The 25-hour walk-out could cause "delays to emergency call-outs" on one of the busiest days of the year.

08:18, Tue, Dec 16, 2025 Updated: 08:19, Tue, Dec 16, 2025

Two police officers of the Metropolitan Police on duty in a London street

175 workers from the Met’s central command are set to walk out (Image: Getty)

Metropolitan Police staff are set to walk out for 25 hours in London on New Year’s Eve - one of the busiest days of the year. The strike over pay is set to be “very disruptive”, which could result in “delays to emergency call-outs” due to a lack of staff. According to trade union Unite, 175 employees from the Met’s central command, including call handlers, office staff, fleet service staff and technicians will take part in the action. 

Unite said: “As a significant night in policing, strike action will be very disruptive, including causing delays to emergency call-outs.” The walk-out will begin at 6am on New Year’s Eve and will last until 7am on New Year’s Day. According to Unite, staff are striking as they have not had a pay increase for 2025-2026, despite police officers across the UK, including at the Met, receiving a rise of 4.2%.

New Year celebrations in London

Met staff had not had a pay increase for 2025-26, according to Unite (Image: Getty)

The day's biggest headlines in UK and World news Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Met employees had proposed two provisional pay offers, Unite said, of 3.8% and 4.2%. The union said these offers were “conditional on workers accepting vastly inferior conditions”.

A Met Police spokesman said: “The vast majority of our staff will be working alongside their police officer colleagues to support London and the communities we serve.

“We do not anticipate this changing as a result of the action Unite has announced. Londoners can be assured that we will be there for them as normal.”

Sharon Graham, the Unite general secretary, said: “It is unacceptable that our members in the Met are the only workers in UK police forces that have not yet had their pay rise.

“It is a disgrace that the Met has dangled the carrot of a pay rise, but is also offering the stick of attacks on workers’ terms and conditions.

“Unite won’t allow our members’ conditions to worsen and the workers have the union’s full support throughout this dispute.”

Keith Henderson, the Unite regional officer, said: “We know Londoners will be concerned to hear of strikes on New Year’s Eve, but our members at the Met feel they have no choice but to strike in their fight for a fair pay rise.

“They are being financially penalised by their employer for poor management decisions and cuts that were not their fault.

“The Met has a chance to stop this industrial action, but that relies on it coming back and offering staff the fair pay rise they deserve in line with all the other forces in the country and without changes to terms and conditions.”