Wales will see a significant boost to the number of neighbourhood police officers on its streets as the UK Government is set to invest a record £18.4 billion.
Each police force across the country is set to receive a real-terms increase in funding next year, including:
- Up to £170.9 million for Dyfed-Powys Police, a cash increase of 4.5%
- Up to £205.2 million for Gwent Police, a cash increase of 4.2%
- Up to £235.8 million for North Wales Police, a cash increase of 4.3%
- Up to £458.9 million for South Wales Police, a cash increase of 3.9%
Forces across England and Wales will receive up to £18.4 billion, an increase of £796 million compared to last year and a 2.3% real terms increase.
This includes an additional £50 million to help deliver the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which will put an additional 13,000 neighbourhood policing personnel into roles by the end of this parliament.
In April last year, the UK Government pledged to put 3,000 officers into neighbourhood roles within 12 months to drive down crime and anti-social behaviour. Almost 2,400 additional neighbourhood officers have been put into post in the six months up to the end of September 2025, a 14% increase since the end of March 2025.
From April, the UK Government is scrapping the Officer Maintenance Grant and replacing it with a new Neighbourhood Policing Ringfence. This will guarantee forces deliver on targets for neighbourhood policing, while freeing them from the burden of arbitrary officer headcount targets, the UK Government said.
Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said:
“Since taking office, this government has increased police funding by nearly £2 billion. We are restoring neighbourhood policing, with nearly 2,400 more neighbourhood officers in our communities. And we are now reforming policing, so local forces protect their communities, and national policing protects us all.”
