Police forces across the UK are sounding the alarm over a growing funding crisis that they say could seriously impact how crime is tackled on the ground. In a blunt message to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, senior police leaders revealed a looming £1.3 billion shortfall over the next two years, warning it could force cuts to officer numbers, specialist units, and community policing. While the government has pledged £100 million to support neighbourhood patrols, police chiefs argue this falls far short of what’s needed to meet rising public safety demands. Forces like Lincolnshire and Essex are already considering drastic measures; Lincolnshire could lose 400 officers and staff, and Essex may axe all 99 police community support officer roles to plug multimillion-pound gaps.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council and the National Crime Agency say this kind of underfunding makes it nearly impossible to deliver on Labour’s crime reduction promises, including halving knife crime and tackling violence against women. Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson admitted the government is inheriting tough circumstances after years of Conservative rule but insisted staffing decisions must be made locally. Even so, there’s growing concern that unless ministers deliver a stronger financial settlement in the upcoming spending review, the police will be forced back into a corner, prioritising some crimes at the expense of others.
Chiefs are pushing for a long-term funding model and fairer resource distribution, especially for urban areas facing higher crime levels. Without this, they argue, the UK risks sliding back into an era of reactive, stretched policing that fails to keep pace with modern threats. As it stands, the country’s law enforcement may soon have to make the difficult choice between presence and prevention, and the consequences could touch every corner of public life.
