Petition · Department for Business and Trade
Recognise Police Special Constables under s50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Closed
1,112 signatures
What the petition asks
Special Constables are fully trained and warranted officers, who hold regular employment and on their days off join local police teams to be a visible presence, make arrests, deter crime and enhance safety – all without pay.
Volunteers are dwindling with 6,118 serving Special Constables in 2024.
Special Constables volunteer ~3 million hours annually saving an estimated £85-90m. Their volunteer hours could come at the expense of family time and rest, as they must use their days off or request annual leave for their policing duties.
We want more police in our communities and we believe this can be achieved by employers recognising Special Constables, similar to other civic roles like Magistrates, under s50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Special Constables volunteer ~3 million hours annually saving an estimated £85-90m. Their volunteer hours could come at the expense of family time and rest, as they must use their days off or request annual leave for their policing duties.
We want more police in our communities and we believe this can be achieved by employers recognising Special Constables, similar to other civic roles like Magistrates, under s50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Timeline
| 17 Jan 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 17 Jul 2025 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
1,112
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Business and Trade
Opened
17 Jan 2025
Closed
17 Jul 2025
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 1 Aug 2026.