Cambridgeshire Police currently state on their website:

including shift allowances the starting pay for a PCSO is in fact very similar to a probationer constable

Cambridgeshire Police’s webpage on PCSOs salaries says they get £18,006 rising to £19,968 plus shift allowances, plus enhanced hours payment for weekend and public holiday working.

In 2006 the Basic pay of a Cambridgeshire PCSO was quoted as £22,770 in a Parliamentary written answer.

Generally the shift allowance is 14% (for lates, but not night shifts); and there is a 8% weekend etc. enhancement. Far from all forces make their details available but Essex, and South Wales do.

The Met Police state:

A PCSO working a 20% shift pattern in Zone 1 (Central London) will start on £27,124.

Information on PCSO pay is not collected centrally according to a November 2011 parliamentary answer by the policing minister.

Michael Fabricant MP has raied the issue of some PCSOs being paid more than some PCs in a speech in Parliament

The Police Federation page on pay scales states a police constable from September 2010 started on £23,259 rising to £25,962 on completion of initial training.

Thank you for your email – I agree with much of what you say, particularly regarding the confusion over where one may cycle or not. I too find it confusing when I cycle through the City, so I am sure we are not alone. As to confusion over the role of PCSOs, that is exactly what the Government is moving to clear up – as you may know, the policing green paper issued a few weeks ago is seeking views on this, but I think it is clear that the Government wishes to standardise powers, as well as uniforms.
The request for extra powers to deal with cycling issues has come from police in Cambridge – they clearly believe it would be useful. We do not want heavy-handed policing of relatively minor offences, but on the other hand, as Cambridge Cycling Campaign acknowledge, it only takes a few people breaking the law to tarnish the reputation of the law-abiding majority. Like them, I think we need to ensure that as many cyclists as possible behave responsibly, and I think that effective policing will help with this.

Best wishes,

Daniel Zeichner