The Government has announced a £15.8 billion funding package for policing over the coming year.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the money, which is up to £636 million more than last year’s fund, will be used for the ongoing drive to recruit 20,000 new officers by 2023, and tackling terrorism.

Some £400 million will be used to hire the extra officers, following the employment of 6,000 more police through the initiative so far.

There were 129,110 officers employed by the UK’s 43 forces as of March 2020, according to the latest ONS figures.

The Home Office has said the money will also enable police to tackle serious violence, and increase the number of specialist officers for counter-terrorism and serious organised crime including child sexual abuse and drug trafficking.

Ms Patel said the Government aims to “build back safer from the pandemic”.

She said: “We have asked more of the police than ever before during the coronavirus pandemic – the British people and I are extremely grateful for their dedication.

“I am absolutely committed to giving the police the resources they need – this funding package delivers on that.”

Some £914 million of the fund will be used for counter-terrorism policing, with an extra £32 million to establish a new Counter-Terrorism Operations Centre.

The Home Office said this year £30 million was spent on Covid-19 enforcement, and officers were reimbursed for all PPE as recognition for their service.

The final police funding settlement will be debated in Parliament ahead of the new financial year.