21/10/2026

Record 108,897 police complaints raise serious accountability questions

UNJUST UK are calling for greater transparency and accountability in policing after new figures revealed a record 108,897 complaints against police forces in England and Wales during 2025/26. 

Figures published today by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) show complaints rose by 15% compared with the previous year, marking the highest number recorded since the policing watchdog began collating complaints data. 

The figures also reveal 2,398 allegations of race discrimination. Notably, in this report, there is no data on how many of these complaints were investigated or even formally processed. 

More than 70,000 complaints were resolved informally by police forces, compared with 37,575 handled through the formal process. 

Katrina Ffrench, Executive Director of UNJUST UK, said: “These figures raise serious questions about police accountability, including how forces respond to allegations of racism. 

“Better recording practices and easier access to the complaints system may partly explain the rise in complaints, but recording a complaint is only the first step.  

"People need confidence that concerns about discrimination and misconduct will be investigated fairly, taken seriously and lead to meaningful action where failings are identified. 

“The public deserves clear answers about how these cases were handled, what outcomes were reached and what, if anything, changed as a result." 

The IOPC has cautioned against interpreting the rise solely as evidence of growing dissatisfaction with policing, citing improvements in complaint recording and accessibility. 

We maintain that greater transparency about complaint outcomes is essential to ensuring the system delivers meaningful accountability.