128-625: PCSO may refer to: Police community support officer , a police staff role in England and Wales Police custody and security officer , a police staff role in Scotland Pinellas County Sheriff's Office , a law enforcement agency in Florida Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office , a government-controlled corporation for fundraising Topics referred to by
256-539: A cost of living crisis . The Johnson ministry embarked on a series of cuts, which continued throughout the Truss and Sunak ministries. Johnson and Sunak avoided using the term austerity, though it was adopted again by the Truss ministry. The period from 2021 onwards is referred to as a "second era" or "second period" of austerity by many observers. The Johnson ministry made cuts to Universal Credit in September 2021, and this
384-949: A "legitimate target" in the eyes of the IRA who have attacked other civilians working for the police in Northern Ireland in the past. The Police Reform Act 2002 does not apply to Scotland , which consequently does not have Police Community Support Officers (the acronym PCSO in Police Scotland refers to a Police Custody and Security Officer, known as a detention officer in other parts of the UK.) As of September 2022 , there were 8,263 PCSOs in England and Wales. PCSO numbers had, like those of police constables, been falling in previous years owing to austerity . At their prior peak in 2009, 16,814 PCSOs were employed. PCSOs represent 6.8% of total police employees in England and Wales. The Metropolitan Police has
512-519: A 'bar' above the wording "Police Community Support Officer Supervisor - Traffic" with the shoulder number beneath. PCSO supervisors only supervise PCSOs and normally work under a police sergeant. Avon and Somerset Police currently utilise a PCSO Support role, which is an administration position allowing PCSOs to continue to meet the criteria; primarily subsection three of The Policing Pledge of 2009; to conduct high visibility patrols and spend at least eighty per cent of their tour of duty on patrol within
640-493: A Conservative rebellion sparked in part over the cost of living crisis. Shortly after the beginning of the premiership of Liz Truss in September 2022, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Simon Clarke announced a "New age of austerity", saying that the country had a "very large welfare state" and that the government would "trim the fat". The scope or detail of these planned cuts were not announced at
768-613: A cycling helmet, breathable cycling shirt and cargo cycling trousers. Hi-visibility jackets or vests are normally compulsory for cycling. PCSOs use a police radio to communicate with other PCSOs, police officers and the control room on the same channel. Some neighbourhood police teams (NPT) or safer neighbourhood teams (SNT) also monitor local shop/pub watch radios. A body armour vest is issued to all PCSOs although in previous years some forces did not do this. Arrangements for use vary between forces, from compulsory use throughout shift, to officers' choice of use. Unlike constables, owing to
896-519: A deficit reduction programme consisting of sustained reductions in public spending and tax rises, intended to reduce the government budget deficit and the role of the welfare state in the United Kingdom . Some commentators accepted this claim, but many scholars observe that its primary, largely unstated aim, like most austerity policies, was to restore the rate of profit . Most prominent economists agree that austerity does not work in bringing about
1024-403: A duty to ensure a recruit "is a suitable person to carry out the functions for the purposes of which they are designated" and is "capable of effectively carrying out those functions". Generally, PCSOs will be selected through a process that involves: an application form, interview and fitness tests; a medical test; and security and background vetting. Welsh PCSOs must have basic abilities to speak
1152-435: A few forces began embroidering names on to epaulettes. PCSOs are issued with hi-visibility jackets and waterproof coats of varying design depending on the force. Officers may also be issued with a simple tabard for traffic duties. PCSOs wear nylon duty belts with quick release buckles to hold their equipment in pouches. Special uniforms exist in most forces for cycling for both PCSOs and constables. This typically consists of
1280-450: A further 2.6% decline in 2019/20 to £725 million. These budget cuts have only furthered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic , accompanied by an increased demand for digital and remote library services. The pandemic has seen an increase of 600% for digital borrowing and an increase of 400% for e-lending. As a result of this, the future of public libraries is uncertain. It may be that following
1408-417: A huge 773 closures since 2010. Library closures have also been reflected in the use of public libraries. CIPFA noted that library visitors across the UK have substantially declined from 335 million annual visitors in 2005 to 215 million in 2019/20. With regards to local government spending on libraries, CIPFA released data to show that spending fell from £1 billion in 2009/10 to £774.8 million in 2018/19 with
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#17328513094651536-515: A lorry under a bridge, and, thus, Barry became the first PCSO with duties on the streets of the UK. Proposals for PCSOs in Northern Ireland were prevented by a budget shortfall in the Police Service of Northern Ireland , as well as fears that the introduction of uniformed and unarmed PCSOs in Northern Ireland (PSNI constables all carry firearms) would mean they would potentially then become
1664-443: A lot of things about PCSOs, their uniforms have a great deal of variation between police forces. The current ACPO guidance states that "PCSOs should be recognisable to the public as police staff, but visibly distinct from sworn police officers". Since PCSOs were first created in 2002, many forces have made changes to the uniforms issued. Most of these changes are commonly in regards to shirts, trousers and headgear. A PCSO's headgear
1792-480: A maximum level for the amount of state welfare benefits that could be paid to an individual household in any one year. The measure came into effect in 2013 with the figure initially set at £26,000 per year, close to the average income of a family in the UK at that time. The anticipated reduction in government expenditure as a result of the measure was £225 million by April 2015. The benefit cap initially affected approximately 12,000 households, mainly in high-rent areas of
1920-545: A method of attracting applicants which is the same way constables are recruited. The recruitment of PCSOs has helped some police forces increase the representation of ethnic minorities among their employees. Unlike with police constables, there is no set selection procedure for PCSOs and the process varies between forces although section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (the law that made PCSOs) requires that chief constables or Commissioners in charge of police forces have
2048-421: A neighbourhood inspector. Day-to-day duties usually include high visibility patrolling, tackling anti-social behaviour, dealing with minor offences, crowd control and directing traffic at public events, helping direct traffic at roadblocks or scenes of accidents, gathering criminal intelligence, and supporting front-line policing. The Home Office have specifically limited the powers designated to PCSOs to maintain
2176-423: A passing out parade. After training a new PCSO is normally sent out on patrol with a tutor—usually an experienced PCSO—until they are able to patrol on their own. All PCSOs go through a twelve-month probationary period after completing training. The uniform of a PCSO is similar to that of a police constable, but has a variety of uniquely distinguishing features depending on the wearer's respective force. As with
2304-496: A period of economic recession began in the country. The first austerity measures were introduced in late 2008. In 2009, the term "age of austerity", which had previously been used to describe the years immediately following the Second World War , was popularised by Conservative Party leader David Cameron and future British chancellor George Osborne . The term at the time lacked the negative associations it would develop over
2432-441: A person using reasonable force under the powers listed. There are four forces at present whose PCSOs are currently carrying handcuffs (BTP, Dyfed-Powys Police, North Wales Police, Merseyside Police). PCSOs are also lawfully authorised to carry CS spray and a baton when on duty, although none have yet been provided by any Chief Officer of any Police Force. PCSOs have a number of other powers and abilities that they may exercise in
2560-466: A police constable can arrest for: It is also an offence for a PCSO to imply that they have a power that they are not designated by their chief constable or commissioner. This list is not exhaustive. This list comes from definitions provided under paragraph 2(3) of Schedule 5 of the Police Reform Act 2002. PCSOs do not normally have a rank system; however, South Yorkshire and Kent Police employ PCSO supervisors. The South Yorkshire epaulettes have
2688-432: A post-war record high. Further cuts to departments outside of defence and health were planned for the following five years. In 2023, Birmingham city council was forced to issue a 114 notice, effectively declaring bankruptcy , which drew attention to the level of cuts imposed on local government funding since 2010. The Guardian termed this as 13 years of austerity within the local government funding context, however £840m of
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#17328513094652816-755: A proposition that had increased from 44% in 2013 to 55% in 2017. Shelter attributed this to a combination of higher rents, the freeze on housing benefits and the shortage of social housing . The Local Government Association has identified a decrease in UK Government funding of almost 60 per cent for local authorities in England and Wales between 2010 and 2020. The reduction in central government funding for county councils in England combined with an increasing demand for social care services has caused reductions in expenditure on other services such as public libraries , refuse collection , road maintenance and Sure Start , along with increases to council Tax rates and
2944-474: A recovery from recession. Successive Conservative governments claimed that the National Health Service and education had ostensibly been " ringfenced " and protected from direct spending cuts, but between 2010 and 2019 more than £30 billion in spending reductions were made to welfare payments, housing subsidies, and social services. There was no central function or risk assessment made to predict
3072-407: A reduction in the value of the pound, rises in government borrowing costs, and the removal of 40% of all mortgage products from the UK market. Facing backlash, chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng denied that there would be new austerity measures the following day, after the government was forced into a U-turn on taxation. The Truss ministry was ultimately unable to enact any of its planned reforms, as Kwarteng
3200-440: A result of the 2010 UK quango reforms . In spite of the hopes of proponents of austerity, wages in the UK have remained stagnant since the recession. After accounting for inflation, wages had declined to 2005 levels by 2023. As the minimum wage continued to increase while overall wages were stagnant, the proportion of workers in minimum wage jobs increased from 4% to 10% in the decade to 2018. The gender pay gap narrowed over
3328-660: A role created by Section 38(2) of the Police Reform Act 2002 , which was given Royal Assent by Queen Elizabeth II on 24 July 2002. They are not warranted , but hold a variety of police powers and the power of a constable in various instances by the forty-three territorial police forces in England and Wales and the British Transport Police (which is the only specialist police service to employ PCSOs). PCSOs were introduced in September 2002 and first recruited by
3456-556: A scale similar to the first phase of austerity in the 2010–2015 parliament, including around 20% to unprotected departments such as the Ministry of Justice , Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Home Office . A leak in April 2024 revealed that the government planned to cut cold weather payments after the election. The Institute for Fiscal Studies commented that based on
3584-619: A share of national income for the first time since 2001–02, while tax revenues would exceed public spending. Hammond's 2018 Spring Statement suggested that austerity measures could be reduced in the Autumn Budget of that year. However, according to the Resolution Foundation and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), the OBR's forecasts for borrowing and debt were based on the assumption that
3712-583: A variety of tasks, including: radio procedure; report writing; dealing with evidence; going to court; gathering intelligence; managing a crime scene; usage of PCSO powers under the Police Reform Act 2002 and any person powers; use of force; human rights; race and diversity; traffic direction and cordon manning; general health and safety; self-defence (including restraint techniques and the use of handcuffs or leg restraints if used by their force); and first aid . Written examinations are usually performed during training. Upon successful completion of training, there may be
3840-573: Is Merseyside Police , whose PCSOs wear a blue band with green edging. The badge was formerly a black cloth patch bearing the words ‘Merseyside Police Community Support & Traffic Officer’. Merseyside PCSOs are now issued a metal force badge instead. North Wales Police ( Welsh : Heddlu Gogledd Cymru ) PCSOs wear black baseball caps with a blue band with "police support" written in both English and Welsh. Surrey Police and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) give their Traffic PCSOs (who are part of GMP's Road Policing Unit (RPU)) white covered caps in
3968-443: Is a commemorative medal created in 2011 to mark the 60th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Elizabeth II . PCSOs awarded the honour may wear the ribbon of the medal while on daily routine patrol. This medal was also given to police constables under similar rules. Gwent Police issued a silver coloured "Gwent Police Staff Diamond Jubilee Badge 2012", a small lapel badge awarded to all police constables and PCSOs who received
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4096-418: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Police community support officer A police community support officer ( PCSO ; Welsh : swyddog cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu, SCCH ), or as written in legislation Community Support Officer ( CSO ; Welsh : swyddog cymorth cymunedol, SCC ), is a uniformed member of police staff in England and Wales,
4224-442: Is meant to compensate for the drastically reduced central government subsidy for new social housing (an average of £20,000 per home in 2012 versus £60,000 per home under the previous National Affordable Housing Programme 2008–2011), allowing housing associations and local authorities to raise more revenue from rent payments to be used for long-term capital investments. By 2018, a large majority of newly built social housing in England
4352-563: Is no stated plan to reverse austerity either. In 2024, the Resolution Foundation calculated that the government had "pencilled in" further cuts to public services following the 2024 general election . That is, the tax cuts offered shortly before the election were funded by proposed budget cuts to take place in the 2024–2029 parliament, should the Conservatives have won. To balance the budget, these cuts would have had to take place on
4480-411: Is normally a black formal peaked cap for men and a black bowler for women, although some forces are now opting for female PCSOs to wear the peaked cap. Headgear may or may not display the force crest, some have a metal shield, usually blue, stating "police community support officer" followed below with the name of the wearer's respective force in smaller letters. Some newer versions of such shields have
4608-619: Is one of the main contributors to the funding of the arts, spending more than £1 billion annually. However, due to austerity policies and challenges to sustainability in recent years, council spending on arts and culture development has suffered significant reductions. A report by the Arts Council England revealed that arts and culture had suffered a £236 million (20%) decline from 2010 to 2020. By 2023 arts council funding had declined 63% in Northern Ireland, 21% in Wales, and 30% in England. In
4736-523: Is provided by s3 Criminal Law Act 1967 , the Common Law and the Human Rights Act 1998 . Reasonable force is further provided to PCSOs under Section 38(8) Police Reform Act 2002 when using a power which - in the same circumstances - would also be a power available to a Constable. The following are criminal offences in relation to PCSOs under the Police Reform Act 2002 for which a PCSO can detain, or
4864-532: Is ready to patrol alone. Whilst being tutored like a probationary police constable the new PCSO may have a number of tasks to complete whilst on patrol and will complete such tasks whilst being mentored by the PCSO tutor. PCSO duties can vary from force to force. Many forces may officially have different roles for PCSOs in which special training and sometimes equipment is given. Within the Metropolitan Police , which
4992-576: Is responsible for law enforcement in Greater London , several different types of PCSO exist Most forces allow their PCSOs, commonly those assigned to duties managing traffic, to drive marked police vehicles. PCSOs may only use blue lights when they come across an accident to indicate the danger present to members of the public, to alert the public to a road hazard and when asked to by a Senior Officer. United Kingdom government austerity programme The United Kingdom government austerity programme
5120-399: Is sometimes also differently coloured from the badge of regular police officers. Trousers are usually black or dark navy blue. Originally, these were ironed, smart and formal, but in recent years are being replaced in most forces with cargo pocketed designs to allow the PCSO to carry more items. Body armour vests are issued to PCSOs—although originally not all forces did this—and wearing one
5248-451: Is usually compulsory. Staffordshire Police was the last police force to issue Stab vests to PCSOs; they were only issued to officers of this force in April 2011. Some forces issue tactical vests to PCSOs that go over the body armour to provide alternative storage to a duty belt. The vest usually comes in black or hi-vis yellow. Most PCSOs tend to wear blue epaulettes on their shoulders, although some forces use black epaulettes. Since 2009
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5376-546: The British Medical Journal in 2015 found that each one percentage point increase in the rate of Jobseeker's Allowance claimants sanctioned was associated with a 0.09 percentage point rise in food bank use. Research by The Trussell Trust found that the use of food banks increased more in areas where Universal Credit was introduced. However, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found that
5504-490: The 2017 snap general election , Hammond confirmed in a speech at Mansion House that the austerity programme would be continued and Michael Fallon , the Secretary of State for Defence , commented: "we all understand that austerity is never over until we've cleared the deficit". Government spending reductions planned for the period 2017–2020 are consistent with some departments, such as the Department for Work and Pensions and
5632-607: The Big Society , a political ideology involving reduced government, with grass-roots organisations, charities and private companies delivering public services more efficiently. Osborne has been more dismissive in retrospect, acknowledging that the modernisation programme was simply the party "trying to win". The austerity programme was initiated in 2010 by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government . In his June 2010 budget speech, Osborne identified two goals. The first
5760-467: The Coalition government said that it had reduced public spending by £14.3 billion compared with 2009–10. Growth remained low, while unemployment rose. In a speech in 2013, David Cameron indicated that his government had no intention of increasing public spending once the structural deficit had been eliminated, and proposed that these spending reductions be made permanent. The end of the forecast period at
5888-578: The Criminal Law Act 1967 ), or to forcibly detain (using Police Reform Act 2002 powers) There is also a 'reasonable code of conduct' which is a legitimate and tested defence to a (technical) common assault of which the courts have accepted and has now been written into case law ( [1] e.g. leading two disputing parties away from each other to prevent a fight – technically an assault as neither party has been arrested/detained at this point, but still considered otherwise lawful). The term to detain (under
6016-644: The Fawcett Society published a report which was critical of the Treasury for not assessing the impact of austerity on women's equality. A 2015 report by the Resolution Foundation identified age-related disparities in the effects of austerity changes. The report projected that during the 2010s transfers to local authorities would fall by 64% and that spending on working-age welfare would fall by 71%, while between 1997 and 2020 spending on older people and health would rise from 33.8% to 43.4% of total government spending. In
6144-459: The Metropolitan Police . The first ever PCSO on the streets was PCSO 7115 Barry Faust, who was stationed at Belgravia Police Station in Westminster, Central London. PCSO 7155 was due to begin his shift at 7 am on 9 September 2002; however, owing to a vehicle needing to go to a garage for repair, Barry and a sergeant left Belgravia early between 6:30 and 6:45. En route, the duo were required to assist
6272-508: The Ministry of Justice , experiencing funding reductions of approximately 40% in real terms over the decade 2010–2020. During 2017, an overall budget surplus on day-to-day spending was achieved for the first time since 2001. This fulfilled one of the fiscal targets set by George Osborne in 2010, which he had hoped to achieve in 2015. In 2018 the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicted that in 2018–19, public sector debt would fall as
6400-460: The Police Reform Act 2002 ). Section 38 Offences Against the Person Act 1861 also creates the offence of assault with intent to resist arrest , which also covers the "lawful apprehension/detention of himself or another". This is an either-way offence, meaning that the PCSO may also any person arrest for this offence in addition to the original proposed detention. In September 2018, Section 1 of
6528-399: The Police Reform Act 2002 , and every PCSO since 2007 has a number of standard powers that were introduced for all PCSOs regardless of which force they belong to. This is in addition to the discretionary powers that can be designated by the chief constable or commissioner of each PCSO's respective force. Before 2003, the British Transport Police was unable to have PCSOs until Section 28 of
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#17328513094656656-750: The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 , which outlines the duty of local authorities to provide a 'comprehensive and efficient library service for all'. Part of this duty involves an understanding of priorities and financial constraints of local councils, which has specifically been subject to the impact of austerity over recent years. According to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) , there were 3,583 library branches in England, Wales and Scotland that collectively employed 15,300 people alongside 51,000 volunteers in 2019. Prior to this, there were 35 library closures since 2018 and
6784-594: The Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 allowed the BTP Chief Constable to recruit PCSOs and designate powers to them using the Police Reform Act 2002 —which previously only extended to chief constables or commissioners of territorial police forces . PCSOs must adhere to certain standards. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary or criminal proceedings related to misfeasance in public office or malfeasance in public office . Leeway may be given depending on
6912-459: The Welsh flag on both sleeves of their shirts, for both constables and PCSOs. Neckwear if worn is a tie for men or a cravat for women. Neckwear is normally light blue, but is sometimes black. Some police forces issue name and/or number badges to its officers to be worn on their uniforms. PCSOs in such forces have "PCSO" or "police community support officer" written before their name or number. The badge
7040-518: The Welsh language . Unlike police constables, there is no set training procedure for PCSOs so the training given varies from force to force although section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (the law that made PCSOs) requires that chief constables or commissioners to ensure a recruit "Has received adequate training in the carrying out of those functions and in the exercise and performance of the powers and duties to be conferred on him by virtue of their designation". The original PCSOs recruited in 2002 by
7168-456: The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 created an either-way offence of any assault on any emergency worker, which includes PCSOs. PCSOs may, subject to permission from their force, carry handcuffs and leg restraints which are both governed by the Criminal Law Act 1967 or common law and can be used in the same manner as a constable. They may use them for detaining or arresting
7296-505: The Birmingham area, council arts funding will cease entirely in 2026. Public libraries are funded by local governments to provide free services that enrich culture, information and education. The emergence of austerity and subsequent cuts to local government funding has caused library services to suffer – including the closure of almost 800 public libraries since the launch of austerity in 2010. Currently, library services are governed by
7424-503: The Jubilee Medal. Shirts for PCSOs are either white, blue or black. Originally the shirts were collared, ironed, smart and formal with two front pockets and radio loops but in recent years are being replaced in most forces with breathable shirts made to be worn with stab vests. Such new shirts unlike their predecessors are sometimes marked with "PCSO" or "police community support officer" on the sleeves or chest. North Wales Police now have
7552-461: The LHA rates used to calculate maximum housing benefit levels for private sector tenants were frozen for four years. Research by the housing charity Shelter indicated that the proportion of such tenants likely to experience a shortfall in housing benefit was 80%, amounting to 300,000 families. The degree of shortfall depends on dwelling, location and individual circumstances, but Shelter expected that by 2020
7680-519: The Metropolitan Police received only 3 weeks' training, which was criticised as too little. The training period was eventually raised, and new Metropolitan Police PCSOs are now trained for six weeks. Training in other forces takes between four and eleven weeks, with the length of training depending on how close the PCSOs' authority comes to that of a regular police officer. PCSOs are trained in
7808-509: The NHS. The end of austerity was declared by Hammond's successor Sajid Javid in September 2019, though the Institute for Fiscal Studies expressed doubts that the planned spending in the Conservative manifesto for the 2019 election would constitute a true end to austerity, with spending per capita still 9% lower than 2010 levels. The spending plans were dramatically altered in early 2020, with
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#17328513094657936-469: The UK such as London, but in 2016/17 the limit was reduced to £20,000 per annum (£23,000 in London) extending its effects to around 116,000 households across the UK. A Local Housing Allowance (LHA) policy restricting Housing Benefit for private sector tenants to cover a maximum number of rooms had been in place since 2008 and was initially set at the 50th percentile of rents in an area (essentially it covered
8064-490: The UK, reducing weekly incomes by £12–£22. Almost two thirds of the people affected by the penalty were disabled. The measure reduced the expenditure of the Department for Work and Pensions by approximately £500 million per year. In 2015, George Osborne announced that tenants in social housing would have their housing benefit limited to LHA rates (used for private-sector tenants) from 2019, though Theresa May announced in 2017 that this policy had been scrapped. From April 2016
8192-551: The UN poverty envoy, who stated that the coming wave of austerity "could violate the UK’s international human rights obligations and increase hunger and malnutrition." Sunak's tax rises, alongside major cuts, were referred to as "embracing austerity" by Time. By the time of the 2023 Spring Statement, Britain faced the largest two year decline in living standards since records began in the 1950s, due to persistent inflation, fiscal drag, and taxation at
8320-500: The aim of a balanced budget but abandoned plans to eliminate the deficit by 2020. In Hammond's first Autumn statement in 2016, there was no mention of austerity, and some commentators concluded that the austerity programme had ended. However, in February 2017, Hammond proposed departmental budget reductions of up to 6% for the year 2019–20, and Hammond's 2017 budget continued government policies of freezing working-age benefits. Following
8448-444: The areas experiencing higher rents having their LHA lifted by 3% with Targeted Affordability Funding). Additionally, non-disabled persons under 35 saw their LHA payment restricted to the shared accommodation rate (instead of the one-bedroom rate that had previously been available) The under-occupancy penalty , introduced in 2013 and commonly known as the "bedroom tax", affected an estimated 660,000 working age social housing tenants in
8576-408: The average five-year-old boy measured 112.5 centimetres (3 ft 8.3 in) and the average girl 111.7 centimetres (3 ft 8.0 in). They were shorter and more obese than many of their European peers. A number of independent reports have considered the demographic effects of the austerity programme. In 2011, activist collective Feminist Fightback described its gendered impact and in 2012
8704-463: The beginning of austerity. For example, between 2007 and 2017, museums suffered a 13% reduction in funding, resulting in the closure of at least 64 museums between 2010 and 2019 and visitor numbers halving from 8,000 to 4,000 between 2010 and 2015. Whilst museums are free of charge in order to broaden the demographic of visitors and provide universal access, many museums have had to result to privatisation in order to accommodate budget cuts. 2013 saw
8832-487: The coalition government came to power in 2010, capital investment in new affordable homes was cut by 60%, while government-imposed caps on local authority borrowing continued to restrict their ability to raise money to build new homes. Writing in Inside Housing , former housing minister John Healey observed that rate of starting social rented schemes had declined from 40,000 in 2009/10 to less than 1,000 in 2015/16. When
8960-485: The community. PCSOs are a civilianised non-uniform role, who deal mainly with the administration side of the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT). Although not a rank in itself, most forces have an official system of putting newly trained PCSOs on their probation with a PCSO tutor. A PCSO tutor is normally an experienced PCSO, sometimes with additional training, who will patrol with the new PCSO until he or she
9088-498: The councils debts are attributed to equal pay claims and IT implementation failures. The Labour party pledged that there would be "No return to austerity", should they win the 2024 general election . The labour party did indeed win in a landslide, which commentators attributed to the legacy of austerity and the strain it placed on public services. While the Labour party did disavow any further austerity, The Guardian noted that there
9216-408: The course of the austerity period from 22% in 2009 to 14.3% in 2023; due to a decline in the wages of low-paid men, more of whom were on the minimum wage by 2023. The productivity of the UK's economy has also been largely stagnant since 2007, with the UK's decreased growth in productivity since the financial crisis being worse than other advanced economies, from 2007–2024 the UK economy experienced
9344-542: The course of the following decade, and was somewhat synonymous with "prudence". In his keynote speech to the Conservative Party forum in Cheltenham on 26 April 2009, Cameron declared that "the age of irresponsibility is giving way to the age of austerity", and committed to end years of what he characterised as excessive government spending. Conservative Party leaders also promoted the idea of budget cuts bringing about
9472-571: The course of their duty: Certain additional powers which may be assigned to PCSOs by the chief constable (or commissioner in London ), but which vary from force to force, include: Individual chief constables or commissioners can increase the discretionary powers their PCSOs use from the existing list. PCSO powers were further increased by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 statute. This provided them with powers such as
9600-559: The cuts were applied in this way, but other Conservative staff members have since acknowledged "big strategic moves" that were made to favour demographic groups more likely to vote Conservative. This meant that the richest 20% of the population were essentially excluded from the impact of cuts. The approach was "devastatingly politically effective" according to Osborne, and is credited with the 2015 election win. British MP David Gauke also stated that this rebalancing had gone too far. Osborne's successor as Chancellor, Philip Hammond , retained
9728-485: The distinction between them and police officers. Some PCSOs are attached to Road Policing Units , and British Transport Police PCSOs are deployed as part of station teams. As with many aspects of PCSOs, the specifics of each job description vary depending on the relevant force. Police forces will recruit PCSOs through adverts placed in newspapers and on the Internet and by posters in public places. Some may use open days as
9856-464: The effects of austerity on public services, however no causal link was shown and was assumed based upon life expectancy not rising in the UK at the same rate as other selected countries, excluding the United States which showed equal stagnation in life expectancy. A UK government budget surplus in 2001-2 was followed by many years of budget deficit , and following the 2007–2008 financial crisis ,
9984-627: The few examples was during the funeral of PCSO Mark Marshall of Devon and Cornwall Police who was killed in Afghanistan whilst serving in the Territorial Army . His funeral was attended by police colleagues wearing tunics including PCSOs. In 2012, PCSOs who had been in service since Monday 6 February 2012 and had completed five full calendar years in the role were awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal . This
10112-608: The first budget in October 2024, the BBC however stated that increases in public sector funding meant that "A line [could] be drawn under the years of austerity." The austerity programme included reductions in welfare spending, the cancellation of school building programs, reductions in local government funding, and an increase in VAT . Spending on the police, courts and prisons was also reduced. A number of quangos were abolished, merged or reduced as
10240-417: The following two years characterised by vast spending brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic . The UK suffered its deepest recession in 300 years . Government spending jumped from 39.1% of GDP to 51.9%, widening the deficit to a level not seen even during the 2008 financial crisis, and reversing austerity era efforts to balance national finances. The government abandoned efforts to lower the national debt across
10368-544: The fourth highest growth of the G7. Productivity began to decline again in early 2022, which tipped the economy back into recession in 2023. Poor economic performance has led some to refer to Britain as the " sick man of Europe ", a nickname previously applied to the country during its economic turmoil in the 1970s . The name has been applied in the early 2020s by outside commentators such as The Economist , as well as Conservative party donors. The Local government in England
10496-433: The government continued with the planned spending reductions that were announced after the 2015 general election. By 2018, only 25% of the proposed reductions in welfare spending had been implemented. The Resolution Foundation , a British think tank, calculated that the proposed reduction in spending on working-age benefits amounted to £2.5 billion in 2018–19 and £2.7 billion in 2019–20, with the households most affected being
10624-443: The government eventually released its "Affordable Homes Programme" for 2011-2015 and accompanying funding guidelines it established a new type of affordable housing- "affordable rent" that can be up to 80% of the market rent and hence at levels that can be significantly higher than social rents, and affordable rents are around 30% higher than social rents on average among housing association properties. The provision of affordable rent
10752-549: The governments in power over the second period did not formally re-adopt the term. The two austerity periods are separated by increased spending during the COVID-19 pandemic . The first period was one of the most extensive deficit reduction programmes seen in any advanced economy since the Second World War , with emphasis placed on shrinking the state, rather than consolidating fiscally as was more common elsewhere in Europe. The Conservative-led government claimed that austerity served as
10880-467: The hats worn by male PCSOs were not rigid and 'may therefore not offer adequate protection'. Female PCSOs wear bowler hats which contain foam padding as protection. Some police forces have unique hat designs for PCSOs which are different from the more common styles, such as those worn by the City of London Police PCSOs who adhere to the force's tradition of red detailing, red banding, and a red shield. Another
11008-559: The highest contingent of PCSOs, accounting for a quarter of PCSOs in England and Wales. The service with the second largest contingent as of 2012 was Greater Manchester Police (GMP) with 837 PCSOs, which was 5% of the total. As of 2023 , pay for PCSOs, which vary from force to force, range between £19,000 to around £26,000 per year depending on experience. Most PCSOs work within a Safer Neighbourhood team (SNT) or Neighbourhood Policing team (NPT) that contains special constables and beat managers (police sergeants). These teams are led by
11136-434: The impact of the austerity programme on services and budgets in the long term. There were however "big strategic moves" to protect groups more likely to vote Conservative , and make cuts elsewhere. This meant that the richest 20% of the population were largely protected, and the 2015 Conservative general election victory is credited to this tactic. During the second austerity period, a wider group than before were affected by
11264-556: The intense financial pressure on councils as they now have no option other than to provide the bare minimum statutory provisions". Analysis by the Local Government Association in 2018 identified a decrease in the Revenue Support Grant for local authorities in England from £9,927 million in 2015–16 to £2,284 million for 2019–20, leaving 168 authorities with no grant for 2019–20. UK government plans in 2018 proposed
11392-556: The introduction of additional charges for county council services. Local authority subsidies to bus services were reduced by almost half between 2010 and 2018. Research by the Local Government Chronicle has indicated that between 2010 and 2018 there were more than 220,000 redundancies of local authority employees and nearly £4 billion was spent on redundancy payments, excluding outsourcing contracts. Rob Whiteman of CIPFA commented that "this scale of job losses reflects
11520-474: The introduction of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 the number of children in "relative poverty" increased, with the total by 2019 around 600,000 higher than it had been in 2012. During those seven years the number of children obtaining food from the food banks of The Trussell Trust more than tripled. The human height of British children growing up during the years of austerity has decreased: as of 2019,
11648-483: The lifetime of the 2019 parliament, as had been planned, instead adopting policies, described by Will Hutton in The Guardian as Keynesian , during the pandemic. The Eat Out to Help Out scheme in particular has been cited as an example of this. Beginning during the latter part of the premiership of Boris Johnson , high inflation, high taxation, and the removal of temporary COVID-era support measures culminated in
11776-442: The meaning of the Police Reform Act 2002 ) is a relatively new one, but under law, it is considered a temporary arrest (in accordance with Schedule 4, Part 1, Paragraph 2A(2)(b) of the Police Reform Act 2002 ). As a result, a PCSO may any person arrest someone he or she has reasonable grounds to suspect is attempting to escape from lawful custody when subject to a detention requirement (under Schedule 4, Part 1, Paragraph 2(3) of
11904-484: The median rent), while in 2011 the calculation was changed to the equivalent of the 30th percentile of rents (the cheapest third of housing in an area) and the following year instead of updating the LHA rates the government announced that instead rates would increase by a maximum equivalent to the rise of the Consumer Price Index. In 2015 the government announced a complete four year freeze on LHA rates (with some of
12032-493: The mid-2020s. At the Conservative Party conference in October 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May indicated her intention to end the austerity programme following Brexit in 2019, and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said that austerity could not be ended without significant increases in public spending. The IFS calculated that funding an end to austerity would require an additional £19 billion per year raised through higher government borrowing or tax increases. Hammond's preference
12160-429: The move towards "affordable" as opposed to social rents, a large number of in-work tenants who may not qualify for any housing benefit will be directly effected by the higher rents. The number of people sleeping rough on any one night across England had more than doubled between 2010 and 2016 to an estimated 4,134, according to a government street count. The benefit cap , introduced via the Welfare Reform Act 2012 , set
12288-470: The necessity criteria set out in statute are met. This covers offences such as arson, criminal damage, theft, assault, possession of a controlled drug and burglary, etc. All PCSOs can also make common law arrests in the same manner as civilians, to prevent a breach of the peace . They also have a power of entry . Legislation exists that states that PCSOs are entitled to use reasonable force in order to effect an arrest as described above (under section 3 of
12416-677: The non-confrontational nature of their role, PCSOs are not normally issued with batons , incapacitant spray , handcuffs or leg restraints. However, PCSOs are authorised to carry and use this equipment. Four forces are an exception to this convention: British Transport Police PCSOs are issued with handcuffs and leg restraints; Also Dyfed-Powys Police , North Wales Police and Merseyside PCSOs are issued with handcuffs. Forces such as South Wales Police also issue 'Biteback' dog spray. Most police forces allow some PCSOs to use laser and radar guns to help enforce speed limits. PCSO powers vary between forces. The powers of PCSOs mainly stem from
12544-463: The number of families living in bed and breakfast accommodation was almost 50,000, and there were many more "hidden homeless" people living on the floors and sofas of friends and acquaintances. An article in The BMJ regarded this as a "neon sign that something is fundamentally wrong" with how society is being run, noting that "homeless women die on average at 43 and homeless men at 47, compared with 77 for
12672-440: The number of people answering yes to the question "Have there been times in the past 12 months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?" decreased from 9.8% in 2007 to 8.1% in 2012, leading some to say that the rise was due to both more awareness of food banks, and the government allowing Jobcentres to refer people to food banks when they were hungry, in contrast to previous governments. When
12800-598: The outsourcing of security at the British Museum , followed by the Imperial War Museum in 2014 and the National Gallery in 2015. The budget cuts stemming from austerity have also been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic . A report conducted by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) highlighted that £5.2 billion has been promised by the government to councils, despite the extra spending of £4.4 billion due to
12928-468: The pandemic and an overall budget pressure of £7.2 billion for 2020/21. This £2 billion budget gap will likely result in greater cuts to services provided by museums. See also : Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the arts and cultural heritage Between 1998 and 2012 the number of children living in "relative poverty" in the UK had fallen by approximately 800,000 to a total of around 3.5 million. Following
13056-472: The pandemic, their services could undergo dramatic changes within local communities that are more accommodating to their reduced funding as a result of austerity. National museums in the United Kingdom are typically run and funded by the government . However, there are some museums which have separate agreements with local authorities meaning they receive financial support through government programmes. The extent of this funding has been greatly reduced since
13184-847: The phasing out of grants to local authorities in England, instead funding English local government through a combination of local business rates and council tax. Research by the University of Cambridge published in 2018 said that the greatest reductions in local authority spending had occurred in impoverished post-industrial cities in the north of England and some poor Inner London boroughs. Over 30 such authorities in England had reduced spending by more than 30% between 2010 and 2017, with seven of them reducing spending by more than 40%. In contrast councils in wealthier areas had made smaller reductions. Councils in England experienced an average spending reduction of 24% compared to 12% in Scotland and 11.5% in Wales,
13312-474: The plans, "it seems likely the range and quality of public services would have to suffer at some point". When they launched their manifesto that June, the Conservatives confirmed that 12 billion pounds would be cut from welfare. Jeremy Hunt referred to the plans as an "enormous back-to-work programme" in a newsletter during the campaign. At Oxford University he also spoke positively of Liz Truss ' economic plans, adding that he wanted to “basically achieve some of
13440-406: The poorest 20%. The IFS calculated that the OBR's figures would require spending on public services per person in real terms to be 2% lower in 2022–23 than in 2019–20. The deficit in the first quarter of the 2018–19 financial year was lower than at any time since 2007 and by August 2018 it had reached the lowest level since 2002–3. Hammond's aim at this time was to eliminate the deficit entirely by
13568-583: The power of a constable under Section 19 of PACE to seize any suspected criminal property or property suspected of being used in crime and further traffic FPN powers. The Policing and Crime Act 2017 set out dramatic expansions to the role of PCSO. Section 28(4)(a) states a PCSO will be able to be designated with "any power or duty of a constable (other than a power or duty specified in Part 1 of Schedule 3B excluded powers and duties)". These excluded powers would be: This bill received Royal Assent on 31 January 2017 and
13696-505: The previous 20 years. Reductions in benefit support and a shortage of affordable housing were considered to be contributing factors. Researchers have linked budget cuts and sanctions against benefit claimants to increasing use of food banks . In a twelve-month period from 2014 to 2015, over one million people in the United Kingdom had used a food bank, representing a "19% year-on-year increase in food bank use". The use of food banks almost doubled between 2013 and 2017. A study published in
13824-472: The rest of us". The Office for National Statistics estimated that 597 homeless people died in England and Wales in 2017, an increase of 24% since 2012. Research was published in 2018 by Shelter analysing government data. It indicated that all forms of homelessness had increased since 2010 and that the number of households living in temporary accommodation had risen to more than 79,000. By 2017 over 33,000 families living in temporary accommodation were working,
13952-518: The result of the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum , he expressed the opinion that this goal was no longer feasible. Cuts in spending were not equally applied geographically, leading to some allegations that non-Conservative areas were being systematically targeted. Health expenditure in Blackpool (Labour) fell five times more per person than in Surrey (Conservative). Osborne has denied
14080-572: The resulting cost-of-living crisis. This was connected to declining support for the Conservatives ahead of the 2024 general election , which resulted in a landslide defeat for the party. The Conservatives had planned further measures for after the election, some of which were leaked in advance. The effects proved controversial and the policies received criticism from a variety of politicians, economists, and Anti-austerity movements . The British Medical Association nicknamed austerity "COVID's little helper" and connected British excess deaths to
14208-583: The same powers of arrest under section 24 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 . They can, however, utilise the 'any person' powers of arrest under section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (commonly known as a citizens' arrest ). This means they are able to arrest anyone without warrant providing there are reasonable grounds to suspect they are committing, or have committed or are suspected to be guilty of an indictable or 'either-way' offence, provided
14336-493: The same style as traffic police officers. The hat retains though the standard blue band and force crest as other PCSOs in GMP. Generally, most forces do not have a formal uniform for their PCSOs, but a few provide tunics. Tunics are the same as that of a Police Constable but may have special badging to distinguish the wearer as a PCSO. As with police constables, PCSOs very rarely wear tunics (provided they have been given them). One of
14464-405: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title PCSO . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PCSO&oldid=1048142339 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
14592-468: The same things that she wanted to achieve." The plans were not enacted as the Conservatives were defeated in the election. From August 2024 the Labour party started the introduction of targeted removal of benefits, primarily for people of pension age. Some commentators referred to this as a new period of austerity. The Department of Work and Pensions started a process of making savings in disability payments, expected to save £150m per year by 2028. After
14720-635: The same year a group of political scientists at the University of Nottingham found that the impact of austerity on in-work benefits and housing policy had been harmful to working families with children, while wealthy pensioners and older homeowners had benefited. In 2016 research from the Women's Budget Group and the Runnymede Trust indicated that women, people of colour and in particular women of colour had been affected most by austerity, and that they would continue to be affected disproportionately until 2020. This
14848-437: The shortfall could in some cases reach hundreds of pounds a month. In April 2017, housing benefit payments were ended for new claims made by people aged 18–21. Research by Heriot-Watt University found that the policy would reduce annual government expenditure by £3.3 million. During the period of austerity, the rate of homelessness rapidly increased. For example, during 2016 the rate of homelessness increased by 16%. By 2018
14976-405: The situation, as the circumstances may dictate they do not have the training or equipment to deal with a situation like a constable could. It is also accepted that PCSOs do not have to intervene in high risk situations and it is reasonable if they decide to withdraw from one. This is due to the non-confrontational purpose of their role. PCSOs are not attested constables , and therefore do not have
15104-519: The time was 2015–16, but the Treasury extended austerity until at least 2018. By 2015, the deficit, as a percentage of GDP, had been reduced to half of what it was in 2010, and the sale of government assets (mostly the shares of banks nationalised in the 2000s) had resulted in government debt as a proportion of GDP falling. By 2016, the Chancellor was aiming to deliver a budget surplus by 2020, but following
15232-427: The time, though by some estimates Truss' tax changes, announced in a mini-budget that September, added 32 billion pounds to an existing 6 billion pound deficit, that would have either required significant borrowing or cuts to fill. It was revealed in 2024 that the Truss ministry considered cutting NHS cancer treatment. The then-unknown cuts and tax changes caused market turbulence over the following week, including
15360-489: The wearer's respective force crest printed on them. Most forces now simply issue the same hat badge that is issued to constables. The band on the hat is usually a silver reflective band with blue edging, a plain blue band, a chequered blue and silver band or a black and white Sillitoe tartan chequered band. Male PCSOs wear flat, peaked caps rather than custodian helmets , which are worn by male police constables and sergeants. The Metropolitan Police Authority noted in 2004 that
15488-456: Was a fiscal policy that was adopted for a period in the early 21st century following the era of the Great Recession . Coalition and Conservative governments in office from 2010 to 2019 used the term, and it was applied again by many observers to describe Conservative Party policies from 2021 to 2024, during the cost of living crisis . With the exception of the short-lived Truss ministry ,
15616-644: Was created for affordable rent instead of the often much lower social rent, while the proportion of new-build social housing using affordable rent has been much less significant in Wales and Scotland where most new-build social housing continues to be built for social rent levels, while in Northern Ireland the affordable rent product has not been used. Meanwhile, in London more than 10,000 existing properties that were previously let at social rent levels have been changed to affordable rent. Though housing benefit tenants, exempt as they are from LHA rates, are not directly effected by
15744-569: Was described by some as an austerity policy. UK in a Changing Europe described the period as "round two", viewing the Johnson government's 2022 spring statement as a turning point similar to the October 2010 statement then delivered by George Osborne , at the initiation of austerity. This view was shared by The Guardian , which described the period from Spring 2022 onward as "another era", and The Telegraph , which termed it "another ill-judged bout". Johnson announced his resignation that July, amid
15872-480: Was due to the fact that black and Asian women were more likely to be employed in the public sector, be in low-paid jobs and insecure work, and experience higher levels of unemployment than other groups. Research published in 2017 by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation identified an increase in child poverty and pensioner poverty compared to the previous year, following significant overall decreases during
16000-414: Was sacked on 15 October and Truss announced her own resignation on the 20th. Rishi Sunak became prime minister after Truss stepped down and quickly announced that a new budget would be forthcoming, with "difficult decisions" made. The government faced higher borrowing costs due to market fallout after the mini-budget and the collapse of the Truss ministry. His plans drew warning from Olivier de Schutter,
16128-401: Was subsequently passed into law. Under a mix of legislation and common law , a PCSO can use reasonable force to arrest or detain a suspected offender. PCSOs can all use handcuffs (if their force provides them) to detain using their own detention powers or arrest using 'any person' powers when on duty. At present only four forces issue handcuffs officially. The use of reasonable force
16256-488: Was that the structural current budget deficit would be eliminated to "achieve [a] cyclically-adjusted current balance by the end of the rolling, five-year forecast period". The second was that national debt as a percentage of GDP would fall. The government intended to achieve both of its goals through substantial reductions in public expenditure. This was to be achieved by a combination of public spending cuts and tax increases amounting to £110 billion. Between 2010 and 2013,
16384-498: Was to reduce the national debt with more years of austerity, but in the October 2018 budget he agreed to defer the target date for eliminating the deficit, abandoning plans to achieve a surplus in 2022–23 to allow an increase in health spending and tax cuts. The Resolution Foundation described the step as a "significant easing of austerity". Hammond said that the "era of austerity is finally coming to an end" but that there would be no "real terms" increase in public spending apart from on
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