Rest Day Proposals Risk Officer Welfare

23 March 2026

Chiefs’ rest day proposals are a serious mistake that risk officer welfare and public safety, according to the Police Federation of England and Wales.

The PFEW has issued a stark warning to the Government not to accept proposals from police chiefs that would make it cheaper and easier for forces to intrude on the vital rest days officers need to keep communities safe.

Police officers are currently entitled to a minimum four hours’ compensation at time and a half when they are required to work on a cancelled rest day or bank holiday, recognising the disruption to protected rest and family commitments.

In its submission to the Government-controlled Police Remuneration Review Body, police chiefs have proposed to remove that safeguard with officers paid at time and one-third, calculated in 15-minute increments, for the exact time worked. The submission also seeks to tighten the rules around how cancelled rest days are re-rostered.

In response, the Federation is launching ‘Hands Off Our Rest Days’ as part of its wider Copped Enough campaign for better pay, working conditions and support for police officers.

Raffaele Cioffi, Chair of Sussex Police Federation: “Our members have already endured years of pressure, sacrifice and financial strain. To now see proposals from those who should be supporting them, which risk driving some even further into hardship, is deeply disappointing.

“Officers are already working rest days to plug the gaps in an overstretched service. The answer is not to make that cheaper; it is to confront the real issue, which is chronic under-resourcing.

"Our members want to see the NPCC standing up to Government and making the case for the true cost of policing, not backing measures that weaken the frontline and further undermine those who keep the public safe.

"Our members have spoken and it is clear that collective bargaining with binding arbitration is what is needed."

Police Federation National Chair Tiff Lynch said: “This weekend we’ll see further protests in London and that guarantees rest days for officers in the capital and beyond will be disrupted.

"At a time when policing is getting more dangerous and when thousands are choosing to leave, chief constables are proposing not to strengthen protections for their men and women but to weaken them.

National Secretary John Partington said: “It is difficult to see how any Chief Constable who truly supports their officers could believe making it cheaper to cancel rest days is the right approach. They should scrap these plans now.

“Policing continues to function largely because officers repeatedly step up, cancelling rest days, missing family time and working through fatigue. Making it easier and cheaper to intrude on that rest time is not a solution. It is a gamble with officer welfare and public safety."