Westminster pledges £1.1 billion cash boost to UK police force

The UK Government has promised the biggest cash boost for police “in a decade” as it announced its funding plans for the coming financial year.

Funding for police forces will increase by more than £1.1 billion in 2020-21, of which £8.702 million will come from government grants, the Home Office said.

Scotland will receive a cash boost as a result of Barnett Formula consequentials.

The total amount of funding available for the year could reach £15.2bn – if police and crime commissioners ask council tax payers again to stump up extra cash to pay for services.

According to the announcement, the money includes £700m to recruit 6,000 officers – the first phase of the 20,000 pledged over the next three years – plus £150m made available to fight organised crime and crack down on online child abuse and £39m allocated to tackling serious violence – including £20m to target county lines drug-dealing.

But Mayor of London Sadiq Khan warned the announcement did “not even make up for the number of police officers lost since 2010.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the announcement showed the government was “delivering on the people’s priorities” and would mean “more officers tackling the crime blighting our streets, so people can feel safe in their communities”, adding: “The police must now make full use of this significant investment to deliver for the public.”

Martin Hewitt, chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said it was a “positive settlement overall”.