40,601 working days were lost to sickness last year in Avon and Somerset Police

12 December 2025

40,601 working days were lost to sickness last year in Avon and Somerset Police, which shows just how much pressure officers are under, the Chair of Avon and Somerset Police Federation said.

Tom Gent was commenting on Home Office figures collected by The Telegraph, which show that, nationally, 1.63 million police working days were lost to illness or injury in the year to March, the highest level since records began.

Tom said: “Our officers face relentless workloads and traumatic incidents, and many tell me they are simply unable to stop and have a break. These figures aren’t just numbers – they represent real people under immense pressure.

“Our officers desperately want to give their all to protect the public, but we need to look after them too. Policing urgently needs more Government funding, as asking officers who are already under pressure and have such high workloads to do even more is not sustainable, nor does it allow us to deliver the best service to the public.”

A spokesman from the Police Federation of England and Wales commented on the national figures, saying: “Policing in 2025 is a service that is breaking the people whose bravery and dedication protect communities across the country every day.

“Police officers are exposed to hundreds of traumatic incidents every year and every incident leaves its mark. With assaults on officers at record levels and the job getting more dangerous, these figures are not surprising.

“What is shocking is the record number of police officers – nearly 9,000 a year – who are resigning from policing before the job breaks them. More than 18 officers die by suicide every year.

“Policing needs to fix its leadership and create healthy workplaces where officers can thrive. Bad pay, worse morale and the challenge of working in conditions where every shift ends late and rest days are cancelled regularly are contributory factors to sickness absence.”