"Fragmented and stop-start technology investment has resulted in the police being slow to adopt new technologies - and benefit from the expected productivity improvements - at a national level, according to a report from the National Audit Office (NAO). The UK's independent public spending watchdog said that in the financial year 2024-25, His Majesty's Treasury provided £234 million over four years to help fund investments in police technology, including £55.5 million in that year."
"However, the Treasury cut the funding stream from the 2025-26 financial year, and the "Home Office has not allocated funding for some projects, such as live facial recognition, and reduced funding for other projects, including knife detection technology," the report said. It pointed out that investment in new technology is hindered by the need to continue supporting existing systems. "Police forces spend around £2 billion annually on technology, with 97 percent spent on maintaining legacy systems," the report said."
"The NAO said it had previously found that across government, digital transformation was held back by inappropriate funding models, the estimated scope of early work, and a lack of skills or leadership. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) brings UK police leaders together to set direction in policing and drive progress for the public. It found that "the absence of a single policing 'voice' leads to a lack of clarity in decision-making and insufficient prioritization of science and technology across policing,""
Police forces in England and Wales spend around 97 percent of a £2 billion annual technology budget on maintaining legacy systems, limiting funds for new investments. Fragmented, stop-start investment has slowed adoption of new technologies and reduced potential productivity improvements nationally. His Majesty's Treasury provided £234 million over four years from 2024-25, including £55.5 million in 2024-25, to support rollouts such as live facial recognition, drones, automated public contact and AI. The Treasury cut that funding from 2025-26 and the Home Office has not allocated funding for some projects and reduced funding for others, including knife detection. Digital transformation faces additional barriers from inappropriate funding models, underestimated early-work scope, and shortages of skills and leadership. The absence of a single policing 'voice' reduces clarity in decision-making and weakens prioritization of science and technology across policing.
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