METFRIENDLY REPORT
SURVEY FINDS FAIR PAY A MUST FOR OFFICERS
Findings of Metfriendly’s annual survey of police family finance has once again cast a spotlight on the impact of cost of living crisis and real terms pay cut endured by police officers, particularly as a result of increased housing costs
This year’s Metfriendly Police Family Finance Index Report has yet again highlighted the impact of years of real terms pay cut on police officers’ financial and mental health. The report, based on a
survey of more than 6,000 serving and retired police officers and support staff, found that 55 per cent of them felt their financial situation had declined over the past 12 months, despite the pay adjustments received in 2023. Further, the report revealed that the cost of living crisis continued to affect police officers as more than half of the respondents, 56 per cent, saying that their financial situation was having a high level of impact on their mental health. According to the survey’s findings, one in five of the respondents, 21 per cent, were skipping meals, and food bank usage was on the rise with nearly one in ten, 9 per cent, having used one or admitting their family members have in the last 12 months. Short-term financial pressures were
also having a long-term impact on police officers with just under half, 49 per cent, of all officers considered stopping pension payments due to financial pressures in the past 12 months. This included 8 per cent of respondents who had halted pension payments to make ends meet. Annette Petchey, Chief Executive
Officer, Metfriendly said: “The ongoing cost of living crisis is having a huge impact on everyone, but it is having a particularly significant impact on the mental health of police families. Those in the force face long hours, excessive workloads, changing shift patterns and exposure to trauma day in and day out. The very nature of their jobs means that maintaining good mental health
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is often an uphill battle, but the financial stresses they are facing are exacerbating this and making an already difficult issue feel impossible.
“Our research shockingly reveals that a
“I recommend that all involved in UK policing read the report and consider the clear evidence that these challenges are having on the recruitment and retention of police officers and staff.”
quarter of police officers and support staff are considering leaving the force altogether. The possible disappearance of such a large proportion of experienced police officers, who play a vital role in serving and protecting us all, presents a serious challenge and action must be taken.” Other key findings from the report include nearly half, 44 per cent, of police officers think they will need to work extra hours just to make ends meet, and more than one in five, 21 per cent, are considering taking on an additional job, in addition to their police role, to meet their financial challenges. Steve Hartshorn, National Chair, Police
Federation of England and Wales said: “We know from our own research that UK police families are still facing many cost-of-living challenges. “These challenges are impacting police
families, not just from a financial point of view but also in terms of their overall wellbeing. We welcome this report from Metfriendly, who are the UK’s police family finance specialists, which puts a clear spotlight on these issues. “I recommend that all involved in UK policing read the report and consider the clear evidence that these challenges are
having on the recruitment and retention of police officers and staff. The report highlights police families with high levels of financial concerns, food banks being accessed, and meals being skipped, all due to financial pressures. “This is not a great advert for policing in 2024 and cannot be allowed to continue. How can we have a profession that are unable to afford to feed their families, yet at the same time we see them risk their own lives to rescue people from a burning building or stand in the way of violence?
We, as a society, owe it to our police officers, staff and their families, to do better.”
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
• The proportion of all respondents who consider themselves to be in significant debt outside of a mortgage has reduced slightly from 22 per cent to 18 per cent over the past year.
• 61 per cent of all survey respondents in last year’s survey reported financial concerns. This proportion rose to 70 per cent for police officer responses.
• 55% of all respondents stated that their financial situation has got worse/got a lot worse over the past 12 months. This proportion increased for police officers to 63 per cent.
• 38% of all respondents think their financial situation will get worse/ get a lot worse over the next 12 months. This increases to 45 per cent for police officers responses.
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