The number of police complaints logged in England and Wales in 2025/26 rose to 108,987—a 15% increase on the total number logged in 2024/25. Complaint numbers have seen a sustained increased year-on-year since the definition of a complaint broadened in 2020, consistently rising from the 67,732 cases reported in 2020/21. The volume of complaints has increased each year under the current system: 11% in 2021/22, 8% in 2022/23, 5% in 2023/24, and 11% in 2024/25. That equates to a 61% increase in complaints since 2020/21.
Through the IOPC’s ongoing oversight activities, we have identified that, as in previous years, this increase is at least in part due to some police forces implementing a broader recording and handling practice, while others have been working to improve their overall complaints handling practices. This has resulted in a higher number of cases being formally recorded and therefore brought into the complaints system.
We do, however, recognise that in a small number of forces, recorded complaint numbers have reduced. Through our ongoing work with forces, we seek to understand the variations in the volume of complaints recorded and their handling. This work includes regular contact as part of the IOPC’s oversight function, and through our publications such as Focus, Learning the Lessons and the Oversight Newsletter, through which we share effective practices and highlight where improvements are needed.
Of the 108,987 complaints logged in 2025/26, 36,998 were formally recorded under Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act 2002, similar to that formally recorded in 2024/25.
There has been a slight improvement in the average time taken by forces to contact a complainant after the complaint was made, dropping to eight days from nine in 2024/25.
Recorded complaint cases have taken 13 days longer on average to finalise, with those finalised under Schedule 3 taking 151 days compared to 138 days in 2024/25.
Through our Oversight function, the IOPC continues to monitor performance across the complaints system and works to identify and share practices that support the timely and effective handling of complaints.
The largest proportion of allegations (55%) continue to be related to delivery of duties and service, which covers areas such as the actions and decisions taken by the police following contact from the public. The second highest was police powers, policies and procedures (22%), which includes the police use of stop and stop and search powers, use of force and the power to arrest and detain. This is followed by individual behaviours (11%), where complaints are made about behaviours such as impoliteness, being intolerant or unprofessional, or a lack of fairness.
Discriminatory behaviours made up 3% (5,061) of allegations. 47% of these were allegations of race discrimination, 22% were allegations relating to disability, and 14% were allegations relating to sex discrimination. Discrimination remains an area of thematic focus for the IOPC.
107,616 complaints were finalised during the year (37,575 formally under Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act 2002 and 70,041 informally), which is a 17% increase on 2024/25.
Of the 37,575 complaints handled formally, 65% had at least one allegation resulting in an explanation being given to the complainant—an increase of 5% on the previous year—6% had at least one allegation resulting in learning for an individual or a police force, and 8% had at least one allegation resulting in an apology or debrief.
There was a reduction in the proportion of complaints resolved with no further action being taken, with this outcome applied to 18% of complaints handled under Schedule 3 in 2025/26 compared to 23% in 2024/25. Actions which focused on putting issues right and preventing them happening again accounted for 81% of outcomes, which is an increase of 5% on the previous year and the highest level of such outcomes since the current legislation was introduced.
Local Policing Bodies received 5,310 applications from complainants requesting a review of how their complaint had been handled, an increase of 25% on the previous year.
The IOPC received 3,039 applications to review complaints handled by police forces, which also reflects a 25% increase on the previous year. We completed 3,273 reviews—a 62% increase on the previous year. We found that the handling or outcome was not reasonable or proportionate for 27% of the reviews. The 73% of reviews where we did agree that the handling was reasonable and proportionate is a 2% increase on the previous year, indicating that the complaints we see on review were more likely to be handled right first time. In addition to completing more applications for review, the IOPC handling time significantly improved—96 working days in 2025/26 compared to 133 the previous year.
