The Metropolitan Police has reported a looming budget deficit of £260 million for the upcoming financial year, which will necessitate a reduction in personnel, even in light of recent funding boosts.
The government has assured the Met of an additional £118 million for the next year, supplementing previously disclosed funding, while the Mayor of London has also committed an extra £10 million.
While the Met expresses its gratitude for the extra funding, officials emphasize the need to make “significant and difficult decisions” in the coming year, which will result in fewer officers and diminished services.
The Home Office, the main provider of funding to the force, has been asked to comment on the matter.
The Metropolitan Police anticipates a total funding of just over £3.5 billion for the years 2025-26, with approximately two-thirds sourced from central government.
This amount includes a newly announced one-time payment of £50 million from the Home Office and an additional £22 million designated for neighborhood policing.
A spokesperson for the Met noted, “Although this new financial support reduces our initial funding deficit from £450 million, it still leaves us with a £260 million gap, compelling us to make substantial and challenging choices regarding staff and services.
“This will be difficult for our committed officers and staff and will also affect policing in London.”
The Met added that among its efficiency measures, it aims to lower its personnel expenditure by £185 million.
This comes in the wake of a warning from Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley in December, indicating that the police force may need to reduce its ranks by up to 2,300 officers out of 33,000 and cut around 400 of its 11,000 staff members.
The police force is still reassessing the exact numbers of potential cuts to officers and staff.
Sir Mark has previously indicated that potential reductions could affect the anti-robbery unit and lead to the disbanding of certain firearms units; the Royal Parks Police may also face elimination, along with cuts to the canine and mounted divisions.
He also cautioned about the likelihood of reduced hours for some police stations and a decline in the number of cold case investigations into crimes that occurred “many years ago.”
The anticipated budget shortfall is attributed to inadequate funding for pay increases, the expenses associated with maintaining facilities, rising service demands, and depleting reserves, as he explained to the London Policing Board.
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has boosted his contribution to the Metropolitan Police by £320 million since last year, bringing his total support to £1.59 billion.
On Tuesday, he unveiled plans to generate an additional £10 million through council tax hikes, which would increase the annual bill for a Band D property by £14.
Sir Sadiq stated, “Reducing crime and ensuring the safety of Londoners is my highest priority as mayor, and I will utilize every resource available to finance the police.”
He acknowledged that, despite the additional funding, the Met remains in a “challenging financial position.”
Numerous police forces have indicated that current funding levels will force them to reduce the number of officers in the coming year.
Last year, when the first allocation of funds was announced, the National Police Chiefs Council estimated that forces would face a financial shortfall of approximately £1.3 billion over the next two years.
