How does the UK's homicide rate compare with other countries?
The UK recorded 1.1 homicides for every 100,000 people in 2021, 4th highest of the 15 economies we compare (the middle of the others: 0.7).
2021. 4th highest of the 15 economies we compare.
UK over time
What’s this?
The number of people killed by others in a year for every 100,000 people. It is the crime counted most alike from country to country.
What it cannot tell you: Homicide is rare and is only one kind of crime. It tells you little about theft or fraud, which make up most crime.
Against other countries
Ranked, using the latest year the World Bank has for most of the 16 economies. The United Kingdom is picked out in the bar colour. Countries differ in size, climate and how they collect the figures, so a rank is a starting point, not a verdict.
Homicides, 2021: UK 4th of 15
The number of people killed by others in a year for every 100,000 people. It is the crime counted most alike from country to country. per 100,000 people.
What it cannot tell you: Homicide is rare and is only one kind of crime. It tells you little about theft or fraud, which make up most crime.
Questions people ask
Why compare homicide rather than all crime?
Almost every death by violence is recorded, and the definition is similar across countries. Counts of theft, assault or fraud depend on laws, reporting and recording, so they are not comparable.
Which country has the highest homicide rate here?
Of the 15 others, United States at 6.8.
What does “uk: homicides” measure?
The number of people killed by others in a year for every 100,000 people. It is the crime counted most alike from country to country. It was 1.1 (per 100,000 people) in 2021, down 5% on 2016. The highest we have is 1.9 (2002) and the lowest 0.9 (2014).
Sources: World Bank, World Development Indicators and the World Bank. Updated every night. Each chart has a CSV and a Share button.
See also: Violent crime