Pay and Morale Survey makes for 'heartbreaking reading'

9 May 2025

One in 10 members who completed the survey reported never or almost never having enough money to cover their essentials.

Some 65 per cent said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their remuneration.

The Force has one of the lowest morale rates in England and Wales, with 58 per cent of respondents saying their personal morale was low or very low, up from 55 per cent last year. Only seven other forces had a higher figure.

There was also a rise in the percentage of officers who felt morale in the Force was low or very, up from 89 per cent last year to 92 per cent this year.

More than one in five (21 per cent) said they intended to resign from the police service within the next two years or as soon as they can. That’s a rise of seven per cent on last year.

In Derbyshire, the most frequently cited reasons for intending to leave were morale, the impact of the job on mental health and wellbeing, and the impact of the job on physical health and wellbeing (86 per cent, 81 per cent and 69 per cent respectively).

Kirsty said: “These figures make for heartbreaking reading.

Underpaid

“They paint a stark picture of all the issues facing our members – not just on the frontline but away from work as well.

“They feel overworked, undervalued, and underpaid. They have concerns about their health and wellbeing, about how they’re treated by the public and the Government, and about supporting their families.

“It’s a disgrace that we ask police officers to run towards danger to protect the public but some are going home and struggling to protect their own families with food on the table and a roof over their heads.

“Report after report highlights these issues but nothing changes. Is it any wonder that officers are thinking about leaving?”

Other results from the Derbyshire Police Federation Pay and Morale Survey include:

67 per cent said that over the last 12 months, their workload has been too high or much too high. This is higher than the national average of 63 per cent
4 per cent said they have never or rarely been able to take an 11-hour break between shifts in the last 12 months
36 per cent feel always or often pressured into working long hours over the last 12 months
48 per cent said they find their job very or extremely stressful, higher than the national figure of 44 per cent
83 per cent indicated they had experienced feelings of stress, low mood, anxiety, or other difficulties with their health and wellbeing over the last 12 months
35 per cent have experienced verbal insults (e.g., swearing, shouting, abuse) at least once per week in the past 12 months.
Only 15 per cent reported having access to double crewing at all times while on duty. Meanwhile, 67 per cent said they would like to have access to this
14 per cent reported that they had suffered one or more injuries that required medical attention as a result of work-related violence in the last year.
75 per cent did not feel valued within the police
93 per cent do not feel respected by the Government
51 per cent do not feel fairly treated in their job
76 per cent said they would not recommend joining the police to others

“It points to huge dissatisfaction within the service, but also even greater recruitment and retention problems down the line than we are already seeing.

“The Government needs to act quickly and decisively to address these issues.”

Derbyshire Police Federation is backing a national campaign which aims to expose the crisis in policing that is endangering officers' lives and putting public safety at risk.

Launched by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) Copped Enough: What the Police Take Home is Criminal, calls on the public to support police and their families by joining a ‘digital picket line’ in protest at www.polfed.org/campaigns/copped-enough

The campaign calls for immediate action on three key areas:

Restore police pay

Urgent, fully-funded action on fair pay
Full recognition of an army-style P-Factor allowance, recognising the unique risks of policing
Implement a binding, independent pay review system to remove political interference

Stop the mass exodus of experienced officers

Provide a retention package to keep skilled officers in policing
Develop a workforce plan focused on retention, not just recruitment
Support work-life balance, including protecting rest days, improved parental leave and transition support

Protect officers on the frontline

Enforce stronger sentencing for assaults on police officers
Fund police treatment centres centrally
Provide robust mental health support, including mandatory national recording of suicides and attempted suicide

Kirsty said: “Police officers put up with more than most, but too many have just Copped Enough.

“Without urgent action to restore fair pay and protect welfare, we face a dangerous loss of experience and a direct threat to the safety of our communities."

Read the full Derbyshire Police Pay and Morale Report.