In its 2015 report on the financial sustainability of police forces, our predecessor Committee recommended that a new police funding formula be introduced in 2016–17.80 In our evidence session, we asked whether changing demographics meant the out-of-date formula had led to a structural funding gap.81 We were also concerned about the impact on rural police forces.82 Demographic changes have meant some forces, such as Bedfordshire and Warwickshire, have seen government funding per capita fall by nearly 12% since 2015.83 The Home Office has provided £123 million of additional support to five forces to help them respond to financial pressures since 2023–24.84 It told us that it is willing to speak to forces about local pressures, is scrutinising forces’ financial plans to work out where additional funding might be needed and uses the special grant system to respond to local pressures. The Home Office also highlighted that the funding formula is just one element of police funding and that it expects to look at the arrangements as part of the police reforms.85