Britain’s biggest police force facing ‘substantial tough choices’ over cuts
Funding rises from local and central government are not enough to plug the budget gap, the Metropolitan Police has warned.
The UK’s biggest police force says it is still facing a £260 million budget shortfall and “substantial tough choices” over cuts despite funding increases from central and local government.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan announced a £10 million boost for the Met from City Hall and £73 million from central government, giving the force total funding from City Hall of £1.159 billion for 2025/26.
This came after warnings from Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley in December that the force had a £450 million budget shortfall and could need to cut 2,300 officers and 400 staff. The force currently has just more than 33,200 police officers and 11,200 staff.
Later that month, the Government pledged to increase funding for forces across England and Wales, but police chiefs warned there remained a £1.3 billion funding gap over the next two years.
On Tuesday, the Met said while it was grateful for the cash increases from the Government and Mayor, it would still have to make cuts to its services and hoped the Government’s spending review, when funding levels are announced in late spring, would solve its problems.
A spokesperson said: “While this new funding decreases our original funding gap from £450 million, it leaves us with a £260 million shortfall and we will have to make substantial tough choices, reducing our size and services.
“This will be hard for our dedicated officers and staff, but equally will have implications for policing London and we will communicate more in due course.
“We hope the upcoming spending review will help fix our long-term funding issues and put us on a sustainable footing for the future.”
The force could not provide revised figures for the number of officers and staff that it may need to cut.
In December, Sir Mark said there could be cuts to the anti-robbery Flying Squad and the removal of its firearms officers; the Royal Parks Police could be axed along with reductions to dogs and the mounted branch.
He also warned of reduced opening hours for some police counters and a reduction in the number of cold case investigations looking at crimes committed “many years or decades ago”.
The forecast budget gap came after underfunded pay increases, the cost of maintaining buildings, increased demand on the service and a depletion of savings, he told the London Policing Board.
Even after the Government announced a funding boost in December, the force said it would need to make the “majority of the tough choices we have planned for”.
The Mayor of London’s office said the Met is receiving an extra £320 million in 2025/26 compared to this year.
Mayor of London Mr Khan said: “Bearing down on crime and keeping Londoners safe is my top priority as Mayor and I’ll always use all the levers at my disposal to fund the police, investing record sums from City Hall.
“I am pleased to propose an additional £320 million since last year for the Metropolitan Police, with £83 million more since January, thanks to Government support.
“Despite this record-breaking additional funding, the Met still faces a difficult financial situation due to over a decade of cuts by the previous government.
“As Mayor, I will continue to work with the new Government and the Commissioner ahead of the forthcoming spending review on the funding the Met needs to ensure we can continue building a safer London for everyone.”
