British police are bracing for a surge in crime, a breakdown in public order and greater corruption in its ranks this winter amid the raging cost-of-living crisis, the Sunday Times reported, citing a leaked national strategy paper.The paper, which was drawn up by police, revealed that authorities are worried that "economic turmoil and financial instability" has the "potential to drive increases in particular crime types," including shoplifting, burglary, carjacking, as well as blackmail and online fraud.Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell told the Times that desperate residents might resort to stealing essentials to survive.The paper also warns that a “more complex and unpredictable risk is the chance of greater civil unrest, as a response to prolonged and painful economic pressure.”One chief constable was quoted as saying that the police has already noticed a spike in some offences and has ramped up responses to such crimes, as a £3,549 ($4,085) price cap on yearly household energy bills starts to bite on October 1.Police corruption is also expected to rise, as, “Greater financial vulnerability may expose some staff to higher risk of corruption, especially among those who fall into significant debt or financial difficulties,” the paper, which includes information from the National Police Chiefs' Council, exposed.Health and electricity services are also due to suffer. As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, British ministers have insisted that blackouts are unlikely, but departments are said to be testing their ability to operate in the event of power outages. Likewise, the Department for Levelling Up is weighing the impact of dramatically dipping temperatures on homeless people, while there are concerns that the National Health Service (NHS) will see its hardest winter in almost 20 years.According to the newspaper, NHS England and the government are holding talks about the lack of capacity of ambulance services ..
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