Delegates at the Police Federation of England and Wales National Conference have approved a £1 per month increase in member subscriptions from 1 January 2027, taking the gross monthly rate from £26.31 to £27.31.

The increase will help PFEW maintain the legal, representative and support services provided to members at a time when demand continues to grow. Claims increased by around a third between 2021 and 2025, with PFEW recovering £161 million in compensation for members during that period.

The £1 increase is expected to generate around £1.65 million a year, helping to protect the services members rely on and put the Federation on a more sustainable financial footing.

How to claim tax relief on your Police Federation subscription if your force does not apply it for you.

You could be paying more for your Federation membership than you need to.

HMRC allows eligible officers to claim tax relief on their Federation subscription. This means you get some tax back — you do not get the whole subscription refunded.

(This does not apply to members of Metropolitan, West Yorkshire and Hertfordshire Police Federations as tax relief is calculated at source for them) 

Step 1: Check whether you're already getting tax relief

Look at your tax code or log in to your HMRC online account.

If you're a Metropolitan Police or West Yorkshire Police officer, tax relief is provided through payroll, so you do not normally need to make a separate claim.

For other officers, don't assume you're receiving relief just because your Federation subscription appears on your payslip.

Step 2: Go to the official HMRC website

Visit: https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/professional-fees-and-subscriptions

Click “Start now”.

Step 3: Follow the questions

HMRC will help you check whether you qualify and explain how to make a claim.

You'll need to tell HMRC about your Police Federation subscription and how much you have paid.

Have your National Insurance number and details of your subscription payments handy. HMRC may ask you for receipts, payslips or other evidence.

Step 4: Check whether you can claim for previous years

If you've never claimed before, you may be able to claim for the current tax year and the previous four tax years. HMRC will decide whether you're eligible and how much relief you're entitled to.

How much could you save?

Tax relief reduces the amount of tax you pay; it doesn't refund your whole subscription.

For example, if the full £1 monthly subscription increase qualifies for relief:

• At 20% tax relief, the effective increase would be 80p a month.
• At 40% tax relief, the effective increase would be 60p a month.

Your actual entitlement depends on your circumstances and HMRC's rules.

It is worth checking. You could be entitled to tax relief you haven't been claiming.