‘Pay and Morale Survey must be taken seriously’ says branch chair

20 March 2024

Northamptonshire Police Federation chair Sam Dobbs says the results of this year’s Pay and Morale Survey need to be taken seriously as it is revealed that one-fifth of officers are considering leaving policing.

Sam’s comments address the survey which is conducted by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) annually and this year found that 22 per cent of officers, nationally, are contemplating leaving the service.

Among them, 85 per cent cited morale as a significant factor, alongside issues such as inadequate treatment from the government (78 per cent), concerns about mental health and wellbeing (73 per cent), and dissatisfaction with pay (70 per cent).

“I’m extremely concerned, albeit not hugely surprised, to hear that so many police officers are contemplating leaving their job,” said Sam.

“It’s no secret that cops feel overworked, in demand and undervalued - we don’t need a survey to tell us that. However, what this survey does do is allow our members to provide recorded honest feedback that needs to be taken seriously.”

More than three quarters (78 per cent) of police officers disclosed they are ‘dissatisfied’ or ‘very dissatisfied’ with their overall remuneration (including basic pay and allowances), while 18 per cent reported ‘never’ or ‘almost never’ having enough money to cover all their essentials.

More than half (58 per cent) of respondents feel their morale is ‘low’ or ‘very low’, while 87 per cent feel morale within their force is currently ‘low’ or ‘very low’. 

More than two-thirds (82 per cent) indicated they had experienced feelings of stress, low mood, anxiety or other problems with their mental health and wellbeing over the last 12 months.

Sam continued: “The purpose of the Pay and Morale Survey is so we can gain a better understanding of the behaviour, preferences and opinions of our members. But what actions will be taken in response to such saddening results?

“Until police officers are rewarded with the pay they deserve, these results won’t change - if anything, they will only get worse.

“Last year, our local report shaped around the voices of Northamptonshire Police officers, made for dismal reading. It mostly mirrored national results, with 60 per cent of our colleagues revealing they wouldn’t recommend joining the Force,” continued Sam.

“Nationally, that figure has increased up to 73 per cent and I would be lying if I wasn’t expecting the same again on a local level this year.” 

Other findings include:
•    95 per cent said how the police are treated by the Government had a negative impact on their morale.
•    81 per cent said their pay had a negative impact on their morale.
•    71 per cent said they did not feel valued within the police.
•    92 per cent of respondents feel they are not fairly paid given the stresses and strains of their job.
•    86 per cent said they do not feel there are enough officers to meet the demands of their team or unit.
•    64 per cent said their workload has been ‘too high’ or ‘much too high’ over the last 12 months.
•    39 per cent said their workload being too high had an impact on their mental health and wellbeing.

PFEW national chair Steve Hartshorn said: “At a critical time where the police service is looking to rebuild eroded public confidence, a sustained recruitment and retention programme is needed to meet demand and deliver. The numbers we currently have are not enough and we are haemorrhaging officers.

“We do not need to scratch our heads wondering why they are quitting, because the evidence is right here, with unfair pay at the centre of it all.

“A fair pay mechanism is urgently needed, namely the ‘P-Factor’, a payment for remunerating officers for the harm they may encounter while carrying out their duties among other restrictions. It is there to address a series of unique issues experienced by police officers, and independent research agrees with this positioning.

“To help the Government understand these unique challenges to policing, PFEW is undertaking its own review of the P-Factor design and formula to support our campaigning on this matter.

“The survey findings ultimately demonstrate the need for committed action, and a vote for the members to make a decision around whether they want to seek greater industrial rights, specifically collective bargaining and binding arbitration in relation to pay and conditions, will be held as soon as is practicable this year.”

Read the full report.