The latest Pay and Morale Survey exposes the police service is at breaking point, with exhausted officers battling stress, fatigue and poor mental health while carrying ever-growing workloads and feeling forgotten by those in power.

The evidence is difficult to ignore. Seventy-eight per cent of police officers experienced stress, low mood or anxiety in the past 12 months, while more than nine in 10 officers said work caused or worsened those conditions.

Despite the scale of the problem, 72 per cent of police officers rate force wellbeing support as inadequate or needing improvement, suggesting many feel the support available does not match the pressures they face.

The impact is so significant that 51 per cent of police officers have used annual leave because of their physical or mental health, effectively sacrificing valuable rest time simply to recover from the demands of the job.

The findings add to the growing momentum behind the Police Federation’s Copped Enough campaign, which is calling for fair pay, better wellbeing support and meaningful action to keep experienced officers in policing.

The wellbeing crisis is compounded by a widespread belief that officers are not being fairly rewarded for the demands being placed upon them.

More than nine in 10 police officers say they are not fairly paid for the stresses and strains of the job, while 85 per cent do not believe they are fairly paid for the risks and hazards they face.

At the same time, 93 per cent of police officers do not believe policing is respected by the Government, highlighting a profound sense of frustration among the workforce.

The perception that policing is undervalued extends beyond Government recognition. Seven in 10 police officers do not believe they are fairly paid compared with other key workers, despite police officers having no right to strike.

The pressures of policing also hit working parents hard. More than seven in 10 mothers (71 per cent) have changed role or team to balance family life, compared with 49 per cent of fathers.

Taken together, the findings paint a picture of a profession whose workforce feels exhausted, unsupported and underappreciated.

The findings raise concerns not only for officer wellbeing but for the sustainability of policing itself. High levels of stress, fatigue and burnout risk driving experienced officers out of the service, placing additional pressure on those who remain and impacting the service communities receive.

The findings point to an urgent need for stronger wellbeing support, action to reduce the pressures driving poor mental health, and fair pay that reflects the realities of modern policing.

Paul Williams, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: "Policing is making officers sick, and the evidence is impossible to ignore. Officers are dealing with trauma, violence and tragedy day after day, yet many are being pushed to breaking point.

"Officers are exhausted, undervalued and running on empty. The warning lights are flashing red, but too many are looking the other way. This is a public health emergency.

“The warning signs appear early. Officers with just three to five years' service report the lowest wellbeing and highest anxiety levels. As calls for policing reform grow louder, one fact cannot be ignored: this is unsustainable.

“We cannot keep treating burnout as part of the job while the people keeping the public safe are being broken by it. Officers deserve better support, fair pay and a service that looks after them too."

The 2026 Pay and Morale Survey gathered responses from more than 18,000 police officers across England and Wales, making it one of the most comprehensive insights into the experiences of the federated ranks of the Police Federation of England and Wales.

The annual survey asked constables, sergeants, inspectors and chief inspectors about key issues affecting their working lives, including pay and allowances, morale, wellbeing, workload, rest days, safety, and professional development, providing a snapshot of the challenges facing frontline policing today.

Read the full Pay and Morale Survey report ➟