BlueLight Commercial welcomes NAO report on Police Productivity

Formed in 2020 by the Home Office and policing, BlueLight Commercial works with members and partners across the blue light community to transform procurement activity across the whole commercial lifecycle. The NAO report recognises the organisation’s success in helping police forces achieve sustainable efficiencies and better value for money.

The report confirms that BlueLight Commercial has consistently met its efficiency targets, delivering £112 million in savings, efficiencies, and cost recovery through national frameworks and contracts.

Today, BlueLight Commercial manages around 300 national contracts and frameworks on behalf of police forces, supporting the Home Office’s aim to reduce duplication and standardise procurement across the 43 forces in England and Wales. The organisation also plays a key role in helping forces identify new opportunities across the commercial lifecycle – from embracing innovation and technology to embedding social value and ethical, sustainable practices.

Looking ahead, BlueLight Commercial says it will continue to build on these strong foundations, working collaboratively with policing to accelerate delivery, increase participation, and drive even greater impact, efficiency, and value across the sector.

Joy Allen, chair of BlueLight Commercial, said: “The NAO’s Police Productivity report reinforces just how important collaboration and smarter commercial practice are to the future of policing.

“As chair of BlueLight Commercial, I’m proud to lead an organisation at the forefront of that change – already delivering over £112 million in direct benefits, managing 300-plus national contracts, and supporting forces to ‘buy once for all’. Our focus is clear: to meet the Government’s ambitious efficiency targets and ensure that savings through BlueLight Commercial is reinvested directly into UK policing.

“The NAO’s report rightly acknowledges the outstanding contribution of BlueLight Commercial and our staff in driving real, measurable savings across policing. This is a testament to the professionalism, skill, and commitment of our team. Their hard work and extensive collaboration with the 43 forces across England and Wales is delivering the efficiencies that make reinvestment in frontline policing, technology, and victim services possible.

“Together, we’re proving that smarter commercial practice doesn’t just save money – it strengthens public safety and trust.”

Lianne Deeming, chief executive at BlueLight Commercial, added: “This recognition from the NAO reflects the incredible dedication and expertise of the BlueLight Commercial team and the wider policing commercial community.

“Delivering £112 million in direct benefits to policing is a remarkable achievement and demonstrates what can be achieved when we work together across organisational boundaries with a shared purpose – to deliver better value for money and stronger public services. Our teams are working hand in hand with forces to drive innovation, create national standards, and embed a culture of commercial excellence across policing. By transforming how we buy, collaborate, and share best practice, we are helping policing reinvest savings where they matter most – in frontline delivery and community safety.”

BlueLight Commercial continues to work closely with the College of Policing, National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), and the Home Office as a core delivery partner in the Police Efficiency and Collaboration Programme (PECP) – a key strand of the Government’s plan to modernise policing, deliver better value, and reinvest savings into frontline services.