Police force budget shortfalls 2025-26
UNISON’s analysis of police financial forecasts show that England and Wales forces could be facing a shortfall of almost £1 billion by 2027.
The data, based on medium-term financial plans submitted by individual police forces to their local police and crime panels, reveals the scale of the financial challenge policing is facing. The Met Police is the worst affected (£393m), followed by Essex (£39m) and Avon & Somerset (£35m).
The scale of these budget shortfalls has grown considerably since UNISON last did this research:
- In 2023 it was projected the shortfall for 2026 would be almost £721m.
- Now, it’s £773m and the two year projected shortfall has grown by 35%.
Many vital police staff roles have already been cut or left vacant in order to save money. These include PCSOs, crime scene investigators, call handlers, dispatch controllers and crime analysts.
Cutting police staff jobs will also damage the government’s efforts to put more police officers and PCSOs on the streets and many redundant or vacant police staff posts will have to be filled by police officers.