I am pleased to announce that the first annual report for the Police Covenant under this Government, has today been laid before Parliament. The report, the third since the creation of the Police Covenant, will also be available on GOV.UK.

The Police Covenant demonstrates a recognition by Government, policing and society of the sacrifices involved in police work. The Covenant sets out to ensure that members of the police workforce suffer no detriment as a result of their role.

As the Covenant moves into a new phase under a new Government, we have reassessed the priorities for delivery to ensure the work is better focussed on the needs of the workforce, and to reflect the evolving realities of policing. This means that, as the Covenant progresses further, there will be a greater emphasis on supporting forces to enact consistent policies and systems, setting a minimum standard of provision, and a renewed focus on how the actions taken address specific identified disadvantages.

This Annual Report reflects this new focus, highlighting not only the progress made so far, but also how the work of the Covenant can improve police health and wellbeing in future.

It is my ambition, and that of the Government as a whole, that the Covenant should leave the police workforce in no doubt that we are on your side and will support you. You do so much to protect us, it is only right that we protect you.

This work has already begun.

The Chief Medical Officer for Policing has ensured greater cohesion between the work of the Covenant and the work of the NHS. Police awareness training for GPs has been implemented, highlighting issues better than ever before. A new National Health and Wellbeing Strategy has been created, ensuring that, for the first time, a coherent and comprehensive approach is adopted by forces. This work will deliver improvements in health and wellbeing provision across the board.

And there have been great strides forward in the monitoring and addressing of assaults against officers and staff, and in the handling of fatigue.

The National Police Wellbeing Service, who have taken the lead on many workstreams, will continue to drive forward work to provide support to families and leavers, building on the success of their existing packages.

All of these are to be welcomed. Yet, there is still much to do if we are to live up to the promise within the Covenant, to ensure that the police and their families suffer no disadvantage because of their work in policing.

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wms/?id=2026-02-11.hcws1326.0