Applications to join the MPS from January 2017 to April 2023

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.029923

I note you seek access to the following information:

1) The number of applications to join the Metropolitan Police - from people wishing to join the force as salaried police officers (excluding PCSOs), at any level and through any entry pathway - received per year, for each year between 2013 and 2023 (inclusive)

2) A month-by-month breakdown of the above, for each year between 2013 and 2023 (inclusive)*

3) Any further information that might help explain any significant rise or fall in applications received during the last decade, specifically in the most recent few years (e.g. the introduction or closure of specific entry pathways/schemes)

*If time does not allow you to provide this, please provide a month-by-month breakdown for as many years as possible, working backwards from 2023

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - The number of applications to join the Metropolitan Police - from people wishing to join the force as salaried police officers (excluding PCSOs), at any level and through any entry pathway - received per year, for each year between 2013 and 2023 (inclusive)

We are only able to provide a response from 2017 onwards as the MPS does not hold the information for 2013 – 2017 on our system.

2017	5,166
2018	19,764
2019	44,389
2020	25,838
2021	17,285
2022	19,967
2023	6,162

Q2 - A month-by-month breakdown of the above, for each year between 2013 and 2023 (inclusive)*
*If time does not allow you to provide this, please provide a month-by-month breakdown for as many years as possible, working backwards from 2023”

Month	Year Total
Mar-17	78
Apr-17	0
May-17	0
Jun-17	104
Jul-17	224
Aug-17	636
Sep-17	1,165
Oct-17	1,218
Nov-17	1,021
Dec-17	720
Jan-18	826
Feb-18	740
Mar-18	819
Apr-18	916
May-18	1,370
Jun-18	1,816
Jul-18	1,738
Aug-18	1,669
Sep-18	1,675
Oct-18	1,734
Nov-18	3,432
Dec-18	3,029
Jan-19	5,344
Feb-19	4,171
Mar-19	4,571
Apr-19	3,509
May-19	3,542
Jun-19	3,005
Jul-19	3,077
Aug-19	3,052
Sep-19	7,979
Oct-19	2,203
Nov-19	1,969
Dec-19	1,967
Jan-20	2,952
Feb-20	2,664
Mar-20	3,489
Apr-20	2,888
May-20	3,005
Jun-20	3,103
Jul-20	2,219
Aug-20	1,791
Sep-20	22
Oct-20	0
Nov-20	2,611
Dec-20	1,094
Jan-21	2,365
Feb-21	2,545
Mar-21	948
Apr-21	549
May-21	627
Jun-21	598
Jul-21	2,384
Aug-21	1,564
Sep-21	1,654
Oct-21	1,424
Nov-21	1,487
Dec-21	1,140
Jan-22	1,629
Feb-22	1,838
Mar-22	2,075
Apr-22	1,400
May-22	1,414
Jun-22	1,678
Jul-22	1,456
Aug-22	1,984
Sep-22	1,905
Oct-22	1,987
Nov-22	1,413
Dec-22	1,188
Jan-23	1,522
Feb-23	1,483
Mar-23	1,806
Apr-23	1,351

Q3 - Any further information that might help explain any significant rise or fall in applications received during the last decade, specifically in the most recent few years (e.g. the introduction or closure of specific entry pathways/schemes)

The MPS does not hold recorded information for the above question. However in order to assist you with your request some dates and information has been created for you that would answer this question.

2016 – 2019 – Introduction and rollout of The Policing Education Qualifications Framework. Degree level pathways into Policing.

July 2019 – Government announced Police Uplift Programme.

March 2020 – Covid – caused problems with assessing and providing initial training to recruits.

2020 – 2023 National Uplift of Police Officers extra 20,000 recruits.

2022 – 2023 Market became saturated, Employment market was buoyant after Covid. Policing on the front line was competing with hybrid/working from home.

2022 – Prospect of the withdrawal of IPLDP+, which was subsequently re-instated in the interim and has been extended into 2024.