Safer Streets mission risks ‘falling short’ without sufficient funding, says HM Chief Inspector

Sir Andy Cooke warned that without enough money, the much-needed reforms to policing either “won’t happen or won’t succeed”.

In his third annual assessment of policing in England and Wales, Sir Andy said policing has made real efforts to improve, but more fundamental reform needs to be made to secure far-reaching improvements.

He also paid tribute to the previous Home Secretary’s commitment to “driving forward police reform” and her support of policing over many years.

There has been a renewed focus on neighbourhood policing to help forces be more visible and responsive to community concerns, said Sir Andy. And while further work is needed in this area, he said pledges such as the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee are welcomed and helping forces to strengthen their approach.

New structures proposed by the then Home Secretary in November 2024, including a National Centre of Policing, should also help improve police procurement and access to technology and equipment, said Sir Andy. By centralising many support functions that forces rely on, such as IT, it could improve consistency between forces and potentially lead to efficiency savings.

In previous ‘State of Policing’ reports, Sir Andy raised his concerns over the decline in public confidence in the police service. This year, he has said it is promising that the evidence shows that this appears to be levelling out, but policing must continue to make concerted efforts before public confidence starts to improve.

Sir Andy also mentioned ongoing challenges facing forces that he has previously highlighted in recent years, and which still need to be addressed, including:

• Modern policing continues to depend on the effective use of data and technology, yet many forces are relying on outdated systems and struggling with poor data management. Police forces haven’t kept pace with rapid advancements in technology, which if embraced, will bring opportunities to operate more efficiently and effectively;
• The absence of multi-year funding and capital grants for forces remains a major barrier to making some of the long-term planning and investments that the police need, such as buildings, equipment and technology. Police forces must embrace innovation to meet the policing challenges of the future;
• The way funding for police forces is raised and distributed needs to change because it continues to be unfair and outdated. The police allocation formula, which is used to distribute central government grants, has remained unchanged since 2013; and
• High levels of inexperience across the workforce, and officers and staff continuing to feel undervalued and experience low morale.

Sir Andy also stressed the importance of good leadership and management. All police forces should be well led and managed to make sure they are efficient and effective. Key to this is making sure leaders are visible, set clear expectations, provide support and hold people to account, he said.

“At the end of last year, the then Home Secretary set out her plans for major reforms in policing and her intention to increase trust and confidence in the police,” said Sir Andy. “These reforms are welcome and required, and I pay tribute to her personal commitment to driving forward police reform.

“And it is clear across policing, that there is ambition for change to improve efficiency and effectiveness of policing. Chief constables are working towards the Safer Streets mission with a collaborative approach and vigour.

“However, the reforms require substantial upfront investment, and sustained commitment to succeed. They must be sufficiently funded. Without enough money, there is a risk that the ambitions of the Government and police service will fall short, and the much-needed reforms to policing either won’t happen or won’t succeed.

“Police funding has increased, yet many forces remain under strain due to rising demand and a variety of cost pressures.  As I have set out in previous reports, the way the funding is distributed still needs to change because it is outdated and unfair. And the absence of a capital grant for forces remains a major barrier to making some of the long-term investments that the police need. In such a comprehensive and ambitious programme of reform, not reforming police funding would be a missed opportunity.

“For example, forces would benefit from some financial certainty, such as through a multi-year funding settlement that sets out how much forces can expect to receive.”

He added: “Change is needed now for policing to improve the service it provides to the public and how it deals with the evolving challenges it faces. There is a great deal to do to build the public’s trust and make our communities safer.

“As the police service needs time and opportunity to make the necessary changes, I have chosen not to make any recommendations in my ‘State of Policing’ report this year.”

Sir Andy Marsh, chief executive officer of the College of Policing, welcomed the State of Policing report which he said “offers an in-depth, honest evaluation of the police service across England and Wales”.

“It presents a thorough review of recent progress within policing, as well as focusing on where further development is required,” he said.

“We fully endorse Sir Andy Cooke’s aim to make streets safer, and our neighbourhood policing training is a vital part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

“As he points out, good leadership and management is the key to our continued progress, and the college’s leadership standards and programmes at all levels form a central pillar of the college’s strategy to enhance leadership development across policing.

“Sir Andy is also right that it still takes too long for proven innovative technologies to be adopted across policing. The College of Policing’s Centre for Police Productivity is helping to identify and scale those approaches that will drive the greatest efficiencies and benefits for the public.

“Only through a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, can we help to build a more resilient and efficient service, which in turn cuts crime.”

Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) chair Emily Spurrell said: “I welcome the Chief Inspector’s recognition of the progress made across policing to improve public confidence, while also identifying areas that need further attention.

“Neighbourhood policing remains a top priority for police and crime commissioners (PCCs) and deputy mayors, so I’m pleased to see its importance acknowledged. However, concerns persist about the impact of financial pressures on delivering the Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, and the effect of an inexperienced workforce on investigations and outcomes for victims – concerns many PCCs share.

“Sir Andy rightly highlights the value of the PCC-led model of local accountability and the opportunity presented by upcoming reforms to improve consistency and performance. PCCs agree that while centralisation can bring benefits, it must be balanced with flexibility to meet local needs and supported by adequate funding and oversight.

“The APCC is working closely with the Home Office, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services and other partners to help shape a robust national performance framework.

““Finally, the report’s findings on leadership and recruitment challenges are important. PCCs have recruited strong candidates for chief constable roles, but we must continue working to expand and diversify the pool of talent ready to take on these demanding positions.”

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) said while it acknowledges the State of Policing report, it is “deeply concerned that it underplays the reality of frontline policing and the strain our members face every day”.

“Progress on workloads, welfare, officer care and the Police Covenant remains glacial and too often only shifts after a crisis. That is neither acceptable nor sustainable,” said the PFEW.

“With new data showing a clear link between misconduct processes and police officer deaths by suicide, His Majesty’s Inspectorate must ensure that a focus on this when looking at issues around police misconduct. Accountability and welfare must go hand in hand – one cannot be pursued at the expense of the other.

“The report itself highlights the challenges: unmanageable investigative workloads, the daily risk of violence against officers, and the shameful reality that 90 per cent of funding for police treatment centres comes directly from officers’ own pockets rather than from government or forces.

“Challenges, however, need solutions, and if these annual assessments identify failings but cannot mandate chief officers to implement solutions, they risk becoming meaningless.”

The PFEW said government and policing leaders must finally deliver the Police Covenant in full, properly fund and mandate welfare provision, and put officer care at the heart of reform. Anything less will fail both officers and the public they serve, it said.

Tiff Lynch, PFEW national chair, said: “The findings and issues raised in this report are disturbing and shaming. Officers are drowning under workloads, facing increasing daily violence, and are even paying 90 per cent of the cost of their own rehab out of their own pockets.

“In this context, it is easy to understand why many officers have simply copped enough. Unless government and policing leaders put officer welfare and support at the heart of reform, the service will continue to fail both its workforce and the public.”

State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2024–25