By 1919 staff
Police chiefs are anxiously awaiting a crunch decision on the force’s budget amid demands for the government to “confront reality”.
Finance Secretary Shona Robison will unveil her spending plans for 2026/27 on January 13, with all eyes on the forthcoming Holyrood election.
Police Scotland chief constable Jo Farrell has already appealed to ministers for “urgent support”, with a request for an extra £139 million to strengthen the front line.
This would provide funding for 850 additional officers.
For the current financial year, the Scottish Government provided an increase of £90 million.
But the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), which represents the rank-and-file, said policing has reached a “critical point”.
Speaking ahead of the budget, SPF general secretary David Kennedy said there must be a spending announcement that “confronts reality, not one that defers difficult decisions yet again”.
“Police officers across Scotland continue to deliver public safety under unprecedented strain,” he said.
“Years of real-terms pay erosion, rising inflation, and relentless operational demand have left officers feeling undervalued, overstretched, and increasingly unsupported.
“At the same time, Police Scotland faces mounting pressures from court backlogs, an ever-growing number of outstanding warrants, expanding legislative obligations, and sustained abstractions from frontline policing.
“This budget must recognise that policing cannot be done on goodwill alone.
“Officers are routinely asked to do more with less, absorbing risk, fatigue and stress while public expectations rightly remain high. Without meaningful investment, the service risks further declines in morale, retention and operational resilience.”
“This budget must recognise that policing cannot be done on goodwill alone”
David Kennedy, SPF general secretary
He said the SPF stands ready to “engage constructively with government”, but he warned that “policing has reached a critical point, and further delay or underinvestment will come at a cost to officers and communities alike”.
Following the unveiling of the UK budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the Scottish Government will receive an extra £820 million.
Scottish Labour has said some of this money must be used to “back hardworking Police Scotland officers and staff”.
But Robison has described the extra funding as a “small amount” in the context of a £60 billion annual budget.
Her SNP colleague, Justice Secretary Angela Constance, told 1919 ahead of the budget: “We are investing £4.2 billion across the justice system in 2025/26 to keep communities safe, including a record £1.64 billion in policing.
“Our funding has enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in 2024/25 than at any time since 2013, with more intakes this year.
“Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales and this continues to be a safe place to live, with recorded crime falling by half since 1991.
“We will continue to work with Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority to understand their 2026/27 budget requirements.”
Under Police Scotland’s budget modelling, an extra £138.6 million would fund 850 officers and 348 staff.
To simply meet its commitments in 2026/27, the force argues that it needs £104.9 million extra, but this would involve 300 “workforce modernisation savings”.
And a flat cash settlement would push this number to 1,662.
“We are investing £4.2 billion across the justice system in 2025/26 to keep communities safe, including a record £1.64 billion in policing”
Justice Secretary Angela Constance
Scottish Conservative justice spokesperson Liam Kerr said: “Scotland’s justice system has been failed for nearly two decades on the SNP’s watch and Scots deserve better.
“Chronic underfunding and their soft-touch approach has left all aspects of the justice system feeling overwhelmed and the public feeling their safety is continually at risk.
“Ahead of the budget, our priority is urging the SNP to rebuild the justice system into one that is fit for purpose.
“We have outlined our bold plans to put victims at the heart of it, support frontline policing and ensure our justice system can meet demand.”
