Officers Struggling To Pay The Bills

SOUTH Yorkshire Police has seen an increase in officers struggling to pay the bills and coming to the Force and Federation for help.

Steve Kent, Federation Chair, said: “It’s not good enough. The force is now looking at other ways we can help our officers out. Credit where it’s due.

“The force are looking at positive ways to help officers, but we are seeing an increase in officers coming to us with financial difficulties.”

Steve said he had heard of officers going to going to shops at midnight on payday as they had to wait for their money to land before they had enough to buy food.

Steve added: “It’s frankly not good enough. What is going to have to happen here to break our officers in terms of the cost of living crisis?  Because I think we’re getting to that point now. There needs to be radical changes in terms of the way that police officers are paid.

“We’re hearing about officers having to ration their shopping to certain days of the month. We’re having officers come to us and the force, and staff as well, who are saying they’re in serious financial difficulty. It is a really, really concerning position that we’re in at the moment. This, more than anything else, articulates the need for greater pay.”

Steve said he was worried about officers who are struggling so much they’ve opted out of their pension.

He added: “Let’s not forget our young officers that are barely on more than we were 10 years ago, even 20 years ago. They’re starting on a pitiful amount of money.”

One officer from North Wales told the Police Federation of England and Wales Conference in May that her accountant had told her it would make more financial sense to give up her job and claim benefits.

And the Home Secretary was told officers are resorting to using food banks at the meeting.

Gloucestershire Police Federation said the force recently handed out more than 120 vouchers to officers and staff in three days, with a further 50 requests being made.