Pay and Morale Survey 2024: sharp decline in member morale

1 May 2025

A new report published today by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) shows a sharp decline in the morale of officers in Nottinghamshire.

Branch chair Simon Riley said it was worrying to hear that 58 per cent of respondents to this year’s Pay and Morale Survey said their personal morale was 'low or very low'.

The figure is slightly above the national average (57 per cent), and the tenth highest of all the forces in England and Wales.

But Simon said it was concerning that it was 13 per cent higher than last year’s report, when Nottinghamshire Police had the lowest figure of the forces in England and Wales.

The report found that almost one in five respondents (18 per cent) intend to resign from the service within the next two years. It’s below the national average (23 per cent) but up from 11 per cent last year.

The most frequently cited reasons for intending to leave were morale, how the police are treated by the Government, and the impact of the job on mental health and wellbeing (81 per cent, 70 per cent and 68 per cent respectively).

He said: “It is deeply concerning to see such a sharp decline in the morale of our members.

Concerning

“It’s also deeply concerning to see a large increase in the number of officers thinking about leaving.

“But the figures are hardly surprising.

“They’ve been hammered on pay and conditions; they don’t feel supported by the Government or respected by large sections of the media and the public; they are working long, unsociable hours with heavier and heavier workloads; and it’s having an impact on their mental health.”

The Pay and Morale Survey showed that 61 per cent said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their remuneration. Almost one in 10 (nine per cent) reported never or almost never having enough money to cover their essentials. Nationally, the figure was 15 per cent.

Simon said: “It is a national scandal that one in 15 police officers – and nine per cent locally in our Force – are worrying about paying their mortgage or their rent, or whether they can pay the bills or feed their family.

“Something needs to change and change quickly.

“One way to help restore morale is with a fair pay settlement that redresses the years of real-term cuts our members have faced.”

Other local results from this year's Pay and Morale Survey include:

• 62 per cent said over the last 12 months, their workload has been too high or much too high.

• 6 per cent have never or rarely been able to take an 11-hour break between shifts in the last 12 months

• 36 per cent feel always or often pressured into working long hours over the last 12 months.

• 46 per cent said they find their job very or extremely stressful.

• 86 per cent indicated they had experienced feelings of stress, low mood, anxiety, or other difficulties with their health and wellbeing over the last 12 months

• 42 per cent have experienced verbal insults (e.g., swearing, shouting, abuse) at least once per week in the past 12 months.

• Only 16 per cent reported having access to double crewing at all times while on duty. Meanwhile, 64 per cent said they would like to have access to this

• 19 per cent reported that they had suffered one or more injuries that required medical attention as a result of work-related violence in the last year.

• 75 per cent did not feel valued within the police

• 95 per cent do not feel respected by the government

• 48 per cent do not feel fairly treated in their job

• 75 per cent said they would not recommend joining the police to others

Following these results, Simon is backing the launch of a national campaign by the PFEW, which aims to expose the crisis in policing that is endangering officers' lives and putting public safety at risk.

'Copped Enough: What the Police Take Home is Criminal' calls on the public to support police and their families by joining a ‘digital picket line’ in protest at www.polfed.org/campaigns/copped-enough

The campaign calls for immediate action on three key areas:

Restore police pay

o   Urgent, fully-funded action on fair pay

o   Full recognition of an army-style P-Factor allowance, recognising the unique risks of policing

o   Implement a binding, independent pay review system to remove political interference

Stop the mass exodus of experienced officers

o   Provide a retention package to keep skilled officers in policing

o   Develop a workforce plan focused on retention, not just recruitment

o   Support work-life balance, including protecting rest days, improved parental leave and transition support

Protect officers on the frontline

o   Enforce stronger sentencing for assaults on police officers

o   Fund police treatment centres centrally

o   Provide robust mental health support, including mandatory national recording of suicides and attempted suicides

Simon said: “Police officers put up with more than most, but too many have just Copped Enough.

“Without urgent action to restore fair pay and protect welfare, we face a dangerous loss of experience and a direct threat to the safety of our communities."

Read the full Nottinghamshire Pay and Morale Survey 2024 report.