Data: Drug Testing on Arrest (DToA) programme (accessible)
Updated 20 November 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/deleted-drug-testing-on-arrest-dtoa-programme-data/data-drug-testing-on-arrest-dtoa-programme-accessible
These data tables were published on 29 May 2025, presenting Drug Testing on Arrest programme data for the period December 2024 to March 2025.
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 March 2025
| Mar 2022 | Apr - June 2022 | July - Sept 2022 | Oct - Dec 2022 | Jan - Mar 2023 | Apr - June 2023 | July - Sept 2023 | Oct - Dec 2023 | Jan - Mar 2024 | Apr - June 2024 | July - Sept 2024 | Oct - Dec 2024 | Jan - Mar 2025 | Total Mar 2022 - Mar 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number of reported tests | 3,599 | 10,393 | 10,565 | 11,129 | 12,217 | 15,720 | 16,889 | 18,091 | 19,225 | 18,874 | 18,525 | 19,197 | 19,809 | 194,234 |
| Total number of reported positive tests | 1,874 | 5,577 | 5,883 | 6,104 | 6,606 | 8,846 | 9,719 | 10,342 | 10,688 | 10,749 | 10,294 | 10,208 | 10,203 | 107,094 |
| Positive test rate | 52% | 54% | 56% | 55% | 54% | 56% | 58% | 57% | 56% | 57% | 56% | 53% | 52% | 55% |
| Average number of police forces returning data in the period | 14 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 25 |
Table 2: Number of reported drug tests for the period March 2023 to March 2025, by trigger or non-trigger offence
| Mar 2023 | Apr to June 2023 | July to Sept 2023 | Oct to Dec 2023 | Jan to Mar 2024 | Apr to June 2024 | July to Sept 2024 | Oct to Dec 2024 | Jan to Mar 2025 | Total Mar 2023 to March 2025 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests following a trigger offence | 3,025 | 10,233 | 12,407 | 14,508 | 15,970 | 16,554 | 15,800 | 15,911 | 16,778 | 121,197 | ||
| Tests following a non-trigger offence | 407 | 1,695 | 1,745 | 2,184 | 2,242 | 1,797 | 1,791 | 1,653 | 1,610 | 15,124 | ||
| Not stated | 1,335 | 3,792 | 2,737 | 1,399 | 1,012 | 521 | 933 | 1,627 | 1,421 | 14,777 | ||
| Total | 4,767 | 15,720 | 16,889 | 18,091 | 19,224 | 18,872 | 18,524 | 19,191 | 19,809 | 151,098 | ||
| Average number of police forces returning data in the period | 23 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 29 |
Table 3: Number of reported total and positive tests for the period March 2023 to March 2025, by substance
| Mar 2023 | Apr - June 2023 | July - Sept 2023 | Oct - Dec 2023 | Jan - Mar 2024 | Apr - June 2024 | July - Sept 2024 | Oct - Dec 2024 | Jan - Mar 2025 | Total Mar 2023 - Mar 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total positive tests | 2,597 | 8,846 | 9,720 | 10,342 | 10,688 | 10,749 | 10,294 | 10,208 | 10,203 | 83,647 |
| Of which: Positive for cocaine | 1,335 | 4,739 | 5,380 | 6,360 | 6,557 | 6,756 | 6,576 | 6,340 | 6,110 | 50,153 |
| Positive for opiates | 85 | 313 | 316 | 401 | 416 | 415 | 468 | 549 | 581 | 3,544 |
| Positive for both cocaine and opiates | 732 | 2,567 | 2,715 | 3,581 | 3,715 | 3,578 | 3,250 | 3,319 | 3,512 | 26,969 |
| Positive (specific substance not provided) | 445 | 1,227 | 1,309 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2,981 |
| Total negative tests | 1,597 | 5,215 | 5,715 | 7,316 | 8,210 | 7,739 | 7,840 | 8,661 | 9,227 | 61,520 |
| Test result not stated | 509 | 1,455 | 1,223 | 49 | 34 | 87 | 113 | 41 | 73 | 3,584 |
| Test refused or unable to test | 64 | 204 | 232 | 384 | 293 | 299 | 278 | 287 | 306 | 2,347 |
| Total number of reported tests | 4,767 | 15,720 | 16,890 | 18,091 | 19,225 | 18,874 | 18,525 | 19,197 | 19,809 | 151,098 |
| Average number of police forces returning data in the period | 23 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 29 |
Table 4: Where available, number of reported referrals into assessment following a positive test for the period March 2023 to March 2025
These figures are based on optional referrals data provided for a limited sample of tests.
| Mar 2023 | Apr - June 2023 | July - Sept 2023 | Oct - Dec 2023 | Jan - Mar 2024 | Apr - June 2024 | July - Sept 2024 | Oct - Dec 2024 | Jan - Mar 2025 | Total Mar 2023 - Mar 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total positive tests | 2,597 | 8,846 | 9,720 | 10,342 | 10,688 | 10,749 | 10,294 | 10,208 | 10,203 | 83,647 |
| Total positive tests with referrals data available | 867 | 3,692 | 5,339 | 6,283 | 6,842 | 7,224 | 6,291 | 6,240 | 5,325 | 48,107 |
| Referral to assessment made | 789 | 3,308 | 4,958 | 5,706 | 6,256 | 6,642 | 5,570 | 5,306 | 4,693 | 43,232 |
| Referral rate | 91% | 90% | 93% | 91% | 91% | 92% | 89% | 85% | 88% | 90% |
| Average number of police forces returning data in the period | 10 | 15 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 22 | 21 |
Table 5: Where available, number of reported referrals into treatment made following a referral to assessment for the period March 2023 to March 2025
These figures are based on optional referrals data provided for a limited sample of tests.
| Mar 2023 | Apr - June 2023 | July - Sept 2023 | Oct - Dec 2023 | Jan - Mar 2024 | Apr - June 2024 | July - Sept 2024 | Oct - Dec 2024 | Jan - Mar 2025 | Total Mar 2023 - Mar 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reported referrals to assessment, where onwards treatment referral data is provided | 163 | 442 | 1,144 | 1,245 | 1,366 | 1,372 | 1,109 | 1,202 | 1,229 | 9,272 |
| Referral to treatment made, following referral to assessment | 37 | 123 | 689 | 657 | 717 | 678 | 650 | 695 | 668 | 4,914 |
| Referral rate | 23% | 28% | 60% | 53% | 52% | 49% | 59% | 58% | 54% | 53% |
| Average number of police forces returning data in the period | 3 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
Notes
1. 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.
2. 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. Part of the increase in testing figures can be explained by more police forces returning data to the Home Office, as well as by increases in testing in individual forces. A total of 36 police forces have returned data at any point between March 2022 and December 2024 (including some nil returns), and the average number of police forces reporting data in each quarter are shown in the tables.
3. Table 1 presents data from March 2022 onwards, whilst tables 2-5 begin at March 2023 when more detailed outcomes data became available.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Referrals data is currently optional for police forces to provide. Therefore the referral figures presented in Tables 4 and 5 are based on a limited sample of overall test records provided by police forces and the referral rates should be treated as indicative only.
9. 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.