Lincolnshire police receive extra funding, chief says

Lincolnshire Police will not cut officer numbers after receiving additional government funding of £100.1m for 2026/27 and a further targeted £12m, the chief constable said.

Lincolnshire Police says it will no longer need to cut officer numbers after receiving additional government funding. The force had warned in October that it faced losing up to 200 police officers and 200 support staff without extra money. Chief Constable Paul Gibson said the cuts would not now happen and that the funding deal was a "game-changer". The government said every force in the country would receive a real-terms increase in funding. Key facts: - Lincolnshire Police has been allocated £100.1m for 2026/27, up from £95.6m the previous year. - The force will receive an additional £12m in 2026/27, with that extra amount provisionally confirmed for the following two years due to its described "uniquely challenging circumstances". - Including the council tax police precept, the chief constable said the total budget would be in the region of £195m. - The force said the funding would allow recruitment of up to 220 police officers, up to 20 new PCSOs and up to 120 police staff. - The government has also pledged to place officers into neighbourhood roles, and the Home Secretary noted a broader national increase in police funding. Summary: The force says the new funding will prevent planned reductions and allow it to recruit toward its usual staffing levels, with specific recruitment targets announced. The funding figures include £100.1m for 2026/27 and an extra £12m earmarked for this year and provisionally for the next two years. The government frames the increase as part of a national package that includes more neighbourhood officers. Undetermined at this time.