A government review could reshape police forces across England and Wales; The Guardian reported that it considers a range of nine to 18 forces in a system the government counts at 43.
Lord Hogan-Howe submitted the review to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Sept. 17, according to a written answer to Parliament dated Oct. 22. The government said it was considering the report and would issue a formal response, but gave no date.
The Guardian reported that the review considers a range of nine to 18 forces in the proposed structure. The newspaper separately described a possible arrangement of nine regional forces in England, one force in Wales and more than 150 local policing units. Its report did not explain how that model fits the broader range.
The Guardian puts England's current count at 39 territorial forces. The Home Office's January 2026 White Paper describes a 43-force system across England and Wales. The paper argues that combining forces could free resources now tied up in duplicated administration and make specialist policing more capable of handling major incidents and sudden increases in demand.
Under the government plan, Local Policing Areas would manage emergency response, neighborhood policing and local investigations. A proposed National Police Service would handle national responsibilities, including counterterrorism and serious and organized crime.
The review's terms of reference ask for recommendations on force configuration, governance, implementation costs and limiting disruption during any transition. Published government documents do not include an estimate of merger costs.
The Guardian reported divisions among police leaders. Matthew Scott, Kent's police and crime commissioner, told the newspaper the changes could lead to “a suboptimal outcome.” One chief constable told The Guardian that recovering the investment could take five or six years.
The Guardian reported that the review could be published before Christmas, followed by a White Paper in the new year. The government has not announced a timetable.
