Hertfordshire PCC raises concerns about impact of employer national insurance increases on local policing

Hertfordshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards has raised concerns about the impact that the Government’s increases to employer national insurance contributions will have on local policing.

The changes are set to cost the Hertfordshire policing budget £4.4m next financial year, on top of other financial pressures facing the Constabulary.

Last week, the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told PCCs and Chief Constables that policing would be compensated for the changes, but there are concerns that forces like Hertfordshire will still lose out due to the funding formula used. Mr Ash-Edwards and other PCCs had previously written to Ministers raising concern about the implications of the decision.

The funding formula for policing is out of date and penalises counties like Hertfordshire meaning the county is not fully reimbursed for the actual costs incurred. There is a £1.09m shortfall in the funding provided by the Home Office to Hertfordshire to meet the costs of the 2024 police pay award.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Hertfordshire Police & Crime Commissioner, said:

“The Home Secretary’s announcement of compensation for policing over the Government’s increases in employer national insurance is welcome, but I am concerned that it will still leave Hertfordshire short changed. This will result in further pressure on the policing budget at a time when we need to ensure the police have the resources they need to fight crime and keep Hertfordshire safe.

“I recently wrote to the Policing Minister calling for the full cash impact of the Chancellor’s decision to reimbursed to Hertfordshire, rather than using the out of date funding formula. I hope the Government heed this call so these costs don’t fall on local taxpayers or reduce the resources available to the police next year.”