Policing: The Job & The Life Survey 2018

Summary

The Job & The Life Survey 2018 is one of the largest studies of UK policing, involving more than 16,000 serving police officers and staff. Conducted by the University of Cambridge and funded by Police Care UK, the research explored trauma exposure, PTSD and Complex PTSD prevalence, wellbeing, working conditions, job quality, and the cumulative impact of policing on health. The findings highlight significant levels of unprocessed trauma, low wellbeing compared to the general UK workforce, and a clear need for improved trauma management, support, and job quality across policing.

The research found that 20% of trauma-exposed police officers and staff showed symptoms of PTSD or Complex PTSD, yet most were unaware of their condition, and wellbeing levels across policing were significantly lower than the general UK workforce.

Why it is important

The research provides essential evidence on how trauma, workload, and job quality affect the health and wellbeing of the police workforce. Understanding these impacts helps Police Care UK advocate for better support, improve service delivery, and reduce harm experienced by officers, staff, and their families.

Background

• Previous Police Care UK research (2016 Injury on Duty Survey) provided foundations for demographic and functional comparisons within policing.
• Survey design drew on the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey, enabling comparison with wider UK employment.
• PTSD and CPTSD screening was based on the 2018 International Trauma Questionnaire, aligned with ICD-11.
• Existing literature shows PTSD is typically more prevalent in women, but this study found higher rates in men, indicating policing-specific pressures.

How the research was conducted

• An online cross-sectional survey hosted for eight weeks between 15 October and 16 December 2018, following focus groups and two pilot studies.
• Targeted all serving police workforce across the UK: officers, staff, PCSOs, Special Constables, and operational support roles.
• Included 167 variables and 63 substantive questions covering demographics, job conditions, trauma exposure, wellbeing, and PTSD screening.
• Rigorous quality checks removed invalid or incomplete responses, resulting in a final dataset of 16,333 participants (approx. 7% of the UK police workforce).
• Ethical approval obtained from the University of Cambridge Humanities & Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee.

Partners and funding

The research was undertaken by the University of Cambridge, with Police Care UK providing funding and support. Additional collaborative support came from the Police Federation of England and Wales for the coding of trauma exposures.

Timeline

• June 2018 – Focus group and consultation.
• August–September 2018 – Two pilot studies (130 participants; 330 participants).
• 15 October – 16 December 2018 – Main survey deployment.
• 2019 – Analysis and reporting completed.

Results

• 90% of police reported experiencing at least one traumatic event at work.
• 12% met criteria for Complex PTSD and 8% for PTSD among trauma-exposed personnel; 72% of those with clinical symptoms were unaware.
• 66% reported mental health issues caused by police work, yet 93% would still attend work rather than take time off.
• Police wellbeing scores (WHO-5) were significantly lower than UK workforce averages, with 60% below the clinical risk threshold.
• Working conditions showed high job intensity, poor ability to switch off, and lower job quality than other UK sectors.
• Trauma exposure, job intensity, poor social environment, and low job meaningfulness were associated with increased PTSD/CPTSD risk.

Additional resources linked to this research

• Injury on Duty Survey (2016)
• PTEC (2020)
• Working Conditions (2022)
• Police Care UK Get help services/pages