‘Smoke and Mirrors’: PCC Criticises Government Over Victim Support Funding
02nd December 2025
Victims being let down again by funding settlement
Matthew Scott, Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner, has criticised the Government’s announcement for victim support funding today as “smoke and mirrors”.
The Ministry of Justice has announced a 2% increase in the core victims grant and general grant for domestic abuse and sexual violence next year.
However, the core victims grant was cut by 4.2% this year, meaning there will still be a shortfall compared to last year.
Over the four year period, there will be a combined rise of just 1.69%, less than half the current rate of inflation.
Mr Scott said
“This announcement is smoke and mirrors as it fails to acknowledge the impact of the Government’s decisions to cut victims funding for PCCs and increase national insurance payments for charities last year. This is in effect a massive real-terms cut, at a time when victims of crime desperately need support.
I will again look to address the shortfall, as many PCCs have also done. However, victims and charities are being let down by a Government more concerned with releasing prisoners early and reducing sentences.
This simply isn’t good enough – who will speak up for victims in the future?”
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
The CPI rate of inflation in October 2025 was 3.6%.
Source: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices
According to the OBR, CPI inflation will be 3.5% for 2025, 2.5% in 2026 and will not reach 2% until 2027.
Here are the relevant funding amounts, as notified to the Kent PCC by the Ministry of Justice:
Core Grant:
2024/5 £2,163,638.24
2025/6 £2,073,217.09
2026/7 £2,114,681.43
2027/8 £2,156,975.06
General Grant:
2024/5 £1,837,213.31
2025/6 £1,837,213.31
2026/7 £1,873,957.58
2027/8 £1,911,436.73
Totals:
2024/5 £4,000,851
2025/6 £3,910,430
2026/7 £3,988,639
2027/8 £4,068,411 (+1.69% compared to 2024/5)