Surrey Police Pay and Morale Report
10 April 2024
85% of Surrey 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 - 89% of respondents have seen living cost increases in the previous month and 79% of officers are dissatisfied with their pay.
Worryingly, 20% of Surrey 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. 95% of officers said they do not feel respected by the Government, and 54% said they were experiencing low morale.
73% of respondents from Surrey Police said that they would not recommend joining the police to others. 65% said they do not feel valued within the service.
Tom Arthur, Branch Secretary Surrey Police Federation, said: “This year shows yet again that Officer Morale stays at an all-time low, some 90% of those surveyed confirming this - with pay and feeling undervalued by the Government being the main reasons.
“I speak to colleagues and see how they are suffering financially, with 1 in 5 now not being able to cover their monthly expenses, fuel and cost of living rises continues to erode our pay, yet we see no sign of the government closing what in effect is a 16% pay cut that we have endured over recent years.
“One in five of my colleagues in Surrey are actively seeking alternative employment. Forces and the Government cannot keep ignoring this and making platitudes to the public about how they are serious in dealing with Law and Order.
“We do a difficult often thankless job, putting ourselves in the line of danger and often life- threatening situations.
“Colleagues are overworked and suffering from high levels of stress and mental health while the Government ignore this and often tie the hands of Forces.
"It is about time that Chief Officers got behind their Federation and their Officers to make representations to a Government who are ignoring this crisis.”
Officers are coming under attack from the public too, the report showed, with 18% having suffered one or more injuries that required medical attention as a result of work-related violence in the last year.
Only 21% of officers who responded reported having access to double crewing at all times whilst on duty.
69% of respondents from Surrey 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 34% said they feel ‘always’ or ‘often’ feel pressured into working long hours.
Sadly, 84% of respondents from Surrey 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 42% said that they find their job ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ stressful.
The survey is based on 460 responses received from Surrey Police officers.
