Survey reveals some officers never have enough money for essentials

1 May 2025

The chair of Northamptonshire Police Federation has called for members to receive the South East Allowance as a new report reveals the extent to which pay has hit morale.

Sam Dobbs said that receiving the allowance could help improve spirits and reduce the number of officers looking to leave the service.

He was speaking as the branch’s Pay and Morale Survey was launched.

It shows that 82 per cent of Northamptonshire Police officers felt worse off financially than five years ago.

Only the City of London and Met police forces had a bigger percentage.

The survey also found that 62 per cent of respondents from Northamptonshire Police were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their overall remuneration.

Dissatisfied

Some 14 per cent of officers reported never or almost never having enough money to cover all their essentials.

More than a quarter of respondents (26 per cent) said they intended to resign in the next two years or as soon as they can, a rise of two per cent on last year.

The figure is above the national average (23 per cent) and the fifth highest in the country.

In Northamptonshire Police, the most frequently cited reasons for intending to leave were morale, the impact of the job on mental health and wellbeing, and how the police are treated by the Government (74 per cent, 73 per cent and 67 per cent, respectively).

Sam said: “The results of this survey demonstrate just how much our members have been - and continue to be - impacted by the cost of living.

 

Branch chair Sam Dobbs has called for members to receive the South East Allowance.

 

“How can we expect our members to put themselves in harm’s way when so many are struggling to pay their bills and feed their families? It’s a disgrace. Yet despite this, our members show up and come to work, day in and day out. Their passion for policing and dedication to protecting the public has become one of our biggest strengths, but also one of our biggest weaknesses.

“Northamptonshire is a desirable area in which to live, and house prices in parts of the county are in line with the south east.

“We’re next to Bedfordshire and Thames Valley forces, which are both in receipt of the allowance, and the cost of living crisis does not stop at county borders.

“Awarding our members the south east allowance is one way the Government could improve morale in the Force.

"Is it too much to expect officers and their families to be able to live outside of their work?”

Worrying

Sam added: “The figures around retaining our officers are stark and worrying.

“We’re already in the midst of a recruitment and retention crisis, so to hear that as many as a quarter of rank-and-file officers are considering their future is deeply concerning.

“But it shouldn’t come as a surprise. 

“As a Federation we've been warning for years of the consequences of cuts to police pay and remuneration, the long hours and heavy workloads, and the feeling among our members that they are undervalued.

“It’s been 10 years since the then Home Secretary accused the Police Federation of ‘crying wolf’ regarding budget cuts and their impact on policing. As I look back on that speech, I’m not proud or pleased to see that 10 years later, our warnings and concerns back then still exist and in fact, have never been more true.”

Some 53 per cent of Northamptonshire Police Federation respondents said their personal morale was low or very low, compared to 57 per cent nationally. 84 per cent felt morale in the force is currently low or very low. This is lower than the national statistic of 88 per cent.

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

• 62 per cent said over the last 12 months, their workload has been too high or much too high

• 4 per cent said they have never or rarely been able to take an 11-hour break between shifts in the last 12 months

• 33 per cent feel always or often pressured into working long hours over the last 12 months

• 46 per cent said they find their job very or extremely stressful, higher than the national figure at 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

• 36 per cent have experienced verbal insults (e.g., swearing, shouting, abuse) at least once per week in the past 12 months.

• Only 14 per cent reported having access to double crewing at all times while on duty. Meanwhile, 75 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.

• 71 per cent did not feel valued within the police

• 92 per cent do not feel respected by the Government

• 50 per cent do not feel fairly treated in their job

• 74 per cent said they would not recommend joining the police to others

Now, Northamptonshire 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.

Copped Enough: What the Police Take Home is Criminal has been launched by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW).

It 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 suicides

Read the full Northamptonshire Pay and Morale Report.