority of SOC threats: substantial international elements, enabled by technology and increased online activity for growing threats such as cyber and fraud. SOC actors are highly capable adversaries.
The NCA plays a vital role within a set of overlapping communities. It is part of the law enforcement community with wider policing, H.M. Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and other executive agencies. It is a member of the National Security Community along with the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) and Defence and of the Government strategic community, the Home Office (HO) family and, constitutionally, within the Civil Service.
The required, specialist skills are not unique to the Agency: the police have investigators; several operational agencies have technical operations and human intelligence officers; an increasing number of organisations need financial, cyber and data analysts; child protection officers work in local authorities; and lawyers, Commercial and HR specialists exist in most large organisations.
However, what is unique is the extent and diversity of skills which are drawn from three primary market sectors (the Civil Service, Police / UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) and Private Sector). This breadth of experience enables delivery of the mission, to protect the public from serious and organised crime, and system leadership role. It is essential to attract, retain and develop a highly skilled workforce.
It is pivotal to the Government’s priority to tackle the smuggling gangs behind the small boats trade, with additional investment provided to fund (up to) an additional 300 officers in 2025-26.
Whilst improvements have been made to the recruitment approach and timeframes, the requirement for rigorous vetting means there is still a lengthy lead in time to appoint staff when compared to other organisations. The Agency must continue to attract officers with the right skills who can pass the highest vetting standards in the UK.
There are two pay mechanisms: The National Crime Agency Remuneration Review Body (NCARRB) for powered officers, and the Civil Service Pay Remit for non-powered officers. Formally, the NCARRB does not have the legal remit to provide pay and allowance advice for the entire NCA workforce. However, in 2022-23 the Government agreed that NCARRB recommendations would apply to the whole workforce (grades 1 to 6)[footnote 1] and NCARRB has been invited by Home Secretaries to make recommendations for the whole workforce, and have done so, in subsequent years. For the 2026-27 pay year, they have been requested to take the same approach, as detailed in the pay remit letter. Although NCA roles can be distinct, the workforce strategy depends upon offering a ‘One NCA’ approach to careers and development; recognising the contribution of all roles to delivering the strategic and operational priorities. Movement between commands is encouraged and enables a multi-skilled workforce which can respond to emerging threats in an agile manner.
In its 2025 report, the NCARRB again recognised the police service as the primary comparator[footnote 2]. Both NCARRB and the NCA agree on the need for modernisation of pay structures and underlying employment framework, which have not been revised since the Agency was formed in 2013. The NCA have developed a pay flexibility case which could take effect from 2026-27, however, this will be adjusted in light of the Policing White Paper and considered by HMT in the coming months. The reforms will not be included in this evidence, which is focused on an affordable and appropriate level of pay uplift for 2026-27.
The key pay priority for 2026-27 is ensuring that NCA pay ranges and officer pay do not fall further behind that of the police, in conjunction with the pay reform proposals. The Agency is therefore seeking a consolidated pay uplift cognisant of the police pay award for 2026-27, increasing pay range minima, maxima and spot rate pay levels to reduce the gap between police pay at each grade. This is to address the difficulties in recruiting from the police due to their higher salaries, attract officers from other law enforcement partners and be an attractive employer for those considering a career in intelligence or law enforcement.
The NCA continues to work with the Home Office, Counter Terrorism Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council to ensure that future reforms are consistent with plans for police reform.
It is recognised that pay awards must strike a careful balance in recognising the vital importance of public sector workers, whilst ensuring affordability and delivering value for the taxpayer. In 2025 the NCA pay award of 4.4% was higher than policing at 4.2%, and the wider Civil Service at 3.25% plus 0.5% for anomaly correction.
Chapter 1: NCA context
1.1. The NCA’s role in tackling Serious and Organised Crime
1.1.1. The National Crime Agency’s (NCA) mission is to protect the public from serious and organised crime (SOC). Working with partners across law enforcement, government, industry and beyond to lead the operational response to SOC.
1.1.2. SOC is a threat to the UK’s national security, its economic prosperity and the safety of its people. It has a pervasive and corrosive impact throughout the UK and on its global interests. The effects are felt across the whole population, either directly in the form of violence, fear and other harms (including financial loss and psychological harm), or indirectly in the form of associated criminality, increased strain on public services and the undermining of legitimate businesses.
1.1.3. In 2021, the Agency set the ambitious target of increasing its highest-impact disruptions by 50% by March 2025; that target was exceeded with a 72% increase. The total disruptions – actions that tangibly degrade or remove a criminal threat – increased to nearly 7,000 in 2024-25, a 34% increase on the previous year and equivalent to 19 disruptions every day. Over 400,000 frauds were prevented and over 400 cyber protect notifications issued, of which 170 related to ransomware and estimated to have prevented costs of approximately £221m to the UK economy. Each month, NCA intelligence helped UK policing make c.800 child sexual abuse related arrests and safeguard approximately 1,100 children, based on online leads.
1.1.4. The NCA is a unique organisation at the core of the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC), policing, His Majesty’s Government (HMG) and international law enforcement, delivering its own operational impact while also playing an increasingly important role in leading the operational system and providing capabilities and assistance to those within it.
1.1.5. The Agency is central to the HMG priority to tackle people-smuggling gangs running small boats. During the financial year 2024-25 it was involved in more than 190 arrests (both in the UK and overseas) for organised immigration crime (OIC) related offences, leading on 348 disruptions against OIC networks, each of which will have removed, prevented or reduced a criminal threat. Since 2015 the Agency has been involved in more than 2,200 arrests (both in the UK and overseas) with convicted suspects sentenced to more than 1,800 years in prison.
1.1.6. The Crime and Courts Act 2013 sets out the principal functions of the NCA as ‘crime-reduction’ and ‘criminal intelligence’. The primary duties are identified as:
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Ensuring that efficient and effective activities to combat organised crime and serious crime are carried out (whether by the NCA, other law enforcement agencies, or other persons)
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Gathering, storing, processing, analysing and disseminating information that is relevant to activities to combat organised or serious crime; activities to combat any other kind of crime; exploitation proceeds investigations; exploitation proceeds orders and applications for such orders.
1.1.7. The NCA Workforce Evidence for 2025-26 highlighted the core responsibilities as:
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Holding the single, most up-to-date intelligence picture of the SOC threat facing the UK and collecting and exploiting data and intelligence (including overseas) to detect and disrupt SOC
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Investigating and acting against (via criminal justice or otherwise) the highest-harm offenders and their enablers, including through civil recovery and tax proceedings
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Hosting and providing partners with access to national and specialist capabilities, and providing specialist support to serious and major crime investigations
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Setting operational priorities for the SOC system (including roles and responsibilities for a cross-system threat response), providing a prioritised view of demand on it, and measuring and assessing agency and national system performance against those priorities.
1.1.8. Within these statutory requirements, the NCA has key responsibilities:
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Running investigations through their entire lifecycle, from proactive subject identification to intelligence development and, ultimately, to arrest or alternative disruption
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Working alongside policing and the UKIC in the National Security landscape: like the intelligence community, the NCA houses intelligence capabilities, builds proactive intelligence packages against the highest-harm offenders both in the UK and internationally and, like policing, it undertakes an operational response to criminality by arresting criminals.
This combination makes the NCA unique in its breadth, scope and reach.
1.1.9. The National Strategic Assessment (NSA), published in March 2025, shows that the overall SOC threat to the UK increased in 2024, albeit at a slower rate than previously. There have been continued increases in child sexual abuse, drugs and illicit finance, and decreases in fraud and organised immigration crime have been reversed. More positively, the firearms threat has remained suppressed following the reduction last year, and the seemingly unstoppable growth in cybercrime impeded due to significant law enforcement disruptions; albeit the threat remains high, and may increase again as criminals regroup. There has been no material change in the level of threat from modern slavery and human trafficking and organised acquisitive crime.
1.1.10. It was noted in the 2024 NSA that the societal shift to individuals living more of their lives online was being exploited by criminals in the form of cybercrime, fraud and child sexual abuse. One of the most striking themes emerging this year is how the threat is diversifying between and beyond these threats, with a growing overlap with online radicalisation to serious violence and extremism. Other technological trends, such as increased adoption of artificial intelligence and easy access to communications channels with victims without content moderation or other safeguards, are allowing offenders to scale their offending more readily. At the same time the physical harms from SOC are growing.
- More people spending more time online.
- Global insecurities.
- Increasing interconnectivity within serious and organised crime.
- Increased scale and threat from serious and organised crime.
1.1.11. SOC nominals’ exploitation of vulnerable individuals is primarily visible across the threats posed by child sexual abuse (CSA), organised immigration crime (OIC), and modern slavery and human trafficking (MSHT). The 2024 assessment estimated that 710,000-840,000 UK-based adults pose varying degrees of risk to children, equal to 1.3-1.6% of the adult population[footnote 3]. The identification of indecent images has continued to increase, with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) identifying 291,273 webpages confirmed as containing indecent images of children in 2024, a 6% increase since 2023. Of these, 91% were classified as self-generated indecent imagery, either shared consensually, or elicited through manipulation. While dark web forums continue to be used by child sexual abuse offenders, secure clear web platforms are increasingly used for a range of child sexual abuse offence types, including those involving direct access to children online.
1.1.12. Delivery of the NCA Strategy 2023-28 has continued, in order to meet government priorities of protecting the public from SOC and to equip the Agency with the required tools, capability and workforce. The strategy focuses on the following four priorities:
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Degrade the most harmful organised crime groups
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Lead the UK’s operational response
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Transform the NCA’s capabilities
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Build a highly skilled workforce.
1.1.13. The breadth, complexity and specialist nature of the NCA’s operations against SOC is illustrated in the following case studies. Officers deployed a wide range of specialist skills, tactics and knowledge across multiple jurisdictions and with multiple partners in every case.
Case study 1: Money laundering and cross-cutting criminality (Operation Machinize)
The 2025 National Strategic Assessment stated the likelihood that the threat from money laundering impacting the UK has increased. This almost certainly impacts legitimate businesses in the UK – especially small and local businesses that are unable to compete with those financed from criminal money, impacting local prosperity and removing valuable services from communities.
The NCA established Operation Machinize in early 2025, having identified that the criminal exploitation of high street businesses was beyond the scope of any one organisation. Working in partnership with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the aim being to catalyse a large-scale response to a multi-faceted problem.
In March 2025, the NCA’s National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) coordinated a three-week crackdown on high street crime, with law enforcement officers targeting 380 barbershops and other cash-intensive businesses across England. As a result, officers secured freezing orders over bank accounts totalling more than £1 million, executed 84 warrants and made 35 arrests. 55 individuals were questioned about their immigration status and 97 people were safeguarded in relation to potential modern slavery. In addition, officers seized more than £40,000 in cash, 200,000 cigarettes, 7,000 packs of tobacco, over 8,000 illegal vapes and two vehicles. Two cannabis farms were also found. Ten shops were shut, with further closures expected as a result of on-going investigations.
The second iteration ran throughout October and involved every UK police force and Regional Organised Crime Unit, along with other key partner agencies. 2734 premises were visited and raided, resulting in 924 arrests, the seizure of over £10.7m of suspected criminal proceeds and the destruction of over £2.7m worth of illicit commodities. These figures include the removal of 70kg of cannabis from the streets, 111,097 illegal vapes, 4.5m illegal cigarettes and 622kg of illegal tobacco (equalling £3.4m of duty taxes evaded). Furthermore, 341 Referral Notices for illegal working and renting were issued meaning businesses could face fines of up to £60,000 per worker and landlords up to £20,000 per tenant if found liable. Over 450 companies have been referred to Companies House for further investigation.
Case study 2: Organised immigration crime
Joint UK/French unit behind 300 people smuggling arrests.
Five years on from the creation of a joint unit involving officers from the NCA and France’s Police Nationale to target people smugglers, the unit has now been involved in more than 300 arrests. The Joint Intelligence Cell is based in northern France and operated by the NCA with Home Office International Operations (HOIO) and OLTIM, a French police special unit specialising in tackling organised immigration crime. It sees UK and French officers working side by side to protect the UK’s border security by targeting, disrupting and dismantling the organised crime groups involved in people smuggling, generating intelligence for French judicial investigation. Since its inception in July 2020, the unit has directly contributed to the dismantling of at least 52 organised immigration crime gangs operating on French soil, many of whom were involved in organising small boat crossings. More than 300 suspected people smugglers have been arrested thanks to judicial investigations carried out by French law enforcement.
People smuggler who organised Mediterranean crossings on ‘death trap’ boats threatened to throw migrants to sea.
In May 2025, a man arrested by the NCA for masterminding the smuggling of thousands of people across the Mediterranean from north Africa into Europe was jailed for 25 years. Working with law enforcement partners in Italy, officers were able to link him to a number of illegal crossings from Libya. He had been working with people smuggling networks in north Africa to organise boats, bringing over hundreds of migrants at a time on extremely dangerous vessels. The NCA worked closely with the Italian Guardia di Finanza and Italian Coastguard as part of the investigation, to evidence the individual’s involvement in at least seven separate crossings in 2022 and 2023 which carried almost 3,800 into Italian waters. Each migrant had been charged an average of around £3,200, netting the criminals involved more than £12 million in total.
Case study 3: Cyber crime (Operation Destabilise)
The NCA have identified that a billion-dollar money laundering network active in the UK purchased a bank in Kyrgyzstan to facilitate sanctions evasion and payments in support of Russian military efforts. Through Operation Destabilise the NCA and its partners are targeting money launderers who work for this network and are known to operate in at least 28 UK cities and towns. For a fee, the launderers collect ‘dirty’ cash generated from the drugs trade, firearms supply, and organised immigration crime, and convert it to ‘clean’ cryptocurrency. These ‘cash to crypto’ swaps are an integral part of a global criminal ecosystem that spans offending in communities, sanctions evasions and the highest levels of organised crime in providing money laundering services to the Russian state.
Using the intelligence gained on the operation, the Agency has supported its international law enforcement partners in seizing $24 million and over EUR 2.6 million from the network. Since the operation’s inception, there have been a total of 128 arrests with over £25 million seized in cash and cryptocurrency in the UK alone (as of 21 November 2025).
As a result of actions taken on Operation Destabilise and through working with private sector partners, the ability of these networks to access the legitimate banking sector, particularly in the West, has been significantly restricted.
Case study 4: Firearms (Operation Sergeancy)
Since 2021, UK law enforcement has recovered more than 1,000 converted TopVenting Blank Firers in criminal circumstances. These weapons are illegal to own under the Firearms Act 1968 as they can be readily converted using common household tools and without specialist skills. Testing completed by the Agency has demonstrated this.
NCA intelligence led to the seizure of 486 firearms by policing partners. In October 2024 the Agency and NPCC announced an amnesty across England and Wales for the surrender of four types of Top-Venting Blank Firer. The amnesty, held between 3 February and 28 February 2025, saw 2,962 Top-Venting Blank Firers surrendered. This was one of the most successful amnesties to date and a good example of the public and the firearms trade coming together to help reduce the risk of the criminal use of these weapons. Anyone now found in possession of a Turkish manufactured Top-Venting Blank Firer will face prosecution and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
1.2. Background to the NCA
1.2.1. The NCA was formed in October 2013 by the Crime and Courts Act (CCA). It is a non-ministerial civil service department, operationally independent and accountable to Parliament through the Home Secretary.
1.2.2. The formation brought together a number of existing bodies:
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Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)
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Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
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Police Central E-Crime Unit
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Crime and Financial Investigation capability from UK Borders Agency
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A small group from the National Fraud Authority, together with the transfer of some NFA functions.
1.2.3. The main precursor was SOCA which, operationally, was predominately made up of former police officers. SOCA’s delegated grading structure (grades 1 to 6) was adopted to reduce disruption during the transition. In general terms, the equivalent roles are:
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NCA Grade 6: support/trainee officers
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NCA Grade 5: fully qualified officers
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NCA Grades 4 & 3: middle managers
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NCA Grades 2 & 1: senior managers
A bespoke job evaluation scheme determines these grades, which was assumed from SOCA under the transition programme. The current grading structure also maps to the standard civil service grading structure (the exception being AA grades, which the Agency does not utilise). The grading structure from grades 1 to 5 also broadly mirrors that of policing, with the major exception that the NCA does not use the Inspector grade:
| NCA grade | Police rank |
|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Chief Superintendent |
| Grade 2 | Superintendent |
| Grade 3 | Chief Inspector |
| Grade 4 | Sergeant |
| Grade 5 | Constable |
1.2.4. In 2024 the total NCA workforce (including secondments, attachments and contingent labour) was 6264, this has decreased to 6215 through 2025. However, the proportion of NCA officers has increased from 5744 to 5783 with commands seeking to hire permanent employees to replace contingent labour and professional services to reduce costs.
1.2.5. Table I: Workforce by Command shows the breadth of commands and their size relative to the overall workforce[footnote 4]:
Table I: Workforce by Command, including secondments, attachments, contingent labour and other temporary workers
| Workforce by Command | Headcount | % of Workforce |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | 231 | 3.72% |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | 309 | 4.97% |
| NCA Human Resources | 330 | 5.31% |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | 226 | 3.64% |
| NCA Intelligence | 2161 | 34.77% |
| NCA Investigations | 1676 | 26.97% |
| NCA Legal | 70 | 1.13% |
| NCA Margin | 37 | 0.60% |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | 343 | 5.52% |
| NCA Strategy | 257 | 4.14% |
| NCA Threat Leadership | 451 | 7.26% |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | 124 | 2.00% |
| Grand Total | 6215 | 100.00% |
Chapter 2: The NCA’s approach to pay
2. Powered and non-powered officers
2.1.1. Section 14 of the CCA enables the Home Secretary to establish and maintain procedures that determine the rates of pay and allowances for the NCA. In 2013, the NCARRB was established under this section to provide independent advice to the Home Secretary on pay and allowances for powered NCA officers.
2.1.2. Formally, the NCARRB does not have the legal remit to provide pay and allowance advice for the whole NCA workforce. The Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance covers pay for non-powered officers. However, by convention the NCARRB have provided pay and allowance advice for all NCA officers (grades 1 to 6) since 2022. The Agency has requested that the NCARRB take the same approach for the 2026-27 pay year, and this was detailed in the pay remit letter from the Security Minister.
2.1.3. Of the total NCA workforce for 2025 (6215 officers) 29% are powered. However, there is no requirement for a large number of NCA operational staff to hold powers: for example, the split in the Investigations Command is 71% powered and 29% non-powered officers[footnote 5]. Based on August 2025 data c.81% of the workforce is focused on operations and system leadership activity.
2.1.4. Non-powered officers are not excluded from carrying out operational work under the CCA. Consequently, the NCA’s Strategic Workforce Plan is reliant on a significant level of movement between roles. This enables the development of a multi-skilled workforce, which can respond to emerging threats in an agile manner and is key to the delivery of the Agency’s strategic and operational priorities. Movement between operational and enabling capabilities also provides career development opportunities.
2.1.5. The majority of commands, both operational and enabling capabilities, comprise powered and non-powered officers, sharing work and related responsibilities. For example, in Learning and Development powered officers deliver specialist training and in the Operational Standards, Capability and Assessment Unit (OSCAU) support and develop officers on the Officer Development Programme and those completing accreditation/certification portfolios, being both occupationally competent and highly skilled in their discipline. Equal treatment of those officers is key to supporting the existence of unified teams.
2.1.6. The NCA also comprises numerous critical functions which are essential to the disruption of organised crime: for example, researching and producing threat assessments. Additionally, non-powered officers are deployed alongside investigations teams in operational situations: for example, child protection advisors. There is an equivalent level of disruption to daily life and risk of harm as a result of those deployment obligations.
2.1.7. Teams routinely comprise a blend of officers with civil service, police, intelligence community or private sector backgrounds. Pay differences in those respective markets may result in differences in their pay when commencing NCA employment, with some officers joining external to the Civil Service able to negotiate higher starting salaries. This has led to a pay imbalance, with experienced NCA officers remaining on the grade minimum whilst some newly recruited candidates join further up the pay range. This negatively impacts morale due to the lack of any pay progression.
2.1.8. Unless there are exceptional circumstances whereby an evidence-based business case is agreed by the Higher Salary Panel, chaired by the Head of HR Pay and Reward, new entrants to the Civil Service for NCA roles advertised on the standard pay range start on the base of grade. No new entrant will be paid more than the band maximum.
2.1.9. The NCA is continuing to work closely with the Home Office to support the review of the CCA. This work will include opportunities for codifying NCARRB’s responsibilities to the whole workforce.
2.2. Designation of powers
2.2.1. Under Section 10 of the CCA, the NCA Director General (DG) is authorised to designate NCA officers with ‘operational powers’ including those powers of a Constable, an officer of Revenue and Customs, an Immigration Officer and a general customs official. Under Schedule 1 of the CCA, the DG can delegate the exercise of this power to one or more senior NCA officers. Adequate training in respect of the exercise of those powers must be completed by officers in order to receive them.
2.2.2. Officers have personal responsibility to ensure they remain ‘in ticket’. Their knowledge and skills, including mandatory refresher training, must be kept up to date. Those ‘out of ticket’ can no longer be operationally deployed.
2.2.3. If an officer requires powers for their role they cannot be relinquished. Where powers are not required officers may request de-designation with the support of their line management. Officers who leave the Agency (through resignation, retirement, career break or any other reason resulting in termination of contract) will automatically be considered de-designated.
2.3. Introduction of spot rate roles
2.3.1. The NCA reward strategy does not seek to completely replicate police pay. However, the Agency must be able to support the retention of specialist officers through matching pay for comparable roles; this approach minimises the risk of officers moving to join the police.
2.3.2. More critically, NCA pay arrangements are not attractive enough to recruit serving police officers at an early or mid-stage of their career. The lack of pay progression, coupled with the lower pay range, means that the NCA is heavily dependent on the recruitment of retired police officers who are able to use their NCA salary to supplement their police pension.
2.3.3. There are inherent differences between the status of police and NCA officers, as a result of the latter’s civil servant designation. Police officers are covered by police regulations, whereas NCA officers are employed on Civil Service terms and conditions. However, all NCA officers are subject to both Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) oversight and NCA regulations.
2.3.4. The NCA introduced spot rate pay for its most crucial operational roles, following the acceptance of a pay flexibility case by ministers in 2017 which detailed the difficulties in attracting and retaining resource from police partners. As well as core investigators, this included analysts, firearms officers, cyber specialists and financial investigators.
2.3.5. Spot rate is paid for specific roles at grades 1 to 5. There are two levels at grades 1, 2 and 3: a lower spot rate (SR1) and a higher spot rate (SR2). For grade 4 officers there are two main spot rates. However, at this grade NCA Armed Operations Unit (AOU) officers can also receive a third, higher, spot rate. There are three main spot rate levels at grade 5, with a higher, fourth rate available to officers in the AOU.
2.3.6. Spot rate levels are fixed below the NCA pay range maxima[footnote 6]. They sit below the police maxima, which are higher than those of the NCA. As such, while they prevent the gap from being wider than it would otherwise have been, current NCA spot rates are not considered sufficiently attractive to recruit serving police officers. For example, moving from the police to the NCA would result in a reduction of several thousand pounds in pay. At constable, sergeant and chief inspector grades the difference between NCA spot rate and the police maxima is circa £5,000, £3,000 and £9,000 respectively. Neither the standard or spot rate pay arrangements are sufficient to improve recruitment from policing.
2.3.7. Movement through the spot rate levels within each grade requires evidence of the operational and occupational competencies set out in the skills matrix. In addition to receiving a salary uplift, officers move from a 37-hour to a 40-hour working week (excluding breaks and pro-rated for part-time workers) when taking up a spot rate role. In comparison, the police work a standard 36.25-hour week (excluding breaks). The move to a 40-hour week provides significant benefits in terms of a reduction on the reliance of discretionary overtime and managers being able to roster based on guaranteed working hours.
2.3.8. Over 2000 posts are categorised as both operational and on the spot rate framework. Since implementation, 3418 grade 1-5 officers have elected to move to the new framework, an increase of 52 since last year[footnote 7].
2.4. Pay progression
2.4.1. Police officers receive annual pay progression within their pay ranges, along with the annual headline pay awards recommended by the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB). New constables are placed on a seven-point pay scale and reach the top point in six years, whilst other ranks reach the top of their pay band maxima in three years. NCA median pay is lower at each grade than its police equivalent, and the different approaches mean the Agency’s pay scales are misaligned to the police comparators with which they were originally established to maintain pace. This gap continues to widen year on year and the NCA has fallen further behind, despite receiving a slightly higher percentage award in 2025-26 (0.2%).
2.5. Location allowances
2.5.1. A pensionable London Weighting Allowance (LWA) is paid to officers working at London locations, currently set at £4,218pa, and a South East Allowance (SEA) of £3,375 for officers based in eligible locations. In contrast, the Metropolitan Police Service pays both non-pensionable and pensionable London allowances that total c.£10,000pa[footnote 8].
2.6. The non-consolidated pay pot
2.6.1. A non-consolidated pot of funding is maintained to support the performance and retention of officers. Recruitment and Retention Allowances (RRAs) account for a significant portion of this funding (£1.67 million[footnote 9]), used to target roles that are difficult to fill or carry significant retention risks.
2.6.2. Eligibility of RRA roles is rigorously assessed via an annual process based on objective evidence. However, payments are relatively low due to the high number of roles which the budget covers. Consequently, officers receive relatively small payments and these are insufficient to support the necessary recruitment and retention. The average payment for 2025-26 is c.£1,800, which c.990 officers are in receipt of. Indeed, some roles that attract an RRA experience greater turnover than the NCA overall figure of 6.96%, as outlined in section 3.6. An alternative approach is being considered for 2026-27 onwards.
2.7. The 2025 NCA pay settlement
2.7.1. The 2025 pay settlement for the NCA resulted in a 4.4% uplift to standard and spot rate pay ranges and consolidated pay. In addition, location allowances increased by 4.4%. This was higher than the uplift recommended in the Civil Service Pay Remit of 3.25% plus 0.5% anomaly correction, and was 0.2% higher than the pay award for policing (4.2%).
Chapter 3: Recruitment, retention and pay comparisons
3. Recruitment needs
3.1.1. The NCA’s functions and workforce requirements are complex and include significant demand for a wide range of skillsets and specialisms, with candidates needed from a variety of labour markets. Since 2022, the NCA has recruited 25% from policing, 24% from the private sector and 28% from the Civil Service. In Enabling Capabilities there is a much higher proportion (40%) from the Civil Service, and in operational roles 29% join from policing. Investigative roles are directly comparable with policing; cyber roles with the private sector; child protection advisors with local government and intelligence roles with the police and UKIC.
3.1.2. Operational skills are a key element for some roles within enabling services, with officers moving between those commands. Future pay arrangements must support the recruitment and retention of officers with wide-ranging skills, from a wide range of competitors and with different labour market pricing.
3.1.3. A number of niche skillsets are required for technical and specialist roles which are primarily available in the private sector. These include occupational psychologists, cyber security experts and forensic scientists. The NCA recruits from a diverse range of markets, companies and sectors and roles vary by grade, command and type.
3.1.4. Difficulties are experienced in recruiting from the private sector and police as labour prices are much higher for most roles above grade 4 than the Civil Service. The wider Civil Service is not as exposed to policing as the NCA and has a readily available internal labour market from which to fill roles. Recruitment time is also significantly impacted by the Agency’s rigorous vetting requirements.
3.1.5. There is strong demand across government for officers with enabling capabilities skills. This includes HR, Finance, Commercial, Legal and Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT). Despite NCA pay scales being higher, in many cases these roles are offered at a more senior grade meaning officers move on promotion, or attract recruitment and retention payments of up to £15k. 33% of officers who left for another government department moved laterally, with 44% of those officers receiving some form of higher remuneration such as salary uplifts of up to £15k. The uplifts include significant RRA payments and moving onto the DDaT pay framework.
3.2. Macroeconomic context
3.2.1. The full Economic Evidence to the pay review bodies for 2026-27 is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/economic-evidence-to-the-pay-review-bodies-2026-27-pay-round.
3.3. Current labour market conditions
3.3.1. The Chartered Instituted of Personnel and Development (CIPD) anticipated that both staff turnover and vacancies were likely to decline in 2024, in a period of ‘normalisation’ following the Covid-19 pandemic. The NCA is evidencing greater stability of its workforce, in line with these general market trends and a slowing of recruitment across the Civil Service, although acute difficulties remain in recruitment and retention for specialist and technical roles.
3.3.2. It is a challenge to recruit as NCA salaries do not compare favourably to those offered by the private sector, regulators, policing or the intelligence agencies. Civil service pension arrangements are a helpful benefit, but the salary differences are still a barrier with organisations where either the pension arrangements are similar, or with the private sector where the difference in salary outweighs any advantages. There are also challenges within the Civil Service where higher specialist allowances are offered.
3.4. Comparisons of pay in the NCA and competitors[footnote 10]
3.4.1. The differences between NCA and police pay have been an issue for a number of years. In 2014 the police had an on-average £8k higher salary than the Agency (median pay), as of 2025 this is now c.£15k higher. There is over £33k difference at the NCA grade 1/Chief Superintendent rank as shown in Table 74 of Annex A[footnote 11].
Table II: Comparison of NCA and Police Pay Range Maximas for 2014 and 2025[footnote 12]
| Grade | NCA pay max: 2014 | Police pay max: 2014 | Difference: 2014 | NCA pay max: 2025 | Police pay max: 2025 | Difference: 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1 (CS G6) | £80,883 | £83,094 | -£2,211 | £100,625 | £115,785 | -£15,160 |
| G2 (CS G7) | £66,025 | £75,066 | -£9,041 | £82,580 | £99,015 | -£16,435 |
| G3 (CS SEO) | £54,050 | £55,005 | -£955 | £68,037 | £68,982 | -£945 |
| G4 (CS HEO) | £43,240 | £41,865 | £1,375 | £54,909 | £56,208 | -£1,299 |
| G5 (CS EO) | £36,321 | £37,254 | -£933 | £46,507 | £50,256 | -£3,749 |
3.4.2. In the last three years the NCA has implemented pay awards of 7%, 5% and 4.4%. Despite the pay award percentage increases being comparable or higher than policing, police pay progression and existing higher salaries exacerbate salary differences between policing and the NCA. The 2025-26 NCA pay award was 0.2% higher than policing. However, this has not reduced the pay gap due to the comparatively higher police maxima. Rather, comparatively higher police pay maxima mean that, even with a higher NCA award, the difference at the upper pay range (and at the pay median) persists.
3.4.3. Table III below shows that agency salaries only caught up to the police at two grades (grades 3 and 4), and only by £79 and £60. Depending on the total value of the pay award the NCA would require higher than the 0.2% difference applied last year to catch up at all grades and salary points. For example, at G3 equivalent minima a 2% pay award to the police would require the NCA to receive a 2.6% pay award in order to prevent the salary gap from widening.
Table III: NCA vs police pay maxima
| NCA grade | NCA maximum | Police maximum | Difference | Number of pay police pay points | Difference between 2024 and 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | £100,625 | £115,785 | £15,160 | 3 | £427 |
| Grade 2 | £82,580 | £99,015 | £16,435 | 4 | £509 |
| Grade 3 | £68,037 | £68,982 | £945 | 4 | -£87 |
| Grade 4 | £54,909 | £56,208 | £1,299 | 3 | -£51 |
| Grade 5 | £46,507 | £50,256 | £3,749 | 8 | £64 |
3.4.4. Any future Pay and Contract Reform would aim to reduce the gap between NCA and police pay. Whilst it is acknowledged that the Agency will not be able to match private sector pay, a considerable amount of work has been undertaken to ensure that wider benefits provide a comparable offer to candidates.
3.4.5. In terms of civil service comparators, NCA median salaries are higher at all grades except grade 6/AO. However, officers with skills which are marketable across the Civil Service are still attracted to take promotion in other departments for a further pay increase with similar levels of responsibility than at their previous grade. 64% of officers who leave for other civil service employers do so on promotion, with c.20% moving on double promotion or more. There are also issues with civil service roles that attract significant recruitment and retention payments, for example digital and commercial.
Table IV: NCA vs civil service salaries
| Grade (NCA / civil service) | NCA minima | NCA maxima | NCA median | Civil service minima | Civil service maxima | Civil service median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 / G6 | £78,847 | £96,384 | £81,437 | £59,003 | £112,585 | £73,358 |
| Grade 2 / G7 | £64,759 | £79,099 | £64,759 | £45,261 | £90,535 | £58,826 |
| Grade 3 / SEO | £53,232 | £65,169 | £53,232 | £35,074 | £67,850 | £45,072 |
| Grade 4 / HEO | £43,415 | £52,594 | £47,310 | £28,475 | £54,970 | £36,467 |
| Grade 5 / EO | £34,537 | £44,546 | £40,488 | £24,283 | £44,751 | £29,761 |
| Grade 6 / AO | £25,785 | £32,475 | £25,785 | £20,888 | £34,200 | £25,682 |
3.5. Recruitment and retention
3.5.1. Turnover is 6.96%[footnote 13] for NCA employees (as of August 2025), a reduction from 7.5% as reported in the previous year (as of December 2024). However, the Agency continues to experience significant turnover within both specialist roles and those that provide an enabling function. In some instances, RRAs are used to target roles which are hard to recruit to or have associated retention risks, but even with this additional remuneration the total turnover in some areas remains unsustainable. Additionally, the impact of the turnover rate on delivery is currently being masked by the productivity created through the use of overtime which makes up c.5% of the Agency’s pay bill, and all types of contingent labour and professional services which is 17%.
Table V: Turnover within teams in receipt of RRA
| Category (RRA Team) | Total turnover 2024-25[footnote 14] |
|---|---|
| DDaT - Enterprise Design Authority (EDAB) | 46.51% |
| Intelligence - Intelligence Collection - ICI | 28.09% |
| Corporate Business Services - Biometrics | 23.26% |
| Corporate Business Services - Commercial | 20.14% |
| Intelligence - UKPPS - Covert Finance | 13.79% |
| DDaT - Enterprise Services Specialist Operational Services (DF.Net & TIE) | 13.54% |
| Threat Leadership - NCCU - Technology | 13.40% |
| Intelligence - Tech Ops | 11.96% |
| Intelligence - UKPPS - Central Services | 11.24% |
| National Economic Crime Centre - UKFIU - DAML | 11.17% |
3.5.2. The current use of RRAs and contingent labour within the Agency is not sustainable. Although reliance on contingent labour is being reduced, the transition to fixed term appointments, usually of 12 months, is not a long-term solution.
3.5.3. The proportion of the non-consolidated budget required for RRAs under the current system impacts on other elements of performance related non-consolidated payments. The Agency’s non-consolidated pot is currently capped at 1% of the pay bill per year, compared to the Civil Service average of 2% (the highest being 6.8%), meaning limited scope for higher levels of payments.
3.5.4. Team productivity is naturally decreased through turnover and the time needed for recruitment and training of new employees. Due to the specialist nature of its workforce, the NCA’s recruitment and enhanced vetting processes can take up to 12 months, with the average time to hire being 10 months. This includes eight weeks in recruitment and selection, 22 weeks in vetting and pre-employment checks and an eight week notice period. Posting candidates from reserve lists can reduce this time by up to nine weeks. It can take up to two years for officers to be recruited and become proficient in the role, when combined with the time required to develop NCA specific skills. Despite improvements to the recruitment process, with the completion of a range of assessments in one day, the essential requirement for rigorous vetting means there is still a lengthy lead in time.
3.5.5. In light of the specialist skills required for a number of a roles, this level of turnover represents a significant loss and is, in part, the reason for the use of contingent labour in backfilling some vacancies. Areas with a higher than average turnover rate also have the largest contingent labour spend (Corporate Business Services; Digital, Data and Technology; and Transformation).
3.5.6. The table below details contingent labour and turnover by command during 2024-25. In 2025-26, the Agency is reducing its reliance on contingent labour with savings of £3m projected. This will increase FTE as the Agency employs permanent and fixed-term contract officers at lower cost to deliver the work.
Table VI: Contingent labour spend vs turnover by command
| Command | Contingent labour spend in 2024/25 (£m) | Contingent labour spend as percentage of total | Turnover during 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Transformation Directorate | 3.23 | 17.89% | 15.04% |
| NCA Threat Leadership | 1.1 | 6.09% | 11.46% |
| NCA Strategy | 0.56 | 3.10% | 10.54% |
| NCA Corporate Business Services | 3.67 | 20.33% | 9.03% |
| NCA Human Resources | 0.47 | 2.60% | 8.82% |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | 3.57 | 19.78% | 7.40% |
| NCA Investigations | 2.31 | 12.80% | 6.33% |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | 0.51 | 2.83% | 5.76% |
| NCA Intelligence | 2.45 | 13.57% | 5.73% |
| NCA Legal | 0.04 | 0.22% | 4.85% |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | 0.14 | 0.78% | 4.04% |
| Total | 18.05 | 100.00% | 6.96% |
3.6. Market comparators
3.6.1. Over the past 12 months the wider market has continued to be monitored for specialist roles across the Civil Service and local government. One key specialist role is social workers, with the NCA offer considerably weaker than that of local government: the latter offer higher base salaries as well as pay progression, market supplements of 10-15% and welcome bonuses of £4k[footnote 15]. Social workers in local government also receive relocation expenses, which puts their total offer at £61k for a new starter compared to the NCA offer of up to £47k. This has resulted in the need to use contingent labour to fill vacancies within child protection teams, with the costs being upwards of £80k for each officer per annum. In addition, there is evidence of an increase in departments offering specialist allowances to the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) specialism, with up to £15k RRAs for some roles.
3.7. NCA leavers
3.7.1. During 2023 the NCA redesigned its exit questionnaire[footnote 16], the aim being to streamline in order to improve response rates and provide more valuable data. This was launched in February 2024 therefore the below tables cover the period from February 2024 to the end of August 2025.
3.7.2. The leaving factors are in order of how they contributed to the officer choosing to leave, with a score of five indicating a strong impact and a score of zero meaning it didn’t have an impact at all.
3.7.3. Table VII shows the top ten leaving factors for officers. Key factors cover promotion, pay and new opportunities which tend to be linked.
Table VII: Top 10 Leaving factors
| Leaving factor | Likert Scale (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| Career development/promotion | 2.52 |
| To gain new opportunities or experiences | 2.42 |
| Leadership | 2.31 |
| Technology | 2.26 |
| Work life balance/workload | 1.84 |
| To seek different working conditions | 1.83 |
| Pay and benefits | 1.82 |
| Workplace stress | 1.66 |
| NCA values not adhered to | 1.63 |
| Retirement | 1.47 |
3.7.4. Table VIII shows the score for pay and benefits on the Likert Scale between 2021 and 2025, which indicates that this element is decreasing in importance for leavers.
Table VIII: Pay and benefits score since 2021
| Year | Likert Scale (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2.92 |
| 2022 | 2.6 |
| 2023 | 2.5 |
| 2024 | 2.1 |
| 2025 | 1.82 |
3.7.5. Table IX[footnote 17] shows the top ten reasons for joining a new organisation. Excitement of a new role ranks first, with pay and benefits and learning and development opportunities in joint second followed by promotion prospects.
Table IX: Top ten reasons for joining a new organisation
| What attracted you to that organisation? | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| The role/responsibilities | 12.21% |
| Pay and wider benefits | 10.43% |
| Learning and development opportunities | 10.43% |
| Promotion prospects | 8.91% |
| Feeling valued/recognition | 8.27% |
| Equipment or tools (e.g. technology) | 7.89% |
| Location | 7.25% |
| Working arrangements (e.g. flexible working, work life balance) | 6.74% |
| Organisational culture | 6.49% |
| Reputation of organisation | 5.47% |
3.8. Location allowances
3.8.1. As per section 2.5, two location allowances are paid to NCA officers: the London Weighting Allowance (LWA) and the South East Allowance (SEA). As of 1 August 2025, the LWA is £4,218pa and the SEA is £3,375pa. In comparison to powered officers, the Metropolitan Police Service pays both pensionable and non-pensionable London Allowances that total c.£10,000pa[footnote 18], in addition to free Transport for London (TfL) services. Table 85 in Annex A provides a breakdown of the NCA allowances in comparison with those offered by both the Metropolitan Police Service and the wider Civil Service.
3.8.2. In order to address misunderstanding about the function and purpose of the South East Allowance an alternative name is being explored.
3.9. Building capability
3.9.1. The NCA builds capability through recruitment and development, supporting career progression by offering a wide range of learning and development tools and continues to improve its internal training and development programmes, which enable officers to join at a more junior level and progress through the grades. This mitigates some of the impact caused by both retirement and recruitment delays.
3.9.2. The NCA continues to offer the Officer Development Programme (ODP), providing officers with the opportunity to achieve accreditation in various disciplines in either the Intelligence or Investigations profession. Both internal and external campaigns have been run, in order to attract external talent and develop those already within the Agency. The first four months of the programme are the same for all officers, providing a base level knowledge in key areas and an understanding of how each discipline fits into a serious and complex investigation. At the end of the four months, officers are assessed and undertake specific training relating to their role. A nationally recognised qualification is achieved on successful completion.
3.9.3. As of November 2025, c.560 officers have completed the Management Development Programme (MDP), a flagship development programme for officers at grades 1 to 5 with line management responsibilities. The programme has undergone further enhancement and relaunched as the Leadership and Management Development Programme (LMDP) in September 2025, with c.250 officers enrolled. The aim is to provide learners with the fundamentals of line management underpinned with the NCA Code, behaviours, values and NCA policies and processes. The 12-month programme is delivered through a blended solution, encompassing online modules consolidated through a number of practical workshops. Each workshop includes NCA casework examples, worked through in a practical and safe role play environment where consideration to NCA policy and operating policies apply. In addition, all new starters attend the NCA Onboarding programme, which includes a session on management and leadership expectations.
3.9.4. The new Operational Supervisor Manager Development Programme (OSMDP) launched in August 2025, providing new and existing grade 3 and 4 operational practitioners with high-quality leadership and management training. Building on the MDP, the programme is designed to capture development requirements and support practitioners through operational pathways within the Intelligence, Analyst and Investigator professions, while also embedding NCA values and contributing to the strategic objective of growing a highly skilled workforce.
3.10. Culture in the NCA
3.10.1. The NCA has continued to develop a culture where officers feel safe, respected and valued and to support their recruitment and retention. The importance of a diverse workforce and inclusive culture continues to be an agency priority, in line with priority four of the NCA Strategy. A workforce diverse in background, thought and experience is fundamental to the Agency’s ability to degrade the threat posed by serious and organised crime and arrive at creative solutions in doing so.
3.10.2. In recent years a range of initiatives have been implemented to improve culture and ways of working, including:
-
The new NCA’s Values, launched in May 2024, continue to be embedded into all aspects of agency activity. The values are:
-
Integrity – we do the right thing and act with courage – for our people and for the public we serve
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Agility – we are flexible and innovative to stay ahead of the threat
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Alliance – we embrace diversity, collaborating with teams and partners
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Excellence – we aspire to be world class in protecting the public from serious and organised crime
-
-
The TRiM (Trauma Risk Management) programme launched in June 2025 and will be running as a pilot across the Agency until March 2026. Trained practitioners offer structured peer support, wellbeing de-briefs, signposting to further help and provide guidance on general wellbeing. The nature of NCA work means officers are increasingly exposed to distressing content and challenging scenes, including extreme violence and abuse. TRiM provides a vital layer of support, helping colleagues feel cared for and empowered to take control of their mental wellbeing
-
Director Culture Spotlight Sessions commenced in July 2025 as a series of 90-minute events, with two held each quarter and each session being focused upon two commands at one time. The sessions are designed to foster leadership, accountability and transparency; provide an opportunity to share challenges, best practice and positive outcomes; promote diversity and innovation of ideas in addressing cultural challenges across commands; create a safe space for shared learning; take positive action to implement change and improve culture; communicate success stories and align on diversity strategy
-
The counter-Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) programme was announced in September 2025, a programme of activity which sets out to address and remove violence, misogyny and sexism, where it exists, from NCA culture. A dedicated team will be driving forward a Strategic Action Plan designed to: prepare the NCA to effectively respond to and reduce incidents; prevent, wherever possible, this behaviour from occurring and protect any officers subjected to it
-
The continued rollout of the Allyship programme, to equip and encourage officers to actively support and stand up for others, especially those from non-dominant groups
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Expanding the Green Dot Volunteer Network, removing barriers to help drive a respectful and inclusive working environment for all and with a commitment to creating safe spaces in the workplace. Green Dot is an approach to giving and receiving feedback about inappropriate behaviour and every day ‘isms’ in a way that fosters the culture of respect, openness, and psychological safety
-
Stay interviews to understand what the Agency may be able to offer to retain officers intending to leave, particularly those in highly skilled and hard to fill roles
-
The Reward Voucher Scheme to recognise positive contributions and behaviours was reviewed and in April 2025 the cap on the number of £25 vouchers an officer may receive per year was lifted from three to five vouchers. This subsequently increased to ten per year in December for the remainder of the 2025-26 financial year
-
The Honorarium Scheme was restarted after a year-long pause due to limited funding. It has four payment levels: £250, £500, £750 and £1,000. Additional arrangements have been developed to reward significant efficiency savings. The payments recognise the level of contribution to which the reward relates, regardless of grade
-
In addition to the activities set out in the 2025 evidence, the Agency has continued to explore new benefits for implementation to enhance the employee offer. Following a successful trial, the HR Pay and Reward team are supporting an initiative to provide free period products at NCA sites on an ongoing basis.
3.10.3. Work is ongoing in relation to:
-
The latest Gender Pay Gap figures, published in July 2025, showed the mean as 7.60% (a decrease from 11.17% in 2024) and the median as 8.10% (a decrease from 8.66% in 2024). Further analysis is underway and will be included in the annual Gender Pay Gap report due to be published by the end of March 2026
-
The first, internal Ethnicity Pay Gap report was published in March 2025. In October 2025 the Government published civil service diversity statistics including the Ethnicity Pay Gap[footnote 19]. The figures for the NCA are 7.43% for the mean and 3.06% for the median. The latest civil service statistics also include analysis between the individual ethnicities. Information on the Disability Pay Gap was also published but, due to falling beneath the minimum declaration level of 60%, the Agency figures have not been published
-
Development of a new anti-bullying strategy to address bullying, harassment and discrimination (BHD) across the NCA and reduce workplace conflict.
Chapter 4: Pay proposition for the NCA for 2026-27
4. The case for NCA officers (both powered and non-powered) to receive a pay award cognisant of the police pay award for 2026-27.
4.1.1. As referenced in section 3.5.1 (Table II), NCA pay is behind police pay at every grade, with the difference exacerbated by police pay progression. Contractual pay progression is available to other public sector law enforcement and intelligence agencies in addition to annual pay uplifts. This includes:
-
Police
-
Police staff
-
British Transport Police
-
UK Intelligence Community (UKIC)
-
MoD Police
-
Civil Nuclear Constabulary.
4.1.2. The lack of NCA pay progression means that 71% of officers on standard pay ranges are at the minima and 78% are in the lowest quartile. The inverse is true of the police, where c.12% of all officers are on the minimum and able to quickly progress to the maximum.
4.1.3. Spot rate pay is allocated to many operational roles where officers receive slightly higher pay coupled with a longer working week than those on standard pay arrangements. However, the spot rates are all significantly below the average pay for roles at the same grade in the police. Table X highlights the difference between NCA spot rates and median police pay:
Table X: NCA Median Spot Rate vs Police Median Pay
| NCA grade | NCA median | Police median | ifference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | £91,735 | £115,785 | £24,050 |
| Grade 2 | £79,568 | £92,955 | £13,387 |
| Grade 3 | £55,575 | £67,237 | £11,662 |
| Grade 4 | £53,493 | £56,209 | £2,716 |
| Grade 5 | £44,941 | £50,256 | £5,315 |
4.1.4. The shortfall in pay against policing results in significant difficulties in recruiting serving police officers. Working age police officers who join would take very significant pay cuts from the lack of pay progression. Police pay ranges are relatively short and officers are aware they would reach grade maxima in a short period of time (between three and six years) by remaining in force.
4.1.5. There are also difficulties with retaining officers either with technical skills or that work in specialist enabling functions. Many NCA officers who work in technical roles or specialist enabling functions are highly marketable in the Civil Service, UK Intelligence Community and private sector. Additionally, civil service employers do not have to maintain a link between their grading levels and those in the police, and as such have more flexibility to offer roles at a higher grade. The average percentage pay uplift that NCA officers receive on promotion to other civil service employers is 14%. This is above the standard 10% uplift on promotion indicating that, in some instances, officers are securing promotions of multiple grades. A review of promotions from NCA to the wider Civil Service shows that 79% of promotions are of a single grade, 19% are a promotion of two grades, and 2% a promotion by three grades. The pay uplift figure increases when looking at specialisms, with DDaT and Legal specialists receiving 22% and 25% uplifts respectively.
4.1.6. Expensive solutions are required to mitigate the difficulties caused by current pay arrangements, a proportion of which are a consequence of recruitment and retention challenges. These solutions include the use of contingent labour and professional services, which cost the Agency approximately £18.1m and £57m respectively in 2024/25. The most common rationale given by business areas to use contingent labour is because recruitment campaigns have failed and critical roles need to be filled.
4.1.7. The NCA is central to the delivery of government priorities, which includes tackling organised immigration crime and in particular investigations into facilitators and equipment suppliers linked to small boat crossings. This requires additional officers in those operational roles. Recommendation 1 will enable the enhanced delivery of priorities.
4.1.8. RECOMMENDATION 1: NCA officers (both powered and non-powered) should receive a pay award cognisant of the police pay award for 2026-27. This is necessary, in part, to improve the shortfall in officer pay at each grade compared to policing colleagues, due to the lack of pay progression in the NCA. The International Liaison Officer Allowance and Diplomatic Compensation Allowance should also be uplifted by the same percentage.
Table XI: Uplift to NCA pay minima and maxima
| NCA grade | NCA minimum | NCA maximum | Pay range length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | £82,317 | £100,625 | 22% |
| Grade 2 | £67,609 | £82,580 | 22% |
| Grade 3 | £55,575 | £68,037 | 22% |
| Grade 4 | £45,326 | £54,909 | 21% |
| Grade 5 | £36,057 | £46,507 | 29% |
| Grade 6 | £26,920 | £33,904 | 26% |
4.1.9. RECOMMENDATION 2: That the NCA’s location allowances are increased by a higher level than pay, to reduce the gap with the location payments offered to police and particularly the Metropolitan Police Service.
4.1.10. In previous years NCARRB have recommended the Agency increase its basic pay and location allowances by the same percentage. The cost of increasing basic pay and location allowances by 1% next year is £4.34m, which includes Employer’s National Insurance (NI) and pension contributions.
4.2. Funding in 2025/26
4.2.1. In the financial year 2025-26, the NCA budgeted for a 2.9% pay award effective from 01 August 2025.
4.2.2. This budget comprised £7.7m VOTE and a further £2.3m externally funded. The total cost being c.£10m for 2025-26. The pay award of 4.4% was considered necessary to attract, recruit and retain staff to maintain operational effectiveness. Cost reduction measures are being implemented to meet higher pay costs and inflation. The measures include efficiency targets which have been included in director budgets in order to fund the NCA’s priorities, as approved and incorporated in the annual business plan.
4.3. Affordability
4.3.1. The recommendations for change to pay this year (and longer term) must be affordable and sustainable for the future. The NCA has budgeted for a 2.5% pay award effective from 1 August 2026.
4.3.2. The economic and NCA financial landscape for 2026-27 is set out earlier in this chapter and builds on the challenging position following recent pay awards.
4.3.3. The pay award should be considered in the context of the NCA’s productivity, efficiency improvements and the affordability of any proposals within the Agency’s existing budget constraints, noting the particularly challenging fiscal environment.
4.3.4. The accumulated impact of accommodating high inflation in previous and future years represents budgetary pressure which the Agency will have to manage. Increased prioritisation of activities will be required in order to balance long term affordability and sustainability with necessary tech investment in order to achieve productivity gains and ensure operational priorities are fulfilled.
4.4. Pensions
4.4.1. The NCA contributes 28.97% towards officers being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme. The pension scheme arrangements provide financial security and options for officers on retirement, along with benefits for family members and loved ones. These include tax relief on contributions, options to increase pensions, life insurance cover and the option of a tax-free lump sum when retiring. The scheme is very generous in comparison with the private sector and may provide an incentive for their recruitment. Active membership of the police pension scheme immediately prior to joining the NCA can continue throughout employment.
4.5. International allowances
4.5.1. Recommendation three of the eleventh NCARRB report, published in July 2025, requested that the NCA review the allowances of International Liaison Officers to potentially enable recruitment from a more diverse pool of officers.
4.5.2. The intention remains for the review of the International Liaison Officer (ILO) allowance to be taken forward through the Pay and Contract Reform (PaCR) process. The Agency have accepted the recommendation and will complete this in the near future, once the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have concluded their review of the Government International Service overseas pay arrangements.
4.6. Shift allowance
4.6.1. Following the NCARRB’s support, the Agency worked with the three recognised trade unions NCOA, PCS and FDA to negotiate and implement changes to shift pay and arrangements effective as of 7 October 2025.
Until these negotiations concluded the Agency only had formal pay arrangements for 24/7 shift working. The new arrangements uplift the payment for 24/7 working (Tier 1) from 20% to 30% pa, introduce a contractual on-call requirement and rosters may have two or three shifts to cover the 24-hour period. An additional level of 20% shift pay and arrangements (Tier 2) has also been agreed for 365-day rosters which must include a number of elements such as rostered on-call, early and late shifts at specific times and working a minimum of one weekend in four.
Chapter 5: The NCA’s long term plan for reform of its pay and employment framework
5. Reform of the pay and employment framework
5.1.1. The NCA’s workforce is critical to its success; however, the underlying governance structures have not been reviewed since the Agency’s formation in 2013. This has resulted in inconsistencies in how pay and workforce matters are controlled, as the NCA is covered by both the annual Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance and the NCARRB.
5.1.2. Recent NCARRB reports have referenced the need for the NCA to submit a case for multi-year transformational reform. This is required in order to address the workforce and pay issues that have previously been highlighted. The NCA recognises the need for reform and shares the NCARRB’s desire to address this in order to resolve the following challenges:
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Difficulties with recruitment and retention in ‘hard to fill’ roles. The NCA has difficulties in recruiting working age police officers for operational roles and retaining officers in enabling functions and technical roles against the wider Civil Service
-
Pay continuing to be a significant factor in industrial relations and associated with lower levels of employee motivation and engagement
-
Legal risks associated with equal pay claims (which are estimated to be a risk of over £338 million including employer pension and National Insurance contributions)
-
A lack of workforce agility and subsequent movement between roles
-
A misalignment between NCA pay and that of comparable roles in policing and UKIC.
5.1.3. The NCA has developed a pay flexibility case which could take effect from 2026-27, however, this will be adjusted in light of the Policing White Paper and considered by HMT in the coming months. If the proposals are approved by central government, the intention will be to implement the reforms via collective agreement. This is because the changes and savings will be reliant on contractual reform and, where reform to terms and conditions such as overtime, on-call payments or hours worked are proposed, will need to be agreed via a negotiated outcome. As a result, the NCA will need to secure a majority agreement on the reforms via collective bargaining.
Annex A: Supporting data
1. The NCA Workforce at 31st August 2025
1.1. The Workforce
1.1.1 At 31 August 2025, the NCA had a workforce of 6,215 officers comprising a mixture of directly employed officers, seconded officers, fixed term employees and contingent labour. Their collective skills and diversity of experience are crucial to operational success.
Table 1: Workforce employment status[footnote 20]
| Workforce by employment status | Headcount |
|---|---|
| Agency Staff | Not applicable |
| Attached Staff | 59 |
| Career Break | 45 |
| Commercial Contractor (Contingent Labour) | 80 |
| External Staff Loaned In (Costing) | Not applicable |
| External Staff Loaned In (Not Costing) | Not applicable |
| Fixed Term Contract | 68 |
| NCA Staff Loaned Out | 20 |
| Outsourced Contractor (Professional Fees) | 45 |
| Perm Staff Attached Out | Not applicable |
| Perm Staff Seconded Out | Not applicable |
| Permanent Staff | 5783 |
| Seconded Officer Costing | 87 |
| Seconded Officer Non-Costing | Not applicable |
| Student Placement | Not applicable |
| Grand Total | 6215 |
Table 2: Workforce by grade
| Workforce by grade | Headcount |
|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | 151 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 469 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 1086 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 1821 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 2497 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 191 |
| Grand Total | 6215 |
Table 3: Workforce by Command
| Workforce by command | Headcount |
|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | 231 |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | 309 |
| NCA Human Resources | 330 |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | 226 |
| NCA Intelligence | 2161 |
| NCA Investigations | 1676 |
| NCA Legal | 70 |
| NCA Margin | 37 |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | 343 |
| NCA Strategy | 257 |
| NCA Threat Leadership | 451 |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | 124 |
| Grand Total | 6215 |
1.1.2 The majority of the workforce sits within the primarily operational functions of Intelligence and Investigations, with the highest number of officers at grades 4 and 5.
1.1.3 The NCA is tackling increasingly complex operational demands which requires national and international multi-agency and whole system collaboration. Grade 1 and 2 officers are a key hinge between the strategic and tactical and are an important outward facing layer of the Agency. They also ensure people and functions are effectively led, maintaining appropriate spans of control to support oversight, communication and management. This change to the workforce composition has been necessary to ensure there is the depth of leadership experience to meet operational goals effectively.
1.2. Current spot rate and standard pay range frameworks
Table 4: NCA spot rate framework
| Grade | SR1 -Developing | SR2 – Proficient/ Developing at G5 | SR3 – Proficient | SR4 - Expert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | £85,021 | £91,735 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Grade 2 | £73,767 | £79,568 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Grade 3 | £55,575 | £59,681 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Grade 4 | £49,392 | £53,493 | Not applicable | £55,629 |
| Grade 5 | £40,670 | £42,270 | £44,941 | £46,721 |
Table 5: NCA standard pay range framework
| Grade | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | £82,317 | £100,625 |
| Grade 2 | £67,609 | £82,580 |
| Grade 3 | £55,575 | £68,037 |
| Grade 4 | £45,326 | £54,909 |
| Grade 5 | £36,057 | £46,507 |
| Grade 6 | £26,920 | £33,904 |
1.3. NCA workforce – powers
1.3.1 Table 6 provides an overview of powered vs. non-powered officers. Most powered officers are in commands which are primarily operational, although there are some powered officers in enabling functions that are able to support operations where surge capacity is required.
Table 6: Powers by command[footnote 21]
| Workforce by command | Powers | No powers |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | ~ | 226 |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | 27 | 282 |
| NCA Human Resources | 63 | 267 |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | 59 | 167 |
| NCA Intelligence | 567 | 1594 |
| NCA Investigations | 1189 | 487 |
| NCA Legal | ~ | 70 |
| NCA Margin | ~ | 33 |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | 42 | 301 |
| NCA Strategy | 19 | 238 |
| NCA Threat Leadership | 133 | 318 |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | ~ | 116 |
| Grand Total | 2116 | 4099 |
Table 7: Powers by command by percentage
| Workforce by Command | Powers | No powers |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | 2.16% | 97.84% |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | 8.74% | 91.26% |
| NCA Human Resources | 19.09% | 80.91% |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | 26.11% | 73.89% |
| NCA Intelligence | 26.24% | 73.76% |
| NCA Investigations | 70.94% | 29.06% |
| NCA Legal | 0.00% | 100.00% |
| NCA Margin | 10.81% | 89.19% |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | 12.24% | 87.76% |
| NCA Strategy | 7.39% | 92.61% |
| NCA Threat Leadership | 29.49% | 70.51% |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | 6.45% | 93.55% |
| Grand Total | 34.05% | 65.95% |
1.3.2 Table 8 shows that the majority of powered roles are filled by officers at grades 4 and 5, which are more frontline facing roles.
Table 8: Powers by grade[footnote 22]
| Workforce by grade | Powers | No powers |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | 42 | 109 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 123 | 346 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 379 | 707 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 620 | 1201 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 948 | 1549 |
| NCA Grade 6 | Not applicable | 187 |
| Grand Total | 2116 | 4099 |
Table 9: Powers by working pattern
| Workforce by work pattern | Powers | No powers |
|---|---|---|
| Full Time | 31.05% | 58.13% |
| Part Time | 2.99% | 7.82% |
| Grand Total | 34.05% | 65.95% |
Table 10: Powers by gender
| Workforce by gender | Powers | No powers |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 11.36% | 35.91% |
| Male | 22.69% | 30.04% |
| Grand Total | 34.05% | 65.95% |
Table 11: Powers by role type
| Workforce by role type | Powers | No powers |
|---|---|---|
| Enabling Function | 1.97% | 25.75% |
| Operational | 32.90% | 39.39% |
| Grand Total | 34.86% | 65.14% |
2. Diversity data
2.1. Diversity
2.1.1 A diverse workforce enables a culture where different perspectives and knowledge are embraced, to innovatively combat newly emerging criminal threats.
2.1.2 Diversity within the Agency is improving and the NCA continues to embrace initiatives such as the NCA Operational Development Programme (ODP) to create opportunities for increased representation. This is being furthered through the Inclusion and Culture Strategy.
2.2. Overall workforce
Table 12: Workforce by Age
| Workforce by age band | Total |
|---|---|
| 16 - 19 | 0.02% |
| 20 - 29 | 12.10% |
| 30 - 39 | 27.13% |
| 40 - 49 | 24.73% |
| 50 - 59 | 26.28% |
| 60 - 64 | 7.90% |
| 65 & Over | 1.82% |
| Not declared | 0.03% |
| Grand total | 100.00% |
Table 13: Workforce by gender
| Workforce by gender | Total |
|---|---|
| Female | 47.27% |
| Male | 52.73% |
| Grand Total | 100.00% |
Table 14: Workforce by ethnicity
| Workforce by ethnicity | Total |
|---|---|
| Ethnic Minority | 14.77% |
| Not Declared | 8.16% |
| Prefer not to say | 3.64% |
| White - British | 73.44% |
| Grand Total | 100.00% |
Table 15: Workforce by religion/faith
| Workforce by religion/faith | Total |
|---|---|
| Agnostic | 0.05% |
| Any other religion | 0.89% |
| Atheist | 0.22% |
| Buddhist | 0.31% |
| Catholic (NI Only) | 0.04% |
| Christian (inc CofE, Cath, Prot, other) | 40.50% |
| Church of England | 0.22% |
| Hindu | 1.43% |
| Humanist | 0.02% |
| Islam | 0.02% |
| Jewish | 0.27% |
| Muslim | 2.78% |
| No Religion | 45.34% |
| Pelagnism | 0.02% |
| Prefer not to say | 6.61% |
| Roman Catholic | 0.09% |
| Sikh | 1.20% |
| Grand Total | 100.00% |
Table 16: Workforce by disability declaration
| Workforce by disability declaration | Total |
|---|---|
| Disabled | 5.36% |
| Not Disabled | 25.81% |
| Not Declared | 68.13% |
| Grand Total | 100.00% |
Table 17: Workforce by sexual orientation
| Workforce by sexual orientation | Total |
|---|---|
| Heterosexual or Straight | 78.92% |
| LGB or Other | 4.84% |
| Not Declared | 9.77% |
| Prefer not to say | 6.47% |
| Grand Total | 100.00% |
2.3. Commands
2.3.1 Proportionately, fewer officers work part time hours in commands that are primarily operational. The data also shows that female representation is higher within Enabling Capabilities commands.
Table 18: Workforce by working pattern[footnote 23]
| Workforce by command - working pattern | Full time | Part time |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | 200 | 31 |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | 279 | 30 |
| NCA Human Resources | 274 | 56 |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | 201 | 25 |
| NCA Intelligence | 1941 | 220 |
| NCA Investigations | 1494 | 182 |
| NCA Legal | 64 | ~ |
| NCA Margin | 31 | ~ |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | 307 | 36 |
| NCA Strategy | 229 | 28 |
| NCA Threat Leadership | 413 | 38 |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | 110 | 14 |
| Grand Total | 5543 | 672 |
Table 19: Workforce by gender
| Workforce by command - gender | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | 133 | 98 |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | 142 | 167 |
| NCA Human Resources | 212 | 118 |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | 112 | 114 |
| NCA Intelligence | 1005 | 1156 |
| NCA Investigations | 676 | 1000 |
| NCA Legal | 49 | 21 |
| NCA Margin | 17 | 20 |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | 184 | 159 |
| NCA Strategy | 144 | 113 |
| NCA Threat Leadership | 203 | 248 |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | 61 | 63 |
| Grand Total | 2938 | 3277 |
2.3.2 Table 20 shows the split between operational and enabling function type roles by command. This highlights that, even though Intelligence and Investigations are primarily operational commands they are both supported by enabling function type roles – with between 3.09-3.15% of the NCA workforce in each command.
Table 20: Workforce by role type
| Workforce by command - role type | Enabling functions | Operational | Grand total |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | 3.72% | 0.00% | 3.72% |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | 3.96% | 1.01% | 4.97% |
| NCA Human Resources | 4.26% | 1.05% | 5.31% |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | 1.91% | 1.72% | 3.64% |
| NCA Intelligence | 3.09% | 31.68% | 34.77% |
| NCA Investigations | 3.15% | 23.81% | 26.97% |
| NCA Legal | 1.13% | 0.00% | 1.13% |
| NCA Margin | 0.35% | 0.24% | 0.60% |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | 1.30% | 4.22% | 5.52% |
| NCA Strategy | 2.61% | 1.53% | 4.14% |
| NCA Threat Leadership | 2.20% | 5.05% | 7.26% |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | 1.85% | 0.14% | 2.00% |
| Grand Total | 29.54% | 70.46% | 100.00% |
Table 21: Workforce by gender and role type
| Workforce by gender - role type | Enabling functions | Operational |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 17.99% | 29.28% |
| Male | 11.55% | 41.17% |
| Grand Total | 29.54% | 70.46% |
Table 22: Workforce by command, gender and role type
| Workforce by command, gender and role type | Gender | Enabling function | Operational |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | Female | 2.14% | 0.00% |
| NCA Corporate Business Services | Male | 1.58% | 0.00% |
| NCA Corporate Business Services Total | 3.72% | 0.00% | |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | Female | 1.82% | 0.47% |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | Male | 2.14% | 0.55% |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology Total | 3.96% | 1.01% | |
| NCA Human Resources | Female | 2.80% | 0.61% |
| NCA Human Resources | Male | 1.46% | 0.43% |
| NCA Human Resources Total | 4.26% | 1.05% | |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | Female | 1.11% | 0.69% |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | Male | 0.80% | 1.03% |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security Total | 1.91% | 1.72% | |
| NCA Intelligence | Female | 2.08% | 14.09% |
| NCA Intelligence | Male | 1.01% | 17.59% |
| NCA Intelligence Total | 3.09% | 31.68% | |
| NCA Investigations | Female | 2.33% | 8.54% |
| NCA Investigations | Male | 0.82% | 15.27% |
| NCA Investigations Total | 3.15% | 23.81% | |
| NCA Legal | Female | 0.79% | 0.00% |
| NCA Legal | Male | 0.34% | 0.00% |
| NCA Legal Total | 1.13% | 0.00% | |
| NCA Margin | Female | 0.26% | 0.02% |
| NCA Margin | Male | 0.10% | 0.23% |
| NCA Margin Total | 0.35% | 0.24% | |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | Female | 0.85% | 2.11% |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | Male | 0.45% | 2.11% |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre Total | 1.30% | 4.22% | |
| NCA Strategy | Female | 1.67% | 0.64% |
| NCA Strategy | Male | 0.93% | 0.88% |
| NCA Strategy Total | 2.61% | 1.53% | |
| NCA Threat Leadership | Female | 1.26% | 2.01% |
| NCA Threat Leadership | Male | 0.95% | 3.04% |
| NCA Threat Leadership Total | 2.20% | 5.05% | |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | Female | 0.88% | 0.10% |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | Male | 0.97% | 0.05% |
| NCA Transformation Directorate Total | 1.85% | 0.14% | |
| Grand Total | 29.54% | 70.46% |
2.4. NCA grades
2.4.1 The data shows that 10.81% of the workforce are part time with grades 3, 4 and 5 having higher ratios, of which the highest ratio is at grade 5.
Table 23: Grade by working pattern
| Workforce by grade | Full time | Part time | Grand total |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | 2.30% | 0.13% | 2.43% |
| NCA Grade 2 | 7.08% | 0.47% | 7.55% |
| NCA Grade 3 | 15.99% | 1.48% | 17.47% |
| NCA Grade 4 | 26.11% | 3.19% | 29.30% |
| NCA Grade 5 | 35.45% | 4.73% | 40.18% |
| NCA Grade 6 | 2.25% | 0.82% | 3.07% |
| Grand Total | 89.19% | 10.81% | 100.00% |
2.4.2 Table 24 shows that there is a higher proportion of females to males at grades 5 and 6. From grade 4 the difference shows a higher ratio of males to females, with males more likely to be in a senior role at grade 1.
Table 24: Grade by gender
| Workforce by grade | Female | Male | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | 54 | 97 | 151 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 195 | 274 | 469 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 450 | 636 | 1086 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 806 | 1015 | 1821 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 1320 | 1177 | 2497 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 113 | 78 | 191 |
| Grand Total | 2938 | 3277 | 6215 |
2.5. Spot rate eligibility
2.5.1 Upon the introduction of spot rates, officers were able to voluntarily opt into the framework. This means that a proportion of the workforce (4.30%) are in spot rate posts, whilst remaining on the Standard Pay Framework. Those eligible for spot rate have reduced by 1.07% since last year. These officers are eligible to opt into spot rate terms at any time. The following data tables detail officers eligible to opt in to spot rate as of August 2025.
2.5.2 The data in tables 25-31 is based on NCA employees on NCA Terms & Conditions.
Table 25: SR Eligibility by gender
| Eligibility by gender | Spot rated officers | Eligible for spot rate | Standard pay range | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 15.95% | 1.59% | 29.73% | 47.27% |
| Male | 22.25% | 2.70% | 27.77% | 52.73% |
| Grand Total | 38.20% | 4.30% | 57.51% | 100.00% |
2.5.3 The highest percentage of officers eligible to opt into spot rates are in the higher age brackets, with 50-59-year olds at 1.83%, 60-64-year olds at 0.92% and 40-49-year olds at 0.85%.
Table 26: SR eligibility by age
| Age banding | Spot rate officers | Eligible for spot rate | Standard pay range | Grand total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 - 19 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| 20 - 29 | 4.63% | 0.18% | 7.29% | 12.10% |
| 30 - 39 | 12.84% | 0.19% | 14.09% | 27.13% |
| 40 - 49 | 8.54% | 0.85% | 15.33% | 24.73% |
| 50 - 59 | 8.98% | 1.83% | 15.46% | 26.28% |
| 60 - 64 | 2.75% | 0.92% | 4.23% | 7.90% |
| 65 & Over | 0.45% | 0.32% | 1.05% | 1.82% |
| Not Declared | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Grand Total | 38.20% | 4.30% | 57.51% | 100.00% |
Table 27: SR Eligibility by grade
| Eligibility by grade | Spot rate officers | Eligible for spot rate | Standard pay range | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | 1.01% | 0.03% | 1.38% | 2.43% |
| NCA Grade 2 | 2.88% | 0.11% | 4.55% | 7.55% |
| NCA Grade 3 | 0.21% | 0.27% | 16.99% | 17.47% |
| NCA Grade 4 | 12.47% | 1.21% | 15.62% | 29.30% |
| NCA Grade 5 | 21.63% | 2.67% | 15.88% | 40.18% |
| NCA Grade 6 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3.07% | 3.07% |
| Grand Total | 38.20% | 4.30% | 57.51% | 100.00% |
Table 28: SR Eligibility by religion/faith
| Eligibility by Religion/ faith | Spot rated officers | Eligible for spot rate | Standard pay range | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agnostic | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.05% |
| Any other religion | 0.27% | 0.03% | 0.48% | 0.79% |
| Atheist | 0.05% | 0.02% | 0.13% | 0.19% |
| Buddhist | 0.10% | 0.00% | 0.18% | 0.27% |
| Catholic (NI Only) | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Christian (inc CofE, Cath, Prot, other) | 13.53% | 1.40% | 20.97% | 35.90% |
| Church of England | 0.06% | 0.05% | 0.08% | 0.19% |
| Hindu | 0.18% | 0.06% | 1.03% | 1.27% |
| Humanist | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Islam | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Jewish | 0.06% | 0.02% | 0.16% | 0.24% |
| Muslim | 0.50% | 0.11% | 1.85% | 2.46% |
| No Religion | 17.36% | 1.03% | 21.80% | 40.19% |
| Pelagnism | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Prefer not to say | 2.33% | 0.37% | 3.15% | 5.86% |
| Roman Catholic | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.06% | 0.08% |
| Sikh | 0.31% | 0.02% | 0.74% | 1.06% |
| Not Declared | 3.40% | 1.19% | 6.77% | 11.36% |
| Grand Total | 38.20% | 4.30% | 57.51% | 100.00% |
2.5.4 When looking at the ethnicity of the workforce population, it shows that officers who identify as White are the highest percentage of officers eligible to opt into spot rate (2.93%).
Table 29: SR by ethnicity
| Eligibility by ethnicity | Spot rated officers | Eligible for spot rate | Standard pay range | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnic Minority | 4.07% | 0.43% | 10.27% | 14.77% |
| Not Declared | 2.59% | 0.71% | 4.86% | 8.16% |
| Prefer not to say | 1.53% | 0.23% | 1.88% | 3.64% |
| White - British | 30.01% | 2.93% | 40.50% | 73.44% |
| Grand Total | 38.20% | 4.30% | 57.51% | 100.00% |
Table 30: SR by disability declaration
| Eligibility by disability declaration | Spot rated officers | Eligible for spot rate | Standard pay range | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disabled | 1.69% | 0.26% | 3.41% | 5.36% |
| Not Declared | 26.79% | 2.56% | 38.78% | 68.13% |
| Not Disabled | 9.41% | 1.48% | 14.92% | 25.81% |
| Grand Total | 38.20% | 4.30% | 57.51% | 100.00% |
Table 31: SR eligibility by sexual orientation
| Eligibility by sexual orientation | Spot rated officers | Eligible for spot rate | Standard pay range | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heterosexual/Straight | 30.51% | 2.88% | 45.53% | 78.92% |
| LGB | 1.96% | 0.14% | 2.74% | 4.84% |
| Not Declared | 3.02% | 0.95% | 5.79% | 9.77% |
| Prefer not to say | 2.70% | 0.32% | 3.44% | 6.47% |
| Grand Total | 38.20% | 4.30% | 57.51% | 100.00% |
2.6. Terms and conditions
2.6.1 One officer currently remains on pre-cursor terms and conditions.
2.6.2 The majority of the workforce (just over 60%) remain on the standard pay range. Just under 40% of the workforce are on spot rates.
Table 32: T&Cs by gender
| T&Cs by gender | Female | Male | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Pay Range | 31.19% | 28.83% | 60.02% |
| Spot Rate | 16.69% | 23.29% | 39.98% |
| Grand Total | 47.88% | 52.12% | 100.00% |
Table 33: T&Cs by working pattern
| T&Cs by working pattern | 5 day working | Flexible working | Shift working | Grand total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Pay Range | 45.28% | 13.99% | 0.74% | 60.02% |
| Spot Rate | 34.64% | 5.19% | 0.15% | 39.98% |
| Grand Total | 79.93% | 19.18% | 0.89% | 100.00% |
Table 34: T&Cs by working hours
| T&Cs by working hours | Full time | Part time | Grand total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Pay Range | 52.21% | 7.81% | 60.02% |
| Spot Rate | 36.65% | 3.33% | 39.98% |
| Grand Total | 88.85% | 11.15% | 100.00% |
2.6.3 A higher proportion of officers on the spot rate pay structure tend to hold powers.
Table 35: T&Cs by powers
| T&Cs by powers | No powers | Powers | Grand total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Pay Range | 46.87% | 13.15% | 60.02% |
| Spot Rate | 17.63% | 22.35% | 39.98% |
| Grand Total | 64.50% | 35.50% | 100.00% |
Table 36: T&C’s by age group
| T&Cs by age band | Standard pay range | Spot rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 - 19 | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.02% |
| 20 - 29 | 7.09% | 4.85% | 11.94% |
| 30 - 39 | 13.99% | 13.44% | 27.43% |
| 40 - 49 | 15.54% | 8.94% | 24.49% |
| 50 - 59 | 16.98% | 9.40% | 26.37% |
| 60 - 64 | 5.10% | 2.88% | 7.98% |
| 65 & Over | 1.30% | 0.47% | 1.77% |
| Grand Total | 60.02% | 39.98% | 100.00% |
Table 37: T&Cs by ethnicity
| T&Cs by ethnicity | Ethnic minority | Not declared | Prefer not to say | White - British | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Pay Range | 10.58% | 4.02% | 1.99% | 43.43% | 60.02% |
| Spot Rate | 4.26% | 2.71% | 1.60% | 31.41% | 39.98% |
| Grand Total | 14.84% | 6.74% | 3.59% | 74.84% | 100.00% |
Table 38: T&Cs by disability declaration
| T&Cs by disability declaration | Disabled | Not declared | Not disabled | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Pay Range | 3.81% | 38.80% | 16.99% | 60.02% |
| Spot Rate | 1.77% | 28.04% | 9.85% | 39.98% |
| Grand Total | 5.57% | 66.84% | 26.84% | 100.00% |
Table 39: T&Cs by sexual orientation
| T&Cs by sexual orientation | Heterosexual or straight | LGB/Other | Not declared | Prefer not to say | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Pay Range | 48.32% | 2.88% | 5.22% | 3.60% | 60.02% |
| Spot Rate | 31.93% | 2.05% | 3.17% | 2.83% | 39.98% |
| Grand Total | 80.25% | 4.93% | 8.39% | 6.43% | 100.00% |
3. NCA Officer Development Programme (ODP)
3.1.1 The NCA ODP is a learning pathway for officers to gain accreditation in a specific discipline, either in the Intelligence or Investigations Profession. The cohort data below shows the number of officers undertaking the programme. The turnover for this group is low, and they represent the future operational workforce of the Agency.
Table 40: ODP cohorts
| Cohort | Start date | Officer intake | Number of leavers | Turnover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohort 1 | 2022 Intake | 23 | 2 | 9% |
| Cohort 2 | 2022 Intake | 16 | 1 | 6% |
| Cohort 3 | 2023 Intake | 16 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 4 | 2023 Intake | 16 | 4 | 25% |
| Cohort 5 | 2023 Intake | 14 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 6 | 2023 Intake | 20 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 7 | 2023 Intake | 14 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 8 | 2023 Intake | 11 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 9 | 2024 Intake | 16 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 10 | 2024 Intake | 13 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 11 | 2024 Intake | 15 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 12 | 2024 Intake | 31 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 13 | 2024 Intake | 37 | 1 | 3% |
| Cohort 14 | 2024 Intake | 19 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 15 | 2025 Intake | 14 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 16 | 2025 Intake | 25 | 0 | 0% |
| Cohort 17 | 2025 Intake | 24 | 1 | 4% |
| Cohort 18 | 2025 Intake | 26 | 0 | 0% |
| Grand Total | 350 | 9 | 3% |
4. NCA recruitment activity
4.1. Due to the Agency implementing a new online recruitment system in April, only recruitment/pipeline data up to the end of March 2025 can be included. It is hoped to be able to provide more detailed data in next year’s evidence.
4.2. Pipeline data
4.2.1 Table 41 shows the changes in recruitment activity from 2020-2025. The NCA pipeline is the number of candidates in the recruitment process, with the majority being on reserve lists or awaiting a posting. As noted in 4.1, only pipeline data for January to March 2025 can currently be provided.
Table 41: Number of candidates added to the NCA pipeline
| Month | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Number difference 2024 to 2025 | Percentage difference 2024 to 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 102 | 76 | 71 | 177 | 34 | -143 | -81% |
| February | 83 | 86 | 100 | 146 | 10 | -136 | -93% |
| March | 96 | 77 | 50 | 186 | 17 | -169 | -91% |
| April | 107 | 94 | 106 | 96 | |||
| May | 109 | 180 | 105 | 119 | |||
| June | 130 | 80 | 95 | 53 | |||
| July | 143 | 91 | 197 | 112 | |||
| August | 80 | 90 | 200 | 78 | |||
| September | 73 | 32 | 226 | 80 | |||
| October | 80 | 100 | 122 | 25 | |||
| November | 124 | 109 | 86 | 93 | |||
| December | 27 | 72 | 81 | 21 | |||
| Grand Total | 1154 | 1087 | 1439 | 1186 | 61 | -1125 | -95% |
4.3. Labour markets
4.3.1 Tables 42-44 show the labour markets from which the NCA recruits, which is broadly split between the Civil Service, police and private sector (although the private sector roles tend to be entry level roles – the service sector and administration). The data covers the period from 2023 to 2025.
Table 42: Percentage of candidates by sector
| NCA candidate source | Percentage total |
|---|---|
| Civil Service | 32.57% |
| Police | 25.66% |
| Private | 22.37% |
| Public Sector | 8.55% |
| Unemployed | 4.93% |
| Education | 4.28% |
| Charity | 1.32% |
| Unknown | 0.33% |
Table 43: Percentage of candidates for operational commands
| NCA candidate source | Percentage of candidates |
|---|---|
| Police | 33.33% |
| Civil Service | 25.25% |
| Private | 23.23% |
| Unemployed | 6.57% |
| Public Sector | 5.05% |
| Education | 4.55% |
| Charity | 1.52% |
| Unknown | 0.51% |
Table 44: Percentage of candidates for enabling capabilities
| NCA candidate source | Percentage of candidates |
|---|---|
| Civil Service | 46.23% |
| Private | 20.75% |
| Public Sector | 15.09% |
| Police | 11.32% |
| Education | 3.77% |
| Unemployed | 1.89% |
| Charity | 0.94% |
4.4. Operational pipeline
4.4.1 The recruitment for operational roles shows the challenges faced by the NCA. These roles are categorised by the following headings:
-
Firearms: Specialist roles within the Armed Operations Unit (AOU), which can receive the ‘Expert’ spot rate salary
-
Intelligence Officer/Analyst: Campaigns which fill vacancies across the NCA’s Intelligence command, as either an Intelligence Officer or within an Analyst team
-
Investigations Officer: Frontline roles investigating Serious and Organised Crime, which includes the arresting and interviewing of suspects
-
Specialist Investigations: Specialist Investigation teams include Social Workers, Financial Investigators and surveillance
-
Intelligence Officer/Analyst and Investigations Officer: Campaigns have improved considerably; however, specialist recruitment has become more challenging.
Table 45: Job offers by campaign
| Recruitment campaigns - offers | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Number difference 2024 to 2025 | Percentage difference 2024 to 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms | 2 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -100% |
| Intelligence Officer/Analyst | 0 | 29 | 44 | 193 | 8 | -185 | -96% |
| Investigations Officer | 9 | 75 | 113 | 107 | 23 | -84 | -79% |
| Specialist Intelligence and Investigations | 127 | 48 | 95 | 45 | 1 | -44 | -98% |
| Grand Total | 138 | 154 | 263 | 346 | 32 | -314 | -91% |
Table 46: Conditional offers by applicant
2020
| Recruitment campaigns – applicants & offers | Number of applicants | Number of offers | Percentage conversion of applicant to offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms | 96 | 13 | 14% |
| Intelligence Officer/Analyst | 1780 | 242 | 14% |
| Investigations Officer | 1351 | 142 | 11% |
| Specialist Intelligence & Investigations | 3002 | 102 | 3% |
| Total | 6229 | 499 | 8% |
2021
| Recruitment campaigns – applicants & offers | Number of applicants | Number of offers | Percentage conversion of applicant to offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms | 6 | 2 | 33% |
| Intelligence Officer/Analyst | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Investigations Officer | 92 | 9 | 10% |
| Specialist Intelligence & Investigations | 470 | 127 | 27% |
| Total | 568 | 138 | 24% |
2022
| Recruitment campaigns – applicants & offers | Number of applicants | Number of offers | Percentage conversion of applicant to offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms | 34 | 2 | 6% |
| Intelligence Officer/Analyst | 408 | 29 | 7% |
| Investigations Officer | 544 | 75 | 14% |
| Specialist Intelligence & Investigations | 541 | 48 | 9% |
| Total | 1527 | 154 | 10% |
2023
| Recruitment campaigns – applicants & offers | Number of applicants | Number of offers | Percentage conversion of applicant to offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms | 58 | 11 | 19% |
| Intelligence Officer/Analyst | 574 | 44 | 8% |
| Investigations Officer | 929 | 113 | 12% |
| Specialist Intelligence & Investigations | 813 | 95 | 12% |
| Total | 2374 | 263 | 11% |
2024[footnote 24] March 2025
| Recruitment campaigns – applicants & offers | Number of applicants | Number of offers | Percentage conversion of applicant to offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms | 14 | 1 | 7% |
| Intelligence Officer/Analyst | 2938 | 201 | 7% |
| Investigations Officer | 1073 | 130 | 12% |
| Specialist Intelligence & Investigations | 826 | 45 | 5% |
| Grand Total | 4851 | 377 | 8% |
5. Productivity statistics
5.1. Increase in hours
5.1.1 As the spot rate framework has developed, the number of officers working 40 hours per week has increased annually. Over the period from implementation to date, 3418 officers have joined the framework.
5.1.2 This increase of officers on spot rates represents an increase in 277.14 FTE for a 37-hour week, or 256.36 for a 40-hour week.
Table 47: Productivity by grade
| NCA grade | Increase in officers since SR implementation | Increase in hours | Increase in FTE (37 hours) | Increase in FTE (40 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | 74 | 222 | 6.00 | 5.55 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 209 | 627 | 16.95 | 15.68 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 25 | 75 | 2.03 | 1.88 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 1164 | 3492 | 94.38 | 87.30 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 1946 | 5838 | 157.78 | 145.95 |
| Grand Total | 3418 | 10254 | 277.14 | 256.36 |
5.2. Wellbeing and sickness
5.2.1 The spot rate framework was introduced in 2018. The tables below outline the percentage of sickness days lost for those on standard terms and conditions versus those on spot rates. Although spot rate officers are working three hours extra a week, the data suggests that their sickness levels are lower than those of officers on the standard pay range.
Table 48: Wellbeing and sickness by year
| T&C | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025[footnote 25] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Spot Rate | 1.56% | 2.25% | 1.96% | 1.67% | 1.85% |
| Spot Rate | 1.00% | 1.72% | 1.69% | 1.46% | 1.82% |
| Grand Total | 1.36% | 2.04% | 1.86% | 1.59% | 1.84% |
6. Leavers – Attrition rates
6.1.1 Attrition has continued to fluctuate with the Agency seeing a slight increase since last year, although overall at the level for the same period in 2023-24. However, there is still higher turnover in some enabling services and specialist roles, as shown in Table 51.
Table 49: Annual turnover by grade – August to August
| Turnover | Annual attrition 20/21 | Annual attrition 21/22 | Annual attrition 22/23 | Annual attrition 23/24 | Annual attrition 24/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | 12.40% | 14.50% | 11.90% | 8.23% | 9.09% |
| NCA Grade 2 | 11.80% | 11.80% | 12.00% | 6.64% | 9.29% |
| NCA Grade 3 | 7.30% | 9.00% | 9.10% | 7.24% | 8.10% |
| NCA Grade 4 | 5.50% | 5.90% | 7.00% | 6.91% | 5.37% |
| NCA Grade 5 | 7.50% | 6.10% | 8.90% | 6.71% | 6.54% |
| NCA Grade 6 | 11.30% | 14.50% | 13.50% | 9.12% | 13.23% |
| Grand Total | 7.50% | 7.40% | 8.80% | 6.92% | 6.96% |
Table 50: Annual turnover by command
| Command | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | 13.19% | 9.03% |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | 9.17% | 7.40% |
| NCA Human Resources | 3.27% | 8.82% |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | 3.84% | 5.76% |
| NCA Intelligence | 6.44% | 5.73% |
| NCA Investigations | 6.73% | 6.33% |
| NCA Legal | 5.27% | 4.85% |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | 6.60% | 4.04% |
| NCA Strategy | 6.93% | 10.54% |
| NCA Threat Leadership | 7.63% | 11.46% |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | 15.31% | 15.04% |
| Grand Total | 6.92% | 6.96% |
Table 51: Annual turnover by role with RRA
| Category (RRA team) | Total turnover 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| DDaT – Enterprise Design Authority (EDAB) | 46.51% |
| Intelligence – Intelligence Collection – ICI | 28.09% |
| Corporate Business Services – Biometrics | 23.26% |
| Corporate Business Services – Commercial | 20.14% |
| Intelligence – UKPPS – Covert Finance | 13.79% |
| DDaT – Enterprise Services Specialist Operational Services (DF.Net & TIE) | 13.54% |
| Threat Leadership – NCCU – Technology | 13.40% |
| Intelligence – Tech Ops | 11.96% |
| Intelligence – UKPPS – Central Services | 11.24% |
| National Economic Crime Centre – UKFIU – DAML | 11.17% |
7. Leavers – Exit questionnaire
7.1.1 During 2023 the NCA redesigned its exit questionnaire, the aim being to streamline in order to improve response rates and provide more valuable data. This was launched in February 2024 therefore the below tables cover the period from February 2024 to the end of August 2025.
7.1.2 The leaving factors are in order of how they contributed to the officer choosing to leave, with a score of five indicating a strong impact and a score of zero meaning it didn’t have an impact at all.
7.1.3 The first table shows the top 10 leaving factors for officers. Key factors cover promotion, pay and new opportunities which tend to be linked.
Table 52: Top 10 Leaving factors
| Leaving factor | Likert Scale (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| Career development/promotion | 2.52 |
| To gain new opportunities or experiences | 2.42 |
| Leadership | 2.31 |
| Technology | 2.26 |
| Work life balance/workload | 1.84 |
| To seek different working conditions | 1.83 |
| Pay and benefits | 1.82 |
| Workplace stress | 1.66 |
| NCA values not adhered to | 1.63 |
| Retirement | 1.47 |
7.1.4 Historically the pay & benefits scores have been produced based upon September to August of the following year, for example 2020-21 would cover September 2020 to August 2021. However, due to the changes to the exit questionnaire the data for the previous version stops at January 2024, with the new questionnaire presented further below covering the period of February 2024 to August 2025.
7.1.5 The score for pay and benefits on the Likert Scale indicates that this element is decreasing in importance for leavers[footnote 26].
Table 53: Pay & benefits score since 2021
| Year | Likert Scale (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2.92 |
| 2022 | 2.6 |
| 2023 | 2.5 |
| 2024 | 2.1 |
| 2025 | 1.82 |
7.1.6 Looking at the reasons for joining their new organisation, excitement of a new role ranks first, with pay and benefits and learning and development opportunities in joint second, followed by promotion prospects.
Table 54: Top 10 reasons for joining new organisation
| What attracted you to that organisation? | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| The role/responsibilities | 12.21% |
| Pay and wider benefits | 10.43% |
| Learning and development opportunities | 10.43% |
| Promotion prospects | 8.91% |
| Feeling valued/recognition | 8.27% |
| Equipment or tools (e.g. technology) | 7.89% |
| Location | 7.25% |
| Working arrangements (e.g. flexible working, work life balance) | 6.74% |
| Organisational culture | 6.49% |
| Reputation of organisation | 5.47% |
7.1.7 Over the past three years the Agency has put considerable effort into expanding the non-pay benefits offer with the introduction of the Reward Gateway | Edenred discounts platform, buy and sell annual leave scheme and Reward Vouchers, as well as the cycle to work and technology purchase schemes.
7.1.8 The current offer is substantial but officers are still leaving due to pay and benefits. It is now believed that the majority of officers in this category are focused on pay as an issue and not the wider benefits offer.
Table 55: Utilisation of non-pay benefits
| Did you utilise the NCA non-pay benefits platform? | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Yes | 63.74% |
| No | 32.97% |
| I prefer not to say | 3.30% |
7.1.9 The Agency’s organisational culture is broadly viewed positively, although there are almost 38% of leavers who consider culture as unsatisfactory.
Table 56: NCA Organisational Culture
| How would you describe the NCA’s organisational culture? | Score |
|---|---|
| Excellent | 2.18% |
| Good | 16.73% |
| Fair | 28.00% |
| Satisfactory | 15.64% |
| Unsatisfactory | 34.18% |
| I prefer not to say | 3.27% |
8. Other pay elements
8.1. Temporary promotion
8.1.1 The tables below represent the grade of the role covered by temporary promotion as at 31 August 2023 and 31 August 2024 and for the same period between 2024 and 2025.[footnote 27]
Table 57: Temporary promotion as at 31 August 2024
| Grade | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | Not applicable[footnote 28] | Not applicable |
| NCA Grade 2 | 43 | 43 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 91 | 109 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 142 | 99 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 25 | Not applicable |
Table 58: Temporary promotion as at 31 August 2025
| Grade | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| NCA Grade 2 | 16 | 28 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 45 | 43 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 73 | 52 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 29 | Not applicable |
8.2. Overtime
8.2.1 As a law enforcement agency, there is a need to be prepared to react to the changing nature of crime. This includes deploying officers outside of working hours and going beyond the normal working week. Officers at grades 3 to 6 (inclusive) are entitled to request payment or time off in lieu (TOIL) for overtime worked, with the exception of grade 3 officers on spot rates.
8.2.2 Authorised overtime is payable at the following rates:
-
Overtime worked on a rostered working or non-working day is paid at plain time up to 37 hours (or 40 hours if on the spot rate framework) per week
-
Overtime worked on a rostered working or non-working day is paid at time and a half rate where over 37 hours (or 40 hours) are worked
-
Overtime worked on a rostered rest day or Bank Holiday with less than 14 calendar days’ notice is paid at double time (with no requirement to have worked 37 (or 40) hours)
-
Overtime worked on a rostered rest day or Bank Holiday where 14 or more days’ notice is provided is paid at plain time, in line with the first two bullet points.
8.2.3 For 2025-26, the NCA has a current spend level of £13.4m on overtime. The majority is claimed in operational roles, with Intelligence and Investigations the biggest claimants.
Table 59: Total overtime claimed by command
| Command | Total overtime claimed |
|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | £31,020 |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | £153,225 |
| NCA Human Resources | £304,398 |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | £373,777 |
| NCA Intelligence | £3,684,406 |
| NCA Investigations | £8,209,290 |
| NCA Legal | £2,089 |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | £106,555 |
| NCA Strategy | £157,695 |
| NCA Threat Leadership | £398,050 |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | £4,287 |
| Grand Total | £13,424,793 |
8.2.4 Officers at grades 3 to 6 are eligible to claim overtime. The below table shows that grades 4 and 5 are the highest claimants, which aligns with those two grades being the largest. Officers at grade 2 and above do not receive overtime or on-call within their roles.
Table 60: Total overtime claimed by grade
| NCA Grade | Total overtime claimed |
|---|---|
| NCA Grade 3 | £1,973,381 |
| NCA Grade 4 | £5,124,578 |
| NCA Grade 5 | £6,021,955 |
| NCA Grade 6 | £304,879 |
| Grand Total | £13,424,793 |
8.2.5 Regarding overtime claims by officers with and without powers, the split favours those with powers. This is to be expected due to powered officers being required to be deployed regularly.
Table 61: Total overtime claimed by powers
| Powers | Grand total |
|---|---|
| Powers | 72.3% |
| No Powers | 27.7% |
| Grand Total | 100.0% |
8.2.6 The tables below show the diversity & inclusion characteristics of overtime, showing the gender split, ethnicity, age groups and working patterns of claimants. The percentage breakdowns broadly reflect the NCA workforce, with there being minor differences in some areas.
Table 62: Total overtime claimed by gender
| Gender | Grand total |
|---|---|
| Female | 28.9% |
| Male | 71.1% |
| Grand Total | 100.0% |
Table 63: Total overtime claimed by ethnicity
| Ethnicity | Grand total |
|---|---|
| White – British | 78.5% |
| Ethnic Minority | 8.1% |
| Prefer not to say | 4.5% |
| Not Declared | 8.9% |
| Grand Total | 100.0% |
Table 64: Total overtime claimed by age group
| Age group | Grand total |
|---|---|
| 20-29 | 7.7% |
| 30-39 | 24.1% |
| 40-49 | 25.5% |
| 50-59 | 32.5% |
| 60-64 | 9.2% |
| 65 & over | 1.1% |
| Grand Total | 100.0% |
Table 65: Total overtime claimed by working pattern
| Working pattern | Grand total |
|---|---|
| 5 Day Working | 91.0% |
| Flexible Working | 6.1% |
| Shift Working | 2.9% |
| Grand Total | 100.0% |
8.3. Contingent labour
8.3.1 During 2024-25, the Agency spent £18.05m on contingent labour costs. The majority of the spend was in DDaT, Transformation and Corporate Business Services, which are relatively small commands.
Table 66: Contingent labour costs by command
| Command | Total spend to date (£m) |
|---|---|
| NCA Corporate Business Services | 3.67 |
| NCA Digital, Data and Technology | 3.57 |
| NCA Human Resources | 0.47 |
| NCA Intelligence | 2.45 |
| NCA Investigations | 2.31 |
| NCA Integrated Protective Security | 0.51 |
| NCA Legal | 0.04 |
| NCA National Economic Crime Centre | 0.14 |
| NCA Strategy | 0.56 |
| NCA Threat Leadership | 1.10 |
| NCA Transformation Directorate | 3.23 |
| Grand Total | 18.05 |
8.4. People survey
8.4.1 The 2025 People Survey results cannot be provided, as they are currently under embargo for external publication. However, the People Survey pay results for 2024 are included below. The pay and benefits line refers to the level of respondents who feel that their pay adequately reflects their performance, are satisfied with the total benefits package and feel their pay is reasonable compared to those doing a similar role in other organisations.
Table 67: 2024 People survey results – pay
| People survey | Result | Percentage point change |
|---|---|---|
| Pay & Benefits | 34% | 13% |
| Overall engagement | 57% | 0% |
| Pay comparison with other organisations | 30% | 10% |
9. Salary analysis
9.1. Spot rate framework
9.1.1 The spot rate framework allows officers to progress along a number of spot rate values as their skills and experience build. The below table shows which spot rate value officers currently are on, as at 1 August 2025.
Table 68: Number of officers on SR by grade
| Grade | Spot rate | Number of officers |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | SRG1-1 | 9 |
| NCA Grade 1 | SRG1-2 | 44 |
| NCA Grade 1 | Total | 53 |
| NCA Grade 2 | SRG2-1 | 41 |
| NCA Grade 2 | SRG2-2 | 124 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Total | 165 |
| NCA Grade 3 | SRG3-1 | 20 |
| NCA Grade 3 | SRG3-2 | 5 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Total | 25 |
| NCA Grade 4 | SRG4-1 | 216 |
| NCA Grade 4 | SRG4-2 | 502 |
| NCA Grade 4 | SRG4-3 | 13 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Total | 731 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-1 | 297 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-2 | 300 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-3 | 808 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-4 | 30 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Total | 1435 |
| Grand Total | Not applicable | 2409 |
9.1.2 Due to the job market recruited from, the majority of officers on spot rates are male. One of the priorities for the NCA is making its workforce more diverse. As officers progress through the ODP, it is expected to see more female officers on spot rates. It is important that female officers are provided with opportunities to progress up the grade structure. At grade 1 there are only 14 female officers on spot rates, compared to 37 male officers; it is the differences within the spot rate structure which will have the biggest impact on the gender pay gap.
Table 69: Number of officers on SR by grade and gender
| Grade | Spot rate | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | SRG1-1 | 1 | 8 |
| NCA Grade 1 | SRG1-2 | 13 | 31 |
| NCA Grade 1 | Total | 14 | 39 |
| NCA Grade 2 | SRG2-1 | 16 | 25 |
| NCA Grade 2 | SRG2-2 | 27 | 97 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Total | 43 | 122 |
| NCA Grade 3 | SRG3-1 | 6 | 14 |
| NCA Grade 3 | SRG3-2 | 1 | 4 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Total | 7 | 18 |
| NCA Grade 4 | SRG4-1 | 85 | 131 |
| NCA Grade 4 | SRG4-2 | 162 | 340 |
| NCA Grade 4 | SRG4-3 | 1 | 12 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Total | 248 | 483 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-1 | 160 | 137 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-2 | 145 | 155 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-3 | 380 | 428 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-4 | 3 | 27 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Total | 688 | 747 |
| Grand Total | Not applicable | 1000 | 1409 |
9.1.3 Looking at the ethnicity breakdown there is a similar picture to the current gender balance, with the number of ethnic minority (EM) officers at grade 1 being zero, and the majority of officers at grades 4 and 5. Moving towards producing the ethnicity pay gap report, improved opportunities are needed for EM officers at the highest grades. Similar to the gender pay gap, it will be differences in the spot rate framework that reduce the ethnicity pay gap.
Table 70: Number of officers by grade and ethnicity
| Grade | Spot rate | White - British | Ethnic minority | Prefer not to say | Not declared |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | SRG1-1 | 9 | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| NCA Grade 1 | SRG1-2 | 39 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| NCA Grade 1 | Total | 48 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| NCA Grade 2 | SRG2-1 | 31 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| NCA Grade 2 | SRG2-2 | 100 | 9 | 5 | 10 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Total | 131 | 13 | 8 | 13 |
| NCA Grade 3 | SRG3-1 | 17 | 2 | Not applicable | 1 |
| NCA Grade 3 | SRG3-2 | 4 | Not applicable | Not applicable | 1 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Total | 21 | 2 | Not applicable | 2 |
| NCA Grade 4 | SRG4-1 | 165 | 25 | 8 | 18 |
| NCA Grade 4 | SRG4-2 | 384 | 45 | 23 | 50 |
| NCA Grade 4 | SRG4-3 | 10 | Not applicable | 1 | 2 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Total | 559 | 70 | 32 | 70 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-1 | 220 | 52 | 14 | 11 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-2 | 232 | 41 | 13 | 14 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-3 | 662 | 75 | 27 | 44 |
| NCA Grade 5 | SRG5-4 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Total | 1139 | 169 | 56 | 71 |
| Grand Total | Not applicable | 1898 | 255 | 98 | 158 |
9.2. Standard pay range
9.2.1 As shown in Tables 32-39, the majority of officers are on the standard pay range. The below breakdown shows the position in the pay range at each grade for those officers.
Table 71: Standard pay range by grade
| Grade | Quartile | Total |
|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | Grade Minimum | 53 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 1st Quartile | 7 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 2nd Quartile | 6 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 3rd Quartile | 6 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 4th Quartile | 4 |
| NCA Grade 1 | Total | 76 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Grade Minimum | 213 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 1st Quartile | 10 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 2nd Quartile | 7 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 3rd Quartile | 8 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 4th Quartile | 1 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Grade Maximum | 3 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Total | 242 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Grade Minimum | 728 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 1st Quartile | 83 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 2nd Quartile | 72 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 3rd Quartile | 24 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 4th Quartile | 8 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Grade Maximum | 5 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Total | 920 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Grade Minimum | 650 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 1st Quartile | 83 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 2nd Quartile | 88 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 3rd Quartile | 67 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 4th Quartile | 38 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Grade Maximum | 39 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Total | 965 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Grade Minimum | 688 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 1st Quartile | 65 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 2nd Quartile | 81 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 3rd Quartile | 119 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 4th Quartile | 67 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Grade Maximum | 5 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Total | 1025 |
| NCA Grade 6 | Grade Minimum | 132 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 1st Quartile | 8 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 2nd Quartile | 11 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 3rd Quartile | 40 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 4th Quartile | 24 |
| NCA Grade 6 | Grade Maximum | 14 |
| NCA Grade 6 | Total | 229 |
| Grand Total | Not applicable | 3457 |
9.2.2 When looking at the grade breakdown some of the challenges faced with the gender pay gap start to be seen, with the majority of female officers at the lower end of each grade. However, the gap is starting to improve for the standard pay range.
Table 72: Standard pay range by grade and gender
| Grade | Quartile | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | Grade Minimum | 26 | 27 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 1st Quartile | 4 | 3 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 2nd Quartile | 1 | 5 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 3rd Quartile | 1 | 5 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 4th Quartile | 0 | 4 |
| NCA Grade 1 | Total | 32 | 44 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Grade Minimum | 121 | 92 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 1st Quartile | 5 | 5 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 2nd Quartile | 3 | 4 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 3rd Quartile | 2 | 6 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 4th Quartile | 0 | 1 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Grade Maximum | 2 | 1 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Total | 133 | 109 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Grade Minimum | 322 | 406 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 1st Quartile | 20 | 63 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 2nd Quartile | 19 | 53 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 3rd Quartile | 10 | 14 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 4th Quartile | 2 | 6 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Grade Maximum | 0 | 5 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Total | 373 | 547 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Grade Minimum | 364 | 286 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 1st Quartile | 39 | 44 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 2nd Quartile | 43 | 45 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 3rd Quartile | 24 | 43 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 4th Quartile | 11 | 27 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Grade Maximum | 8 | 31 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Total | 489 | 476 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Grade Minimum | 451 | 237 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 1st Quartile | 40 | 25 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 2nd Quartile | 43 | 38 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 3rd Quartile | 70 | 49 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 4th Quartile | 24 | 43 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Grade Maximum | 2 | 3 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Total | 630 | 395 |
| NCA Grade 6 | Grade Minimum | 87 | 45 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 1st Quartile | 5 | 3 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 2nd Quartile | 7 | 4 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 3rd Quartile | 21 | 19 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 4th Quartile | 19 | 5 |
| NCA Grade 6 | Grade Maximum | 5 | 9 |
| NCA Grade 6 | Total | 144 | 85 |
| Grand Total | Not applicable | 1801 | 1656 |
9.2.3 As with the spot rate framework, the number of EM officers at grade 1 on the standard pay range is low, with EM officers on the whole being at the lower end of the grade pay range.
Table 73: Standard Pay Range by Grade and Ethnicity
| Grade | Quartile | White - British | Ethnic minority | Prefer not to say | Not declared |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 | Grade Minimum | 40 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 1st Quartile | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 2nd Quartile | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 3rd Quartile | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| NCA Grade 1 | 4th Quartile | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| NCA Grade 1 | Total | 59 | 9 | 4 | 4 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Grade Minimum | 166 | 32 | 6 | 9 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 1st Quartile | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 2nd Quartile | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 3rd Quartile | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NCA Grade 2 | 4th Quartile | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Grade Maximum | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| NCA Grade 2 | Total | 191 | 34 | 6 | 11 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Grade Minimum | 550 | 107 | 26 | 45 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 1st Quartile | 72 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 2nd Quartile | 54 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 3rd Quartile | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| NCA Grade 3 | 4th Quartile | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Grade Maximum | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NCA Grade 3 | Total | 710 | 114 | 35 | 61 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Grade Minimum | 462 | 133 | 19 | 36 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 1st Quartile | 65 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 2nd Quartile | 77 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 3rd Quartile | 48 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
| NCA Grade 4 | 4th Quartile | 24 | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Grade Maximum | 31 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| NCA Grade 4 | Total | 707 | 156 | 36 | 66 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Grade Minimum | 466 | 171 | 20 | 31 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 1st Quartile | 45 | 12 | 8 | |
| NCA Grade 5 | 2nd Quartile | 60 | 14 | 2 | 5 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 3rd Quartile | 76 | 19 | 4 | 20 |
| NCA Grade 5 | 4th Quartile | 45 | 7 | 2 | 13 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Grade Maximum | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NCA Grade 5 | Total | 696 | 223 | 28 | 78 |
| NCA Grade 6 | Grade Minimum | 70 | 55 | 0 | 7 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 1st Quartile | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 2nd Quartile | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 3rd Quartile | 24 | 11 | 3 | 2 |
| NCA Grade 6 | 4th Quartile | 19 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| NCA Grade 6 | Grade Maximum | 9 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| NCA Grade 6 | Total | 134 | 76 | 5 | 14 |
| All grades | Grand Total | 2497 | 612 | 114 | 234 |
10. Market comparators
Table 74: Median pay gap between the NCA and police officers[footnote 29]
| Year | Chief Supt/ NCA Grade 1 | Supt / NCA Grade 2 | Chief Inspector / NCA Grade 3 | Sergeant / NCA Grade 4 | Constable / NCA Grade 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | £33,468 | £25,346 | £11,662 | £10,883 | £14,199 |
| 2024 | £32,270 | £24,449 | £11,295 | £10,528 | £13,694 |
| 2023 | £28,150 | £23,489 | £10,905 | £10,151 | £13,152 |
| 2022 | £21,166 | £19,061 | £11,684 | £6,020 | £6,995 |
| 2021 | £19,180 | £16,701 | £15,252 | £6,018 | £8,358 |
| 2020 | £21,164 | £21,951 | £15,252 | £6,018 | £7,167 |
| 2019 | £22,293 | £19,927 | £13,972 | £5,262 | £7,461 |
| 2018 | £18,028 | £18,667 | £12,613 | £3,983 | £6,508 |
| 2017 | £19,064 | £16,710 | £12,187 | £4,193 | £6,927 |
| 2016 | £17,179 | £15,223 | £11,321 | £5,491 | £9,963 |
| 2015 | £17,010 | £14,913 | £10,087 | £4,320 | £8,650 |
| 2014 | £8,603 | £10,967 | £8,979 | £3,816 | £8,221 |
Table 75: Pay bill per head for NCA and police officers & staff
| Year | NCA pay bill per head | Police pay bill per head |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | £74,306 | £78,455 |
| 2023-24 | £69,424 | £74,955 |
| 2022-23 | £64,811 | £74,898 |
| 2021-22 | £61,136 | £71,704 |
| 2020-21 | £62,184 | £72,942 |
| 2019-20 | £60,377 | £69,826 |
| 2018-19 | £57,384 | £65,064 |
| 2017-18 | £56,645 | £63,058 |
| 2016-17 | £55,225 | £61,051 |
| 2015-16 | £54,636 | £57,477 |
Table 76: NCA and police pay range maxima
| NCA Grade | NCA maximum | Police mMaximum | Difference | Number of pay police pay points | Difference between 2024 and 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | £100,625 | £115,785 | £15,160 | 3 | £427 |
| Grade 2 | £82,580 | £99,015 | £16,435 | 4 | £509 |
| Grade 3 | £68,037 | £68,982 | £945 | 4 | -£87 |
| Grade 4 | £54,909 | £56,208 | £1,299 | 3 | -£51 |
| Grade 5 | £46,507 | £50,256 | £3,749 | 8 | £64 |
Table 77: NCA and Police pay range minima
| NCA grade | NCA minimum | Police minimum | Difference | Number of pay police pay points | Difference between 2024 and 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | £82,317 | £103,797 | £21,480 | 3 | £3,715 |
| Grade 2 | £67,609 | £84,177 | £16,568 | 4 | £543 |
| Grade 3 | £55,575 | £63,768 | £8,193 | 4 | £228 |
| Grade 4 | £45,326 | £53,568 | £8,242 | 3 | £249 |
| Grade 5 | £36,057 | £31,164 | -£4,893 | 8 | -£263 |
Table 78: Pay comparison between the NCA and civil service median during 2024
| Grade | NCA minima | NCA maxima | NCA median | Civil service minima | Civil service maxima | Civil service median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Grade 1 / G6 | £78,847 | £96,384 | £81,437 | £59,003 | £112,585 | £73,358 |
| NCA Grade 2 / G7 | £64,759 | £79,099 | £64,759 | £45,261 | £90,535 | £58,826 |
| NCA Grade 3 / SEO | £53,232 | £65,169 | £53,232 | £35,074 | £67,850 | £45,072 |
| NCA Grade 4 / HEO | £43,415 | £52,594 | £47,310 | £28,475 | £54,970 | £36,467 |
| NCA Grade 5 / EO | £34,537 | £44,546 | £40,488 | £24,283 | £44,751 | £29,761 |
| NCA Grade 6 / AO | £25,785 | £32,475 | £25,785 | £20,888 | £34,200 | £25,682 |
Table 79: Comparison between the NCA pay maximum compared to police since 2014
| NCA grade | NCA pay max 2014 | Police pay max 2014 | Difference 2014 | NCA pay max 2025 | Police pay max 2025 | Difference 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1 (CS G6) | £80,883 | £83,094 | -£2,211 | £100,625 | £115,784 | -£15,159 |
| G2 (CS G7) | £66,025 | £75,066 | -£9,041 | £82,580 | £99,016 | -£16,436 |
| G3 (CS SEO) | £54,050 | £55,005 | -£955 | £68,037 | £68,981 | -£944 |
| G4 (CS HEO) | £43,240 | £41,865 | £1,375 | £54,909 | £56,209 | -£1,300 |
| G5 (CS EO) | £36,321 | £37,254 | -£933 | £46,507 | £50,257 | -£3,750 |
Table 80: Comparison between highest NCA spot rate and police median
| NCA grade | NCA maximum spot rate | Police median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | £91,735 | £115,785 | £24,050 |
| Grade 2 | £79,568 | £92,955 | £13,387 |
| Grade 3 | £59,681 | £67,237 | £7,556 |
| Grade 4 | £55,629 | £56,209 | £580 |
| Grade 5 | £46,721 | £50,256 | £3,535 |
Table 81: Comparison between NCA median spot rate and police officer median
| NCA grade | NCA median | Police median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | £91,735 | £115,785 | £24,050 |
| Grade 2 | £79,568 | £92,955 | £13,387 |
| Grade 3 | £55,575 | £67,237 | £11,662 |
| Grade 4 | £53,493 | £56,209 | £2,716 |
| Grade 5 | £44,941 | £50,256 | £5,315 |
Table 82: Pay range length of NCA grades
| NCA grade | NCA minimum | NCA maximum | Pay range length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | £82,317 | £100,625 | 22% |
| Grade 2 | £67,609 | £82,580 | 22% |
| Grade 3 | £55,575 | £68,037 | 22% |
| Grade 4 | £45,326 | £54,909 | 21% |
| Grade 5 | £36,057 | £46,507 | 29% |
| Grade 6 | £26,920 | £33,904 | 26% |
Table 83: NCA pay award costs (basic pay and location allowances)
1% / £ 4.34m
Table 84: Location allowance comparison between NCA and civil service
| Location allowances | London | South East | Outer London | Inner London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCA | £4,040 | £3,232 | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Civil Service - Median | £4,000 | Not applicable | £2,000 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Agenda for Change | Not applicable | Not applicable | £4,714 - £5,941 | £5,609 - £8,466 | £1,303 - £2,198 |
Table 85: Location allowance comparison between NCA and police
| Location allowances – Police | London weighting | London allowance 1 | London allowance 2 | South East allowance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCA | £4,218 | Not applicable | Not applicable | £3,375 |
| City of London Police | £9,738 | £9,738 | £9,738 Not applicable | |
| Metropolitan Police | £3,150* | £1,011* | £5,577* | Not applicable |
| Bedfordshire Police | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | £2,000 |
| Essex Police | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | £3,000 |
| Hampshire Police | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | £2,000 |
| Hertfordshire Police | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | £3,000 |
| Kent Police | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | £3,000 |
| Surrey Police | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | £3,000 |
| Sussex Police | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | £2,000 |
| Thames Valley Police | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | £3,000 |
*Metropolitan Police Service officers will receive the total of all three allowances.
Table 86: Location allowance comparison between NCA and Civil Service Departments
| Civil Service - Location Allowance by Department** | Inner London | Outer London | As part of Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of Policing | £5,038 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Crown Prosecution Service | £3,150 (RRA) | Not applicable | Yes + Inner London RRA |
| Defence Nuclear Organisation | £3,300 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| DEFRA | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| Department for Culture, Media & Sport | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| Department for Education | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| Department for Transport | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| Department for Work and Pensions | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency | £4,340 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office Services | £5,000 | £1,750 – Hanslope Park | Not applicable |
| Government Digital Service | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| Government Internal Audit Agency | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| Government Legal Department | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| Health and Safety Executive | £4,541 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| HM Revenue & Customs | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| Ministry of Defence | £3,300 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Ministry of Defence Police | £4,338 and £3,105 | South East Allowance - £2,000 to £3,000 | Not applicable |
| Ministry of Justice | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| Office for Nuclear Regulation | £4,194 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| OFGEM | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes |
| United Kingdom Research & Innovation | £5,385 | £1,958 | Not applicable |
** The information above has been retrieved from the open source data from job adverts on GOV.UK and departmental websites.
-
Written Ministerial Statement – UIN HCWS577. ↩
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All data presented in Chapter 1 has been extracted from the NCA National Strategic Assessment 2025 (unless otherwise indicated. ↩
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Internal NCA workforce data. ↩
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All workforce data presented in Chapter 2 has been extracted from internal NCA workforce data, as of 31 August 2025, unless otherwise indicated. ↩
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The exception to this is ‘Expert’ spot rates at grade 4 and grade 5, which are higher than the grade maxima. This is paid only to Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs), and the NCA Remuneration Committee has overall responsibility for deciding which roles attract ‘Expert’ spot rate. ↩
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Figure includes current officers and leavers since implementation. ↩
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https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/c/careers/police-officer-roles/officer-promotion/pay-and-benefits/. ↩
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Figure is for core funded posts, RRA for externally funded roles is drawn from external funding streams. ↩
-
References to pay relate to basic pay unless otherwise specified. ↩
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All NCA data presented in Chapter 3 has been extracted from internal NCA workforce data unless otherwise indicated. ↩
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Turnover was 6.96% for the costed workforce (permanent employees and contingent labour – including commercial contractors, seconded officers and loans in) as of 31 August 2025. ↩
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The specific size of teams cannot be reported on for security reasons and instances where team sizes were too small to provide meaningful data have been removed. ↩
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All information sourced in 2025 from job adverts on local government websites and job boards. ↩
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Designed to gather information which enables the Agency to recognise trends in officers’ experiences and help identify additional measures officers need to support their career development in the Agency. Completion of the questionnaire is not compulsory. ↩
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Pay and wider benefits is the equal second highest attraction factor for respondents joining a new organisation, although as a factor for leaving has reduced year on year since 2021. ↩
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Statistical bulletin – Civil Service Ethnicity Pay Gap Statistics 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics ↩
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~ denotes 10 or less, including values redacted to safeguard the identity of officers. ↩
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~ denotes 10 or less, including values redacted to safeguard the identity of officers. ↩
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~ denotes 10 or less, including values redacted to safeguard the identity of officers. ↩
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~ denotes 10 or less, including values redacted to safeguard the identity of officers. ↩
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2024 represents January 2024 to March 2025 due to the change in system as noted in section 4.1. ↩
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2025 represents the period January to August 2025. ↩
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Based on data from the leaver’s questionnaire, designed to gather information which enables the Agency to recognise trends in officers’ experiences and help identify additional measures officers need to support their career development in the Agency. Completion of the questionnaire is not compulsory. ↩
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~ denotes 10 or less, including values redacted to safeguard the identity of officers. ↩
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39% of the workforce are on 40-hour contracts (excluding breaks), with the other 61% working a 37-hour week (excluding breaks). Police colleagues will work a 36.25-hour week (excluding breaks). ↩