Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the level of absenteeism has been for the police in each year since 2015.

The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of police officers on long-term absence as at 31st March each year. Long-term absence includes officers on leave for 28 days or more.

These data are available in the Absence Open Data tables published alongside the annual ‘Police workforce’ statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-open-data-tables

The Home Office also collects information on the number of police officers on short/medium term sick absence as at 31st March each year. Short/medium term absence due to sickness includes officers on leave for 28 days or less.