Committee publication · Correspondence · 23 July 2025
Letter from the National Crime Agency relating to pay differentials between NCA Officers and Police Officers, 21 July 2025
From: Business and Trade Sub-Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls
Inquiry: UK economic security
Summary
James Babbage, NCA Director General Threats, writes to Liam Byrne MP following his evidence session to the Sub-Committee on 8 July 2025. The letter details pay differentials between NCA officers and police officers, showing that NCA staff earn substantially less at all grades despite working longer hours. The NCA, as a Non-Ministerial Department, follows Civil Service pay rules without progression, whereas police benefit from time-served increments. Babbage reports the agency is developing a cost-neutral business case with Home Office support to address recruitment and retention challenges.
Key findings
- NCA officers earn consistently lower median salaries than police equivalents across all grades: Chief Superintendent/Grade 1 gap increased from £8,603 (2014) to £29,680 (2024); Grade 5 (Constable) gap ranges £6,508–£9,963 annually.
- 70% of NCA officers on standard pay ranges remain at or near the bottom with no progression, whereas police officers reach top of pay ranges within 2–6 years.
- NCA working week is 37–40 hours without paid breaks versus police 36.25 hours with paid breaks included, worsening competitiveness.
- Location allowances disadvantage NCA: London staff receive £7,272 combined (Weighting + Allowance) versus Met Police total of £4,224 or City of London Police £8,362, plus lower base salaries.
- NCA working with Home Office on cost-neutral business case to revise pay and contract terms; seeking HM Treasury approval for implementation in Autumn 2025.
Tone
FactualTopics
Key actors
James Babbage, National Crime Agency, Liam Byrne MP, Business and Trade Sub-Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls, Home Office, HM Treasury, Metropolitan Police, City of London Police
Notable line
“NCA Officers are comparatively underpaid for many types of roles against policing comparators.”
Key Quotes
“… the NCA is a Non-Ministerial Department of the Civil Service, rather than a police force. As such, we are subject to different pay parameters than our policing colleagues.”
“Some 70% of NCA Officers on the standard pay range are at or very near the bottom of their pay ranges, with no movement beyond any annual pay award.”
“NCA ' s contracts require either a 37 or 40 hour working week without paid breaks whereas police have a 36.25 hour working week when paid breaks are included.”
“… the Agency needs its pay arrangements to be able to attract talent from policing, Civil Service and elsewhere with an offer of the high-end work essential to protect the public from serious and organised crime.”
“We are working with Home Office and other Government Departments to revise the Agency 's pay and contract offer by developing a cost neutral business case to address these problems”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗