Police Scotland's overtime bill of £31.5m to rise in 2025

POLICE SCOTLAND was lumbered with an overtime bill of £31.5 million last year - and the figure is set to be even higher this year.

- Douglas Dickie

SNP cuts have been blamed as the national force forked out an extra £85,000 every day just to keep staff numbers at proper levels. New figures published in 1919 Magazine show that £28.15m was spent on overtime for officers in 2024/25.

An additional £3.4m was spent on police staff, with the combined total a 10% rise on 2023/24. The group that represents rank and file officers in Scotland said there "simply are not enough officers to meet the workload within normal working hours".

Scottish Police Federation general secretary David Kennedy added:

"The reality is that overtime is no longer a contingency - it has become a necessity to maintain even the most basic levels of public safety.

"This is unsustainable, both financially and in terms of officer wellbeing. Officers are regularly being asked to sacrifice their rest days, family time, and personal health to plug gaps caused by years of under-investment in policing. We cannot continue to rely on a shrinking workforce to deliver a growing remit.