Despite some forces temporarily returning to it, the College has said that the final deadline for ending the IPLDP programme will be March 31 2023.

Forces including The Met are using still using IPLDP, however the College have said that no more extensions will be granted.

The Met told Police Oracle that they will keep open the programme until March 2023 with the agreement of the College "to give us even more flexibility to attract and recruit record numbers of new recruits.

"We have redesigned our internal IPLDP course with our PEQF delivery partners to make sure the training is consistent," the force said. 

Meanwhile, since January, Derbyshire and Thames Valley have gone back to using the programme to offer an alternative entry route to potential recruits.

Derbyshire was one of the first forces to adopt the new entry routes into policing, and was joint first at introducing the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA).

At Chiefs’ Council earlier in the year, forces who were still running IPLDP were offered a year extension.

Derbyshire told Police Oracle: “Deeming this unfair to those forces like Derbyshire, who have not been offering opportunities to join in this way, concerns were raised about the impact this would have on recruitment in Derbyshire.

“As such, Chief Constable Rachel Swann had discussions with the national uplift team and the College of Policing, who agreed to allow Derbyshire to offer IPLDP as a route into joining the force.

“The force aims to maximise our recruitment opportunities using this scheme, as well as the other routes of entry, in order to support our frontline, as well as the national police uplift programme.”

Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster said: “I’m pleased to see Derbyshire Constabulary has opened recruitment once again for non-degree holders.

“I strongly support this traditional opportunity to join the police force.  It is the best way to ensure that people with a variety of skills and experiences can apply. I expect that it will encourage more people to join the police service, boosting the work to see strong local policing across Derbyshire.”

The plan had always been to phase out the two year training programme in favour of the PEQF which mandates that an officer either has a degree before joining the police or will gain one as part of their training.

A College of Policing spokesman said: “The IPLDP route is temporarily being used by some forces to allow them to meet commitments under the Government’s Uplift Programme. These forces made specific requests to the College of Policing and went through due process.

“Once the Uplift Programme finishes on 31 March 2023, the only permitted entry routes into policing will be the new routes established by the College, which includes the PCDA."