How much violent crime is there?
The police recorded 1,962,413 violence against the person offences in England and Wales in 2025-26, and 499 homicides. The Crime Survey estimates 0.99 million violent incidents, against 2.58 million in 2002-03.
Offences recorded, 2025-26.
Million incidents, 2025-26.
Recorded by the police, 2025-26. The most in this series: 1,047 (2002-03).
Violent and sexual crime over time
What’s this?
The number of violence against the person offences the police recorded in England and Wales.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes that people report to the police and the police record, so it rises when people report more or the police record more carefully, not only when there is more crime.
What’s this?
The number of violent crimes people say they experienced in the survey, with and without injury.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes people remember and report to interviewers, so it misses crimes against children under 10, people not living in households and crimes with no clear victim. There was no survey for the years ending March 2021 and 2022 because of the pandemic, so those years are blank.
What’s this?
The number of murders, manslaughters and infanticides the police recorded in England and Wales.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes that people report to the police and the police record, so it rises when people report more or the police record more carefully, not only when there is more crime.
What’s this?
The number of sexual offences the police recorded in England and Wales.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes that people report to the police and the police record, so it rises when people report more or the police record more carefully, not only when there is more crime.
What’s this?
The number of robberies the police recorded in England and Wales. Robbery is theft using force or the threat of force.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes that people report to the police and the police record, so it rises when people report more or the police record more carefully, not only when there is more crime.
What’s this?
The number of offences of possessing a weapon that the police recorded in England and Wales.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes that people report to the police and the police record, so it rises when people report more or the police record more carefully, not only when there is more crime.
Year by year
| Period | Violent crimes recorded by the police | Homicides recorded by the police | Sexual offences recorded by the police | Robberies recorded by the police |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,962,413 | 499 | 217,567 | 87,362 |
| 2024-25 | 1,937,944 | 539 | 209,114 | 79,289 |
| 2023-24 | 2,014,005 | 567 | 188,702 | 81,023 |
| 2022-23 | 2,108,717 | 581 | 194,595 | 75,019 |
| 2021-22 | 2,095,173 | 687 | 193,098 | 66,200 |
| 2020-21 | 1,775,871 | 573 | 147,742 | 59,650 |
| 2019-20 | 1,763,746 | 711 | 163,346 | 90,196 |
| 2018-19 | 1,673,441 | 673 | 164,393 | 85,936 |
| 2017-18 | 1,397,707 | 714 | 152,842 | 77,253 |
| 2016-17 | 1,158,111 | 709 | 123,058 | 59,418 |
Questions people ask
Is violent crime going up?
Police-recorded violence against the person was 1,962,413 in 2025-26, up 11% on 2020-21. Much of the rise since 2014 reflects better recording, so the Crime Survey (0.99 million in 2025-26) is the safer guide to trends.
How many homicides are there each year?
499 were recorded in 2025-26, against 1,047 in 2002-03. Counts can be revised as cases are resolved.
Why are recorded sexual offences rising?
Reports and recording have increased, including reports of historic offences. Rises in police figures do not by themselves show that more offences happen.
What does “violent crimes recorded by the police” measure?
The number of violence against the person offences the police recorded in England and Wales. It was 1,962,413 (crimes recorded in the year) in 2025-26, up 11% on 2020-21. The highest we have is 2,108,717 (2022-23) and the lowest 601,141 (2012-13).
What does “violent crime reported to the crime survey” measure?
The number of violent crimes people say they experienced in the survey, with and without injury. It was 0.99 (million crimes a year) in 2025-26, down 1% on 2022-23. The highest we have is 2.58 (2002-03) and the lowest 0.99 (2025-26).
What does “homicides recorded by the police” measure?
The number of murders, manslaughters and infanticides the police recorded in England and Wales. It was 499 (crimes recorded in the year) in 2025-26, down 13% on 2020-21. The highest we have is 1,047 (2002-03) and the lowest 499 (2025-26).
What does “sexual offences recorded by the police” measure?
The number of sexual offences the police recorded in England and Wales. It was 217,567 (crimes recorded in the year) in 2025-26, up 47% on 2020-21. The highest we have is 217,567 (2025-26) and the lowest 50,185 (2008-09).
Sources: Home Office, police recorded crime (published by the ONS); ONS, Crime in England and Wales (Crime Survey for England and Wales). Updated every night. Each chart has a CSV and a Share button.
See also: Crime overall