Police pay exposed as hard-hitting campaign launched

1 May 2025

Derbyshire Police Federation is backing a national campaign exposing the pay crisis and rising dangers facing police officers.

Copped Enough: What the Police Take Home is Criminal has been launched by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) today on International Workers’ Day (1 May).

The campaign is a result of officers' real pay dropping by 20 per cent since 2010, despite being increasingly exposed to trauma and danger.

Kirsty Bunn, Derbyshire Police Federation secretary, said: “Policing is a job like no other and officers are expected to run towards danger when others may run away.

“But despite that, we’re not asking for special treatment, we’re asking for fairness.

“Pay for frontline police officers has fallen by more than a fifth since 2010, and 10,000 officers a year are resigning from the service.

“Police officers have no industrial rights, so they can’t strike in pursuit of better pay and conditions.

“Valuing police leads to safer streets and stronger communities, and that should be a national priority.”

The campaign calls for action in three areas:

1. Restore police pay

Urgent and fully-funded pay restoration
Introduce a ‘P-Factor’ allowance to reflect the unique demands and risks of policing
A binding, independent pay review system, free from political interference

2. Stop the exodus of experienced officers

Develop retention packages for skilled officers
Implement a national workforce strategy focused on experience, not just recruitment numbers
Improve work-life balance with better parental leave, protected rest days, and career transition support

3. Protect Frontline Officers

Enforce tougher sentencing for those who assault police
Centralised funding for police treatment centres, not out of police officer pockets
Mandatory national recording of suicides and suicide attempts in the service, with dedicated mental health support

More than three-quarters (76 per cent) of those who participated in Derbyshire said they are financially worse off now than they were five years ago.

The survey demonstrated the reality for officers in Derbyshire:

86 per cent of participants feel their cost of living has increased in the last month
58 per cent said that they are ‘dissatisfied’ or ‘very dissatisfied’ with their overall remuneration (including basic pay and allowances).
92 per cent feel that morale in Force is ‘low’ or ‘very low’
83 per cent have experienced stress, low mood or anxiety over the last 12 months
74 per cent don’t feel valued in policing
93 per cent admit to not feeling valued by the Government

Kirsty added: “Our members are overworked, underpaid and under threat while their real income continues to shrink.

“We have officers using food banks, struggling with mental health, and feeling forced to leave the job they love.

“Enough is enough, and we urge the public to get behind our campaign and support the men and women on the frontline of policing.”

As part of the campaign, the public is being urged to stand with police and their families by joining a digital picket line at www.polfed.org/campaigns/copped-enough