How many more nurses, police officers and teachers were there in 2010 when the Conservatives came to power?

10 December 2019

The number of nurses and health visitors working in the NHS in England is 8,400 higher in August 2019 compared to August 2010. There were around 287,000 in August 2019.

The number of police officers in England and Wales is 20,600 lower in March 2019 compared to March 2010, down to 123,200 in total.

There are about 12,000 more regular teachers in English state-funded schools in November 2018 compared to November 2010.

All the figures we use here are full-time equivalents—that’s the number of staff there would be if everyone’s hours were added together to create only full-time roles. We talk about different parts of the UK when looking at these figures because health and education spending are devolved so the UK government is only responsible for them in certain nations, and the legal system in England and Wales is distinct.

 

This article is part of our Ask Full Fact series on the 2019 general election, answering your questions about the election, from claims the main parties are making to what happens on polling day.

You can see all the questions we’ve answered so far and we’ll keep adding to it as we get through them.

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