Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Today, I am publishing proposals for the Welsh Government’s component of funding for Police and Crime Commissioners in Wales for 2026-27. These include the provisional allocations of core revenue funding for each of the four Police and Crime Commissioners in Wales.
Policing policy is not devolved and funding for the four Welsh police forces is delivered through a three-way arrangement involving the Home Office, the Welsh Government and council tax. I propose to set the Welsh Government’s contribution to police funding for 2026-27 at £113.47 million. The Home Office has issued a written statement containing information on the total amount of funding for police forces.
We are continuing to maintain our commitment to directly providing additional Police Community Support Officers. As set out in the Welsh Government draft budget £16.3m will be used to directly fund PCSO posts in Wales. This is a 2.2% rise on our funding from 2025-26 and will allow forces to continue to provide PCSOs to support our communities in Wales. Funding for PCSOs in Wales is provided over and above the Home Office settlement, providing additional support for Welsh communities. Although policing is a reserved area, our funding for PCSOs reflects the work they do to build trust and engagement between the police and communities in Wales, supporting our aspirations for Welsh communities.
I recognise the challenging funding landscape for policing partners, as well as the ongoing cost of living challenges for many households. The UK Government has confirmed that, in England, police precepts increases are limited to £15 without a referendum. This does not apply in Wales, but Welsh Ministers retain the power to cap increases. The Welsh Government will continue to work with Welsh PCCs and forces to make the best possible use of our shared resources and to deliver on our collective aspirations for communities in Wales.
I encourage the four Police and Crime Commissioners in Wales to consult fully with their local communities in considering the level of local funding for 2026-2027. They will need to consider carefully the balance between the impacts on households from increases in police precepts and on decisions on services for communities.
The Welsh Government’s contribution to police funding for 2026-27 is summarised in Table 1 of this Statement.
Today’s announcement marks the start of a consultation period which will end on 14 January 2026. Following this, allocations may be revised for the Final Settlement.
This information is also published on the Welsh Government’s website at: