National Wellbeing Survey Highlights Unsustainability Of Policing

Four in five Greater Manchester Police officers say their pay and benefits do not reflect the difficult and dangerous job they do, new research has found. 

The local response to the 2025 National Wellbeing Survey also four that two thirds of GMP officers feel fatigue and physical exhaustion through work, with 57 per cent of officers reporting burnout. 

The National Police Wellbeing survey, which ran between May and June this year, found that 54 per cent of officers say the force is not committed to helping them balance work and home life. And more than half, (also 54 per cent) say they are dissatisfied with the recognition they get from the force for their work. 

Mike Peake, Chairman of Greater Manchester Police Federation, said: “For some time now I have been raising concerns around the sustainability of performance levels as officers experience burnout. Most of the workforce report that they feel capable and trusted to do their job, but 67 per cent of officers state that they face unrealistic time pressures and a staggering 74 per cent find it difficult to take enough breaks.” 

Worryingly, 7 per cent of respondents said they are currently looking for another job and 18 per cent said they intend to leave the force or policing within a year, blaming pay, poor work-life balance and leadership as common reasons.

Mike added: “Given current government police funding this raises serious concerns around the huge cost to recruit and train new people to fill these anticipated gaps. More funding must be allocated to policing, as more police officers are needed to meet the relentless demand.

“Disappointingly only 18 per cent of officers believe senior leaders will act on the results from this survey, and most officers up to Chief Inspector rank are dissatisfied with the force’s support for employee health and wellbeing.”