Norfolk Police Pay and Morale Report

10 April 2024

83% of Norfolk Police officers feel ‘worse off’ financially now than they were five years ago and 16% ‘never’ or ‘almost never’ have enough money to cover all their essentials.

According to the 2023 Police Federation of England and Wales Pay and Morale Report – published today - 91% of respondents have seen living cost increases in the previous month and 75% of officers are dissatisfied with their pay.

Worryingly, 18% of Norfolk Police officers who responded to the survey said they intend to resign from the police service either ‘within the next two years’ or ‘as soon as [they] can’.

Whilst Police Officers received a 7% pay rise in 2023, they have still seen an incredible 16% real-terms pay cut over the past 12 years.

Police chiefs have pointed out that the high cost of living in the UK is placing an even bigger strain on officers, as well as hampering recruitment. They have asked the Government for officers to receive a 6% pay rise in 2024.

Officers are also struggling with low morale and lack of support, the survey found. 97% of officers said they do not feel respected by the Government, and 60% said they were experiencing low morale.

71% of respondents from Norfolk Police said that they would not recommend joining the police to others. 71% said they do not feel valued within the service.

Andy Symonds, Chair of Norfolk Police Federation, said: "This has been bubbling for a number of years with pay caps and pay freezes. In the Federation we have seen a sharp increase in having to support and signpost officers to help them deal with their financial situation.

"Many officers - particularly those with 5 of less years’ service - are unable to cope with unexpected financial bumps such as repairs to their personal cars, having to replace a broken washing machine or fridge. Officers wishing to move from rented accommodation to a mortgaged property are unable to do so due to their pay and not having enough of a deposit as they cannot save due to the cost of living and the suppression of their pay over many years.

"Last year we saw the Police pay review body recommend a 7% pay award which was the biggest pay award police have seen for as long as I can remember. But this was down simply to that inflation had been running at over 10% for a long period of time. It was an award that effectively was a pay cut due to inflation. It made no inroads into this pay suppression.

“Police officers need this Government to recognise their unique status and dangers they face, the huge stressors and demands as well as the fact that their pay has been eroded. We need to recruit and retain the best.

“Therefore with inflation now reduced we need this Government to start making pay awards that are above inflation that start to make up the money that we’ve seen taken from pay packets. We don’t expect this to be done instantly but over a finite period of time the pay awards need to reflect this. At this point we’ll see experienced officers not leaving to other professions that are either paid more or have working conditions that don’t make them ill, physical or mentally.

“So it’s of no surprise to me that 97% of respondents to the survey in Norfolk confirmed they do not feel respected by this Government. This growing issue which needs to be addressed immediately, sits squarely in the Governments urgent inbox to sort.

“We need them to accept these issues which currently they do not, then listen to the solutions which are very easily enacted without delay.  With the cost of living crisis hitting everyone in the country all officers want is a fair pay rise which takes into account current inflation and actually goes a significant way to recouping the real terms pay cut that we’ve suffered since 2010.

“Going forward, we want real change to the pay review process so that it is fair, takes into account our unique status and allows us to negotiate pay on behalf of the officers we represent.

“This is why we’re going to seek a view from or members as to the Federation seeking to get a seat at a negotiating table when it comes to our pay and conditions. It cannot right that our members who have zero industrial rights have to simply accept whatever the Government says when it comes to pay.

“We’ve seen others in the public sector seek further enhancements to their pay and conditions after their pay review body recommended a pay award and after negotiations they have been awarded more. Police officers do not have this option, they cannot say no to many things, they can’t refuse an order or tell their boss that this is not in their employment contract. They simply have to comply.”

Andy concluded: “My colleagues are human beings who happen to wear a uniform to protect others from danger, being victims of crime and catching those who commit crimes.

“They often place themselves in harm’s way to protect strangers. Many of their conditions of service being reduced or taken away completely since 2010. It’s a tough job which takes its toll both physically and mentally and all officers want is to be treated with fairness and paid appropriately for these stressors and dangers and they are not and have not been for many years now.

“This trend must cease now and start to be reversed so that my colleagues are paid for the demands, dangers and impact it has on their private life. Many of us miss important family events due to being at kept on after our shift has finished due to demand, having to work on our rest days due to them being cancelled or re-allocated, cancelled annual leave, working bank holidays and imposed annual leave embargos. These demands placed upon my colleagues explains why 93% feel they are not fairly paid for the job they do.”

Officers are coming under attack from the public too, the report showed, with 19% having suffered one or more injuries that required medical attention as a result of work-related violence in the last year.

Only 12% of officers who responded reported having access to double crewing at all times whilst on duty.

65% of respondents from Norfolk Police said that over the last 12 months, their workload has been ‘too high’ or ‘much too high’. 4% of officers said that they have ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ been able to take an 11-hour break between shifts in the last 12 months and 31% said they feel ‘always’ or ‘often’ feel pressured into working long hours.

Sadly, 86% of respondents from Norfolk Police indicated that they had experienced feelings of stress, low mood, anxiety, or other difficulties with their health and wellbeing over the last 12 months, and 45% said that they find their job ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ stressful.

The survey is based on 385 responses received from Norfolk Police officers.