More than half of Wiltshire Police officers worried about money

56.3% of officers at Wiltshire Police are concerned about their household’s finances.

The figure is part of the latest Police Family Finances Index which surveyed over 10,000 police officers across the UK.

Especially young police officers are struggling with financial worries as 24% of those in the country who have been serving for one to five years considering leaving their jobs.

Andy Rhodes, OBE QPM service director of the National Police Wellbeing Service, said: “We knew it was an issue, but this gives us some hard evidence. Financial stress is really difficult for organisations like ours to actually get under the skin of.

“It’s highly stigmatised. Views from people about financial stress, we’re not hearing, quite frankly, on a day-to-day basis which is a problem”.

In Wiltshire, one quarter (25%) of police officers are currently considering leaving their jobs by 2030 and almost half (46.9%) are contemplating putting a stop to paying towards their pensions.

More than one in ten (16%) have said they are planning to take on a second job.

Half of all Wiltshire Police officers (50%) also think their financial situation has become worse over the last year while a quarter (25%) believe that the next 12 months will have a negative impact on their household.

Across the UK, job satisfaction among police officers drops from 70% to just under one third (32%) after five years in service.

“You can lose your optimism because you’re dealing with tough, difficult things that don’t change. So, you sort of lose your meaning.

“We can remind people of that – if we recognise what they do, value what they do, listen to them – that they are making a difference every day of the week. It doesn’t need to be the case that we see that drop off”, added Mr. Rhodes.

Family support also declines, from three in five officers reporting being satisfied in their first year of service, compared to also just around one third (34%) still saying the same after five years.

The strain on police officers’ finances is showing as more than half of officers across the country (55%) have said their mental well-being has been severely impacted.

UK police family finance specialists, MetFriendly, who issued the report have raised concerns about police forces’ futures should young officer morale continue to fall.

Mr. Rhodes stressed that it is important for people to “feel that they are going to be supported” and recommends talking about concerns early on.

“Talk openly and early about any problems you might be having around the finances. There are lots of organisations out there who can help you. You’re not going to be judged, you’re not going to be blamed for anything.

“And the other thing is to weave the awareness of the support that’s out there into everyday conversations in the organisation”.

Almost two in three officers (62%) have also stressed that there is a need for their employers to offer financial education which could help ease the situation for many and make sure police forces retain their stability in the long run.

Officers at risk of exhaustion

Wiltshire Police Federation said that officers aren't being paid well enough for the job they do as a result of pay freezes in recent years.

Chair of the Federation, Phil Matthews-Dawson told us it's left salaries 'behind the curve'.

He said that officers taking on second jobs are at rick of becoming exhausted, which could lead to issues further down the line.

"Officers have responsibilities within our codes of ethics to make sure that they are fit for duty and officers are really, really good at making sure they are fit for duty," he said, adding: "The public need not fear that the officers aren't ready or too tired when they get there."

And while there are processes in place for officers to say they are exhausted for any reason, there is a chance they'll told to drop their second job, if that's identified as the cause of it, leading to the financial stress.

Mr Matthews-Dawson said: "Whilst it's not something we've seen in Wilshire, it is a real concern that somebody may not declare their fitness. They may not declare that they're unfit and it could cause that danger."

In 2023, the Force launched a foodbank support scheme called Law and Larder for officers who are struggling to make ends meet.

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