Kemi Badenoch on police officer numbers, PMQs 10 December 2025

The statement

I asked the Prime Minister how many police officers; there are now 1,300 fewer officers than at the election.

Kemi Badenoch, 10 December 2025. Source

What the sources report

• Home Office, Police workforce, England and Wales, 31 March 2026 release (NPCC management information) reports police officers, headcount, England and Wales, police management information (30 June 2024): 148536officers (headcount)^src
• Home Office, Police workforce, England and Wales, table H3 (March 2026 release) reports police officers, full-time equivalent, England and Wales (31 March 2024): 147745officers (FTE)^src
• Home Office, Police workforce, England and Wales, 30 September 2025 release reports police officers, full-time equivalent, England and Wales (30 September 2025): 145550officers (FTE)^src
• Home Office, Police workforce, England and Wales, 31 March 2026 release reports police officers, full-time equivalent, England and Wales (31 March 2026, latest): 145886officers (FTE)^src

Notes

The Home Office counts officers twice a year, at 31 March and 30 September. The nearest count before the July 2024 election is 147,745 full-time equivalent officers at 31 March 2024.

The Home Office reports 145,550 full-time equivalent officers at 30 September 2025, the latest count published when this was said, and 145,886 at 31 March 2026.

The Home Office also cites police management information of 148,536 officers (headcount) at 30 June 2024. Headcount and full-time equivalent figures are different measures and should not be compared directly.