Future of UK policing under threat unless officers given ‘fair’ pay increase, government told

Exclusive: Official submissions to pay board warn of rising resignations and frustration as police barred from striking

Despite efforts to recruit 20,000 extra officers, the number of resignations has been rising (Getty)

The future of British policing will be under threat if the government continues to ignore calls for a “fair” pay increase, it has been warned.

Submissions to the official advisory board on police pay say that the benefits of Boris Johnson’s pledge to recruit 20,000 extra officers will be lost if members of the force, who are legally barred from striking, continue to resign at rocketing rates.

Documents seen by The Independent state that police officers’ pay has fallen by almost 17 per cent since 2010, with starting salaries plummeting from more than £33,000 to between £23,500 and £26,700 when adjusted for inflation.