Record numbers of police officers in the UK are on long-term sick leave, costing the taxpayer close to £3 million per week. Home Office figures indicate that the equivalent of 3,358 full-time officers across 43 forces were absent for more than 28 days as of March 31. This figure represents a 71 percent increase since 2021, when 1,965 officers were on long-term sick leave.
The Police Federation attributes the rise in absences to a combination of factors, including "poor management, rising assaults and increasing workloads." A spokesperson for the federation stated that long-term sickness is an "inevitable result of relentless workloads, constant trauma, rising assaults, and a system that treats officers as an endless resource."
The Home Office confirmed that many officers are unable to work due to injuries, assaults, and psychological conditions. The total salary bill for these absent officers amounts to approximately £150 million annually, equating to nearly £3 million each week.
William Yarwood, campaigns director of The TaxPayers' Alliance, expressed concern over the figures, stating, "Victims will be horrified that record numbers of police officers are off sick while forces plead for more resources." He added, "Taxpayers are funding close to £3 million a week in wages for officers unable to report for duty, at the very moment the public wants more bobbies on the beat and criminals behind bars." Yarwood urged police chiefs to address sickness absence and poor management, ensuring recruitment efforts are not undermined by officers remaining off duty.
Among individual forces, the Metropolitan Police reported the highest number of officers on sick leave with 750. Greater Manchester followed with 209, West Midlands with 169, West Yorkshire with 152, and South Wales with 119.
However, when measured as a proportion of a force's strength, Cleveland Police was the most affected, with 72 out of 1,504 full-time equivalent officers, or 4.8 percent, on sick leave. Across England and Wales, the overall rate of long-term sick leave was 2.3 percent, or one in 43 officers.