Data: Drug Testing on Arrest (DToA) programme (accessible)
Updated 12 February 2025
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These data tables were published on 12 February 2025, presenting Drug Testing on Arrest programme data for the period March 2022 to September 2024.
Data is provided by police forces in England and Wales in receipt of Drug Testing on Arrest funding from the Home Office.
For further information about the Drug Testing on Arrest programme data, please contact dtoa.datacollection@homeoffice.gov.uk.
Table 1: Number of reported total tests and positive tests for the period March 2022 to September 2024
| Mar 2022 | Apr 2022 to June 2022 | July 2022 to Sept 2022 | Oct 2022 to Dec 2022 | Jan 2023 to Mar 2023 | Apr 2023 to June 2023 | July 2023 to Sept 2023 | Oct 2023 to Dec 2023 | Jan 2024 to March 2024 | Apr 2024 to June 2024 | July 2024 to Sept 2024 | Total Mar 2022 to Sept 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total reported tests | 3,599 | 10,393 | 10,565 | 11,129 | 12,217 | 15,720 | 16,889 | 18,091 | 19,225 | 18,872 | 17,595 | 154,295 |
| Total reported positive tests | 1,874 | 5,577 | 5,883 | 6,104 | 6,606 | 8,846 | 9,719 | 10,342 | 10,689 | 10,747 | 9,820 | 86,207 |
| Positive test rate | 52% | 54% | 56% | 55% | 54% | 56% | 58% | 57% | 56% | 57% | 56% | 56% |
| Average number of police forces returning data in the period | 14 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 30 |
Table 2: Number of reported drug tests for the period March 2023 to September 2024, by trigger or non-trigger offence
| Mar 2023 | Apr 2023 to June 2023 | July 2023 to Sept 2023 | Oct 2023 to Dec 2023 | Jan 2024 to Mar 2024 | Apr 2024 to June 2024 | July 2024 to Sept 2024 | Total Mar 2023 to Sept 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests following a trigger offence | 3,025 | 10,233 | 12,407 | 14,508 | 15,971 | 16,554 | 15,727 | 88,425 |
| Tests following a non-trigger offence | 407 | 1,695 | 1,745 | 2,184 | 2,242 | 1,797 | 1,790 | 11,860 |
| Not stated | 1,335 | 3,792 | 2,737 | 1,399 | 1,012 | 521 | 78 | 10,874 |
| Total | 4,767 | 15,720 | 16,889 | 18,091 | 19,225 | 18,872 | 17,595 | 111,159 |
| Average number of police forces returning data in the period | 23 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 30 |
Table 3: Number of reported total and positive tests for the period March 2023 to September 2024, by substance
| Mar 2023 | Apr 2023 to June 2023 | July 2023 to Sept 2023 | Oct 2023 to Dec 2023 | Jan 2024 to Mar 2024 | Apr 2024 to June 2024 | July 2024 to Sept 2024 | Total Mar 2023 to Sept 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total positive tests | 2,597 | 8,846 | 9,719 | 10,342 | 10,689 | 10,747 | 9,820 | 62,760 |
| Of which: Positive for cocaine | 1,335 | 4,739 | 5,380 | 6,360 | 6,557 | 6,754 | 6,265 | 37,390 |
| Positive for opiates | 85 | 313 | 316 | 401 | 416 | 415 | 446 | 2,392 |
| Positive for both cocaine and opiates | 732 | 2,567 | 2,714 | 3,581 | 3,716 | 3,578 | 3,109 | 19,997 |
| Positive (specific substance not provided) | 445 | 1,227 | 1,309 | - | - | - | - | 2,981 |
| Total negative tests | 1,597 | 5,215 | 5,715 | 7,316 | 8,209 | 7,739 | 7,404 | 43,195 |
| Test result not stated | 509 | 1,455 | 1,223 | 49 | 34 | 87 | 100 | 3,457 |
| Test refused or unable to test | 64 | 204 | 232 | 384 | 293 | 299 | 271 | 1,747 |
| Total number of reported tests | 4,767 | 15,720 | 16,889 | 18,091 | 19,225 | 18,872 | 17,595 | 111,159 |
| Average number of police forces returning data in the period | 23 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 30 |
Table 4: Where available, number of reported referrals into assessment following a positive test for the period March 2023 to September 2024
These figures are based on optional referrals data provided for a small sample of tests.
| Mar 2023 | Apr 2023 to June 2023 | July 2023 to Sept 2023 | Oct 2023 to Dec 2023 | Jan 2024 to Mar 2024 | Apr 2024 to June 2024 | July 2024 to Sept 2024 | Total Mar 2023 to Sept 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total positive tests | 2,597 | 8,846 | 9,719 | 10,342 | 10,689 | 10,747 | 9,820 | 62,760 |
| Total positive tests with referrals data available | 867 | 3,692 | 5,338 | 6,283 | 6,843 | 7,222 | 5,890 | 36,135 |
| Referral to assessment made | 789 | 3,308 | 4,957 | 5,706 | 6,257 | 6,640 | 5,456 | 33,113 |
| Referral rate | 91% | 90% | 93% | 91% | 91% | 92% | 93% | 92% |
| Average number of police forces returning data in the period | 10 | 15 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 25 | 25 |
Table 5: Where available, number of reported referrals into treatment made following a referral to assessment for the period March 2023 to September 2024
These figures are based on optional referrals data provided for a small sample of tests.
| Mar 2023 | Apr 2023 to June 2023 | July 2023 to Sept 2023 | Oct 2023 to Dec 2023 | Jan 2024 to Mar 2024 | Apr 2024 to June 2024 | July 2024 to Sept 2024 | Total Mar 2023 to Mar 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reported referrals to assessment, where onwards treatment referral data is provided | 163 | 442 | 1,144 | 1,245 | 1,367 | 1,372 | 1,031 | 6,764 |
| Referral to treatment made, following referral to assessment | 37 | 123 | 689 | 657 | 718 | 678 | 584 | 3,486 |
| Referral rate | 23% | 28% | 60% | 53% | 53% | 49% | 57% | 52% |
| Average number of police forces returning data in the period | 3 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
Notes
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Prior to March 2023, data returns were provided by police forces on an aggregate basis and not all police forces provided complete data each month. Since March 2023, improvements have been made to the data return and more police forces now provide data on a more consistent basis. Since March 2023, data is now provided by police forces to the Home Office at the individual test record level.
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Different police forces have returned data in different periods during the data collection and therefore these figures should not be treated as a complete reflection of all testing activity.
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Table 1 presents data from March 2022 onwards, whilst tables 2-5 begin at March 2023 when more detailed outcomes data became available.
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March 2022 was the month by which all 2021/22 Home Office funding had been provided to police forces. It is therefore included before the subsequent quarters for completeness in Table 1. Similarly, the new data returns process commenced in March 2023, which is therefore included for completeness before the subsequent quarters in Tables 2-5.
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Data relates to the number of tests conducted, rather than the number of individuals tested. This is because the same individuals may be repeatedly tested.
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Drug tests can be conducted following a trigger offence, or with an Inspector’s Authority following a non-trigger offence. Trigger offences are predominantly acquisitive crimes, such as burglary, robbery, and taking a motor vehicle without authority.
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At present, individuals can be tested for the presence of cocaine or certain opiates only. Table 3 presents the results of drug tests by substance found.
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Referrals data is currently optional for police forces to provide. Therefore the referral figures presented in Tables 4 and 5 are based on a small sample of overall test records provided by police forces and the referral rates should be treated as indicative only.
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Data is collected by the Home Office on a monthly basis, and police forces occasionally update their previous returns. Therefore the figures may not match those previously published.