Police in England and Wales are in line for below-inflation increase increase in funding next year, according to proposals set out by the Government.

Under the provisional settlement, the Home Office said forces will receive an additional £287 million in cash terms from central government in 2023-24.

It will take overall spending to £17.2 billion – a 3.6% cash increase on the current year, well below the rate of inflation which remains above 10% although it is forecast to fall.

The figure assumes police and crime commissioners in England will take full advantage of their ability to raise the council tax precept to £15, bringing in £349 million.

The Home Office said the settlement would enable it to maintain the 20,000 additional officers the Government has promised.

It provides £1.1 billion towards national policing priorities, including serious violence, county lines and cyber crime while funding for counter-terrorism policing will total over £1 billion.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “It is vital that we continue to invest in the priorities that matter most to our communities, and we must do more to cut crime and restore confidence in our police.

“With over 15,000 additional officers already recruited and thousands more on the way, this package will support our forces to get the basics right and keep communities safe across country.”