Police forces are managing increasing financial pressures, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report on police productivity.
The official auditors found that in 2024-25, police took short-term measures, such as borrowing and reducing their reserves. They found that ‘police forces have also run high levels of staff vacancies, used more officers in civilian roles and re-prioritised the services they provide’. The NAO points out that most of the police’s funding (77 per cent) goes on pay, meaning police forces have limits on capital spending on new technology. The NAO report noted that ‘wider criminal justice reforms, such as the sentencing review and changes to probation, are predicted to further increase demand on the police’, while the Labour government’s neighbourhood policing commitments ‘will require police forces to make significant savings’. A projected average annual increase in total police funding of 1.7 per cent is likely to be absorbed by pay increases and inflation, the NAO reported.
Gareth Davies, head of the NAO said: “Improving the productivity of the police is crucial to helping them manage financial pressures while supporting their ability to respond to changing demands. While structural changes will take time, the Home Office can make immediate progress on tackling the other barriers to higher productivity.”
The audit found little evidence that the Home Office’s previous efficiency attempts have led to lasting improvements in working practices across all police forces. As background, policing received total funding of £19.9 billion in 2025-26. The NAO report covers the financial pressures facing policing; and the Home Office’s approach – the auditors reported that ‘the Home Office has not yet established an approach to measuring police productivity’. While various forces may adopt tech, ‘adoption of new initiatives at a national level has been slow’, the report said. What the NAO termed ‘digital and AI opportunities’ aren’t being exploited enough, according to the report.
Comment
For the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, APCC chair Emily Spurrell said: “The National Audit Office is right to highlight the urgent need to boost police productivity – but it’s clear that forces are being held back by outdated funding models and rising demand.
“Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Deputy Mayors are legally bound to deliver an efficient and effective service, however current funding pressures are making this increasingly challenging. Without smarter investment and greater flexibility in how funding is used, forces will continue to struggle to modernise and meet the needs of our communities.
“The current reform programme is a golden opportunity to transform policing through better use of data and technology – but that transformation won’t happen without significant investment. Many forces simply don’t have the resources to unlock the productivity gains that innovation can bring. We need a funding system that empowers local leaders to respond to local priorities – whether that’s tackling knife crime, strengthening neighbourhood policing, or protecting women and girls.
”We will continue to work with the Home Office and policing partners to build a modern, resilient police service – one that’s properly funded and fit for the future.”
You can read the 50-page report at https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/police-productivity/.
