Home Office abolishes role of PCC: statement from the Federation

13 November 2025

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) roles will be abolished, the Home Office announced today.

They will be replaced by mayors, their deputies, or by police and crime boards in 2028, to coincide with the next slate of elections.

PCCs were originally created more than a decade ago in 2012 to make police forces and fire services answerable to elected officials.

They have the power to dismiss Chief Constables and draw up crime-fighting plans, while setting local police budgets and council tax precepts.

Reacting to the announcement, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) Tiff Lynch said: “We welcome this announcement and look forward to helping shape whatever accountability structures replace directly-elected Police and Crime Commissioners.

Police and Crime Commissioners

“PCCs were an expensive experiment which has failed. The tens of millions of pounds they cost should instead be a down-payment for the sort of policing service this country and its police officers deserve – one with enough officers, with experienced police officers who can afford to keep doing the job, and where officers facing immense stress are properly supported when they put their lives and bodies on the line to protect all of us.

“The forthcoming Police Reform White Paper is a chance for this government to show it is serious about all of this.

“The Police Federation’s Copped Enough campaign is calling for urgent action to recognise the unique demands of policing, a real plan to keep experienced officers on the beat and protecting our communities with proper recognition of the dangers officers face, such as better mental health support.”