Following the General Strikes of 1926, the editor of the Times newspaper petitions the Home Secretary to form a charity to provide for improved conditions for the police. It was established by Royal Charter issued by HM King George V in 1926.

At 3.30pm on Friday 12 August 1966, three police officers stopped their unmarked car in Braybrook Street in Hammersmith, West London. Two of the officers, Sergeant Christopher Head and Constable David Wombwell, went to investigate the occupants of a Standard Vanguard while Constable Geoffrey Fox remained at the wheel of the police car. Three small-time criminals occupied the Vanguard: Harry Roberts sat alongside the driver, John Whitney, while John Duddy was in the back. The three were intent on stealing a car to use in a robbery. Roberts was carrying a gun and there were two other weapons in a..Read More

So great was the public outrage from the Braybrook St Massacre that a donation of £100,000 from the late holiday camp pioneer Mr (later to become Sir) Billy Butlin soon swelled to more than £1 million. The Police Dependants’ Trust was up and running. Regrettably, officers still lose their lives in the line of duty, while others sustain serious injuries; the effects of which can, and often do, bring disaster to the officers and their families for the rest of their lives. And it’s not just the headline-making events that take their toll on the police. Hundreds of equally harrowing,..Read More

A public appeal committee raised a spectacular £1.7m to establish the Police Dependants’ Trust to care for injured officers, and look after the loved ones of Police Officers killed on duty. They organised various fundraising activities, including a Mansion House dinner, a public appeal in the Times Newspaper, and a Royal World Premiere of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in aid of Police Dependants’ Trust which was attended by our patron, HM The Queen.

In 2002, the Police Reform Act introduced the role of a Community Support Officer, a non-warranted but uniformed officer with special powers. They were introduced to provide specific connections into community and local policing across England and Wales (the legislation does not apply to Scotland and Northern Ireland). Wearing a uniform and part of the policing response in the UK, PCSO’s face the same risks as other police colleagues. That’s why, in 2002, Police Dependants’ Trust added them to the list of eligible beneficiaries.

The charity, which has been based in the Home Office, moves to new offices in Hampton as it expands it’s work and builds a new staff team to meet rising demand.

Following a major review at the Home Office, governance for the National Police Fund was transferred to the Trustees of the Police Dependants Trust. The charity retained its separate status, including it’s Royal Charter and independent finances.

Following a major review with our stakeholders, the two charities merge as part of a three-step process to become more relevant to the people we care for. Step two was to increase the support offered by the charity (which became our success framework), and step three was to rebrand the merged charity to Police Care UK.