Recommendation MAI-159: Consider funding arrangements for police services
From Manchester Arena Inquiry: Volume 2: Emergency Response, published 3 November 2022.
Recommendation
The Inquiry heard evidence that the impact of public funding cuts fell disproportionately hard on metropolitan police services, such as Greater Manchester Police, compared with non-metropolitan services. In the event that public funding cuts are in the future considered necessary by the government, the Home Office should consider whether some funding arrangement for police services different from that applied in the post-2010 period is necessary.
In brief (written by this site)
The Cabinet Office reported in February 2026 that the recommendation was completed, explaining that an ongoing review of the police funding formula is considering the relative impact of local factors and pressures on forces, and adding that "this work continues" alongside close engagement with the policing sector (Cabinet Office, Feb 2026). Earlier, the UK Government had accepted the recommendation in full in November 2025 (Cabinet Office response, Nov 2025).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
Accepted in full
Delivery
Cabinet Office says completed (27 February 2026)
The police receive their funding from a number of sources, but the two main sources are central government funding and the policing precept component of council tax. Police and Crime Commissioners are responsible for setting the annual budget for their police force area including, subject to referendum limits, the level of police precept. The overall level of central government funding for policing is determined through the Comprehensive Spending Review. The distribution of funding for policing is confirmed via the annual police settlement, the allocation of which is currently based on a funding formula which we are reviewing. This police funding formula review is considering the demands facing each police force and the relative impact of local factors on forces. We have engaged closely with the policing sector throughout the review, and this work continues
Earlier statement on delivery (1)
Cabinet Office (14 November 2025)
The police receive their funding from a number of sources, but the two main sources are central government funding and the policing precept component of council tax. Police and Crime Commissioners are responsible for setting the annual budget for their police force area including, subject to referendum limits, the level of police precept. The overall level of central government funding for policing is determined through the Comprehensive Spending Review. The distribution of funding for policing is confirmed via the annual police settlement, the allocation of which is currently based on a funding formula which we are reviewing. This police funding formula review is considering the demands facing each police force and the relative impact of local factors on forces. We have engaged closely with the policing sector throughout the review, and this work continues
From: Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, original version (data file)
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- UK Government
Response - Cabinet Office
Delivery statement