Police to get funding boost to cut crime and keep public safe
Police to receive up to 拢843 million next year to better protect the public, taking total to up to 拢18.4 billion.
Police聽forces聽in England and Wales will receive up to 拢922 million聽extra聽funding next year,聽as the government聽continues its efforts聽to cut crime and keep communities safe.
罢丑别听proposed funding package聽for 2024 to 2025, published today,聽could聽see a total of聽up to 拢18.4 billion聽pledged to support the police to reduce crime in our communities, tackle antisocial behaviour and relentlessly pursue county lines gangs,聽should police and crime commissioners choose to take full advantage of police precept flexibility.聽This聽represents聽a 30.7% rise in cash terms聽compared to聽2019 to 2020.
Today鈥檚 announcement will build on the聽government鈥檚 commitment to keep our streets safe, with聽violent crime in England and Wales down 52% since 2010 and domestic burglary by 57%.
This additional funding will聽also聽support聽forces聽to give聽their officers the 7% pay increase announced by the government over the summer,聽rewarding聽their bravery and dedication.
In return for this significant investment,聽police forces will be tasked with improving productivity, identifying efficiencies and ensuring value for taxpayers.
罢丑别听government has already introduced work in the past year to save police time, with the national rollout of Right Care, Right Person expected to save policing 1 million hours a year to focus on fighting crime.聽
Last month, the Home Office published findings from the Police Productivity Review that could save 38 million police hours, the equivalent of another 20,000 police officers. 罢丑别听government will聽continue to support the sector to ensure they, like all public services, are making best use of their investment.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said:
This government will always support our police. Our communities deserve a well-funded and equipped force, dedicated to making our country safer.
Progress has been made, with overall crime down and 136,000 violent offences prevented since 2019, but we will continue to invest in policing.
That is why we are putting up to 拢843 million more into keeping our streets safe, so that every officer and community has the support and resources they need to cut crime, protect the public and build confidence in policing.
Policing Minister Chris Philp said:
We have delivered record ever police numbers, and this settlement will enable those numbers to be maintained going forwards.
This settlement will also support work to visibly patrol neighbourhoods, protect the public and prosecute more criminals. Overall crime is down 10% compared to last year and like-for-like down 56% since 2010 according to the crime survey.
Today鈥檚 settlement will enable us to keep driving crime down. I want to see a zero tolerance approach to any form of criminality.
Through today鈥檚聽funding agreement, over 拢200 million will go into priority projects like violence reduction units, as well as dedicated policing efforts to tackle county lines and anti-social behaviour, with areas across the country seeing clear impact from these government-funded initiatives.聽
In the 20 areas of the country most impacted by violent crime,聽violence reduction units聽have reached 215,000 young people. In combination with Grip hotspot policing, an estimated 136,000 violent offences have been prevented.聽
In total, 拢92 million will be available for hotspot policing and other work to tackle antisocial behaviour and serious violence. 聽
Police and crime聽commissioners聽could also聽receive up to 拢922 million extra聽to support frontline policing and聽maintain the record size of the police force nationwide, thanks to the 20,000 additional police officers recruited since 2019. With聽nearly 150,000聽officers currently in post,聽the government is committed聽to continuing to聽invest in the next generation of police officers.
The publication of the provisional funding settlement opens a period of consultation. The final police funding settlement will be debated in Parliament ahead of the new financial year.