3:30pm Tuesday 9th March 2010
By Emily Walker, Chief Reporter
Police are spending millions of pounds on outdated payments to officers.
Until 1994 every officer in the UK was entitled to free police housing or could have their rent paid for them.
Although it is more than 15 years since the housing allowance scheme was scrapped, Sussex Police are paying the benefits to more than 1,000 officers who joined before that time.
Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that in 2007/8 Sussex Police paid £3,401,921 to 1,308 officers.
In 2008/9, £3,076,053 was paid to 1,187 officers.
Between April 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009, 1,068 officers received payments totalling £2,118,503.
Sussex Police said the cost of the extra payments has been decreasing as officers entitled to the payments retired or left the force
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