New Police
Performance Framework
Understanding organisational accountability, tiered intervention, and the Home Secretary's restored powers in the 2026 reforms.
Policy Briefing
The January 2026 Police Reform White Paper replaces fragmented oversight with a unified Police Performance Framework. Managed by a new national Performance Improvement Unit (PPIU) within the Home Office, the system introduces mandatory national standards and a three-tiered intervention ladder. Crucially, the framework is organisational: it monitors the performance of forces and senior leadership rather than scoring individual frontline officers.
The publication of "A New Era for Policing" in January 2026 represents a fundamental shift in how police accountability is structured in England and Wales. For over a decade, the 43-force model operated under a "light touch" oversight regime, where local variation in performance was often left unchecked until a force entered "special measures."
The 2026 reforms acknowledge that this autonomy has led to a "postcode lottery" of victim care and detection rates. Consequently, the new Police Performance Framework is designed to catch declining performance early through a data-led, tiered escalation model.
For serving officers, the introduction of a new "performance regime" naturally triggers concerns regarding quotas, "bean-counting," and administrative burden. However, the White Paper is explicit: this framework is a top-down accountability tool. Its primary purpose is to ensure that Chief Constables and Police Boards are effectively managing resources to meet the newly legislated National Policing Standards.
Why Performance Reform Is Necessary
Evidence from the 2026 White Paper
National Decline
Charge rates for serious offences have diverged wildly; some forces detect 300% more crime than others in similar socio-economic areas.
Inconsistent Data
Forces currently use different metrics for 'response' and 'success,' making national comparison impossible.
Siloed Intelligence
The lack of shared performance data prevents the National Police Service (NPS) from identifying cross-border crime trends.
Weak Oversight
The 2010–2024 era is described as having lacked the 'teeth' to intervene until after a total collapse of public confidence.
The government argues that the current decentralised model has failed to maintain a minimum standard of service for victims. Under the previous regime, HMICFRS (His Majesty's Inspectorate) could identify failures, but the link between *identification* and *correction* was often broken by local political or leadership resistance.
The 2026 White Paper aims to bridge this gap by establishing the National Police Service (NPS) as the strategic engine and the Police Performance Improvement Unit (PPIU) as the regulatory enforcement arm. By creating a unified "Scorecard" for every force, the Home Office can apply pressure where it is needed most, before regional services reach a point of crisis.
Tiered Intervention Ladder
Explore how the Home Office escalates support and oversight based on force-level performance data.
National Standards
The baseline requirements for all forces. Includes minimum standards for response times, victim contact, and detection rates.
"Routine monitoring by the Home Office and the National Police Service (NPS)."
Trigger points defined by the 2026 Home Office Police Performance Improvement Unit (PPIU)
The Framework Architecture
This isn't just a new set of targets; it's a new technology-enabled ecosystem. The 2026 Framework is built on four core pillars that integrate with the broader structural reforms.
Shared National Metrics
Standardised definitions for 'Neighbourhood Visibility,' 'Response Speed,' and 'High-Harm Detection.' No more force-specific data manipulation.
Daily Data Ingestion
The PPIU will receive daily performance feeds from the new NPS data hub, allowing for near-real-time identification of emerging issues.
The NPS Alignment
Performance is measured against the NPS national strategy, ensuring all 43 (or merged) forces are pulling in the same direction.
Public Transparency
The 'Police Scorecard' will be updated quarterly and made accessible to every citizen via a central portal.
The Role of the PPIU
The Police Performance Improvement Unit (PPIU) is the "regulatory heart" of the Home Office. Unlike HMICFRS, which primarily inspects and advises, the PPIU has the mandate to act.
When a force is identified as entering "Tier 2" (Recovery Support), the PPIU doesn't just send an inspector; it dispatches Turnaround Teams. These are specialists in deployment, data, and management who work inside the force to fix broken systems.
If the force fails to improve, the PPIU provides the evidentiary dossier to the Home Secretary to trigger Tier 3 "Direct Intervention." This removes the layer of political insulation that previously allowed failing leaders to remain in post.
Home Secretary Intervention Powers
Restoring central authority in cases of extreme failure.
One of the most contentious—but central—proposals in the January 2026 White Paper is the restoration of the Home Secretary's power to dismiss Chief Constables.
"Where a force demonstrates persistent systemic failure to meet public safety standards, and local oversight has failed to rectify the situation, the Home Secretary must possess the authority to initiate leadership change in the interest of national security and public trust."
Safeguards & Thresholds
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Tier 3 Exhaustion
This power can only be used *after* Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions have failed.
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Evidentiary Review
Dismissal requires a formal report from both the PPIU and HMICFRS confirming total failure.
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NPS Coordination
The National Police Service board must be consulted to ensure leadership continuity.
What This Means for Frontline Officers
Neutralising the myths: Consistency vs Quotas.
Primary Focus: Organisational
The framework does NOT create a national "Officer League Table." It measures the force as a whole. Performance is seen through the lens of resource management and strategy, not individual officer ticket numbers or arrest stats.
Supporting Resource Flow
A key metric is abstraction rates. The framework aims to *protect* neighbourhood officers from being pulled into response by holding commanders accountable for consistent visibility. This is a framework designed to protect your role.
Modernised Tooling
Performance is linked to the £115m tech investment. Forces on Tier 1 (performing well) will receive faster roll-out of administrative automation tools because their foundations are deemed secure.
Key Questions Officers Are Asking
Neutral, policy-based answers regarding the 2026 oversight shift.
Q: Will this affect my annual appraisal?
A: Directly, no. Local force appraisals remain under the existing PDR/PPF (Personal Performance Framework) system. The new 2026 Framework is a strategic 'macro' layer, not a 'micro' personal scoring system.
Q: Will my arrest numbers be tracked nationally?
A: Aggregate data from your force will be tracked, but the National Framework is not designed to monitor individual officer case files or arrest quotas.
Q: Can this framework be used in misconduct cases?
A: Misconduct is a legal process governed by Police Regulations. A force being in 'Tier 2' performance measures does not change the evidence required for an individual misconduct investigation.
Q: What happens if my force enters Tier 2?
A: Practically, you may see 'Turnaround Teams' (external specialists) working with your SMT and supervisors to audit workflows and resourcing. The goal is to provide additional support, not to initiate disciplinary sweeps.
Q: When does it start?
A: Pilot data ingestion begins in April 2026. The first full public 'Police Scorecards' are expected in January 2027, following a 9-month calibration period.
Q: Is 'Special Measures' being abolished?
A: The term is likely to be retired in favour of 'Tier 3 Direct Intervention,' which carries significantly stronger legislative consequences for leadership.
Clarifying the Limits
Not a Quota System
The White Paper explicitly rejects 'Quotas.' It measures output quality and visibility, not raw numbers.
No Micro-Management
The PPIU monitors Chief Constables, not Constables. Local command remains responsible for tactical decisions.
Support First
The escalating tiers are designed to provide 'Help before Heartbreak'—preventing total service failure.