Percentage of vetting applications refused from April 2024 to March 2025
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.25.044978
I note you seek access to the following information:
I understand the Metropolitan Police Service has previously published the below table with % of total vetting applications refused during each business year in FOI 01.FOI.24.038353.
April 2020 to March 2021 5.4%
April 2021 to March 2022 6.9%
April 2022 to March 2023 7.9%
April 2023 to March 2024 11.4%
- Could you please reveal the % of total vetting applications refused during the April 2024 to March 2025 business year?
- Could you please provide a table of % of total vetting applications refused during each business year from April 2016 to March 2020? If no records are held to April
2016, please use the furthest business year available where % of vetting applications
refused is available. - Could you please inform me whether the % of total vetting applications refused includes Officer applications only or also that of PCSO/Police Staff?
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full. Please find below information pursuant to your request above.
Q1 - Could you please reveal the % of total vetting applications refused during the April 2024 to March 2025 business year
The percentage of applications refused during the April 2024 to March 2025 business year is 10.4%
Q2 - Could you please provide a table of % of total vetting applications refused during each business year from April 2016 to March 2020. If no records are held to April 2016, please use the furthest business year available where % of vetting applications refused is available.
Please note those published percentages included partial vetting; the table below shows refusal rates for applications that underwent full vetting checks:
| Financial Year | Refusal Rate% |
|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 6.2% |
| 2017-18 | 7.1% |
| 2018-19 | 6.2% |
| 2019-20 | 7.8% |
| 2020-21 | 5.2% |
| 2021-22 | 5.4% |
| 2022-23 | 9.3% |
| 2023-24 | 11.4% |
| 2024-25 | 10.4% |
Q3 - Could you please inform me whether the % of total vetting applications refused includes Officer applications only or also that of PCSO/Police Staff.
The % refusal rates include not only Police staff and Officers but also those of fixed term contract applicants.