Police chiefs have warned that public safety will be at risk unless Chancellor John Healey finds more money for forces, saying current funding is "significantly" below what is needed.
The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) told The Mirror that delivering core policing services is becoming harder and harder due to funding constraints. Forces are relying on reserves and debt to balance the books, which is not sustainable in the long term.
Funding pressures ahead of Budget
The warning comes ahead of Mr Healey unveiling his first Budget on Wednesday. Chief Constable Paul Sanford, NPCC finance lead, said funding is "significantly" below what it should be. The Police Federation of England and Wales, which represents rank and file officers, told the newspaper that the government needs to urgently review officer pay.
Paul Williams, the Federation's acting deputy national chair, said: "Warm words and mere promises won't help keep officers in the job. It's time for urgent action. Government must give our officers the pay, protection and resources they need to keep the public safe."
Pay and funding demands
The Federation has called for pay rises of at least 7% over four years to restore the value of police pay, as well as multi-year funding certainty for forces. It also said ministers must bring forward its promise to review police funding formulas.
Mr Sanford said: "Police officers continue to protect the public and prevent serious harm, despite more prisoners being released early, more protests turning into disorder, and increasing demands linked to mental health, welfare and safeguarding.
"But it is becoming harder and harder to deliver core policing services as more responsibilities and expectations are placed on forces. Current funding is significantly below what is needed.
"Whilst police budgets have modestly increased in recent years, those increases have fallen short of covering basic inflationary pressures. Insufficient funding is a risk to public safety.
"Forces are constantly seeking further efficiencies, but after 15 years of underinvestment, most savings are made by cutting service – mainly visible policing.
"Police reform is needed and must happen, but the benefits of which could take years to arrive, while many forces are struggling with budget pressures right now.
"These pressures need to be addressed now through our annual settlements."
Funding figures and economic impact
Figures released by the Home Office in August showed £21.1billion of funding had been agreed for forces in England and Wales in the year to March 2027. This was up 6.5% - almost £1.3billion - compared to the previous year, and 75.7% higher than the year ending March 2016.
Ahead of the 2027/28 police settlement, the Home Office has established a new "Financial Resilience Framework." It is part of a wider overhaul of the policing system. The Home Secretary will set out the next steps of the Funding Formula after a review.
The NPCC estimates that in the next four years, debt is expected to rise by around £2.5billion across UK policing. It argues that every £1 invested in policing generates £10.70 in economic value for businesses, and said a 10% increase in community policing could generate £13billion in economic benefits over three years.
It also pointed to studies that found businesses in areas of high crime have a 19% chance of surviving a decade, compared with 45% in low crime neighbourhoods.
