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Official figures reveal that homicide rates in England and Wales have dropped to their lowest point in nearly five decades. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the year up to September saw 499 people fall victim to murder or manslaughter. This marks the lowest tally since 1977 and represents a 7% decline compared to the year before, mostly attributed to a significant reduction in fatal knife attacks, which fell by 23% to 174 incidents.
In addition to the decrease in homicides, crimes involving weapons have shown a downward trend. Knife crime offenses declined by 9%, resulting in 50,430 cases, while firearm-related offenses also dropped by 9%, with just under 5,000 recorded—the lowest figures since 2003. The ONS data distinguishes between crimes recorded by the police and the broader population experiences surveyed among adults over 16 years old.
The survey data reflects a relatively stable pattern in violent crime overall, estimating approximately 1.1 million violent crimes, which include everything from threats and jostling to assaults and murders. Meanwhile, robbery offences held steady at around 82,678, though shoplifting rose by 5%, increasing from 492,660 incidents the previous year to 519,381. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood acknowledged the progress, stating the government was experiencing “real success” in combating crime. However, she emphasized the challenge posed by rising shop theft and robbery, asserting, “The crimes that tear at the fabric of communities, like shop theft and shop robbery, continue to rise and we must do more.”
To address these issues, Mahmood highlighted that 13,000 additional neighbourhood officers are being deployed and that recent reforms aim to ensure local police forces concentrate on protecting their communities. ONS spokesperson Billy Gazard added that most police areas, including major urban regions like Greater Manchester, Metropolitan, and West Midlands, reported reductions in knife crime, a trend supported by NHS data showing fewer hospital admissions due to assaults involving sharp objects. The Metropolitan Police recorded 97 homicides in 2025, the lowest since 2014, with a homicide rate of 1.1 per 100,000 people—substantially lower than cities such as New York, Berlin, and Milan. Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley reflected on the figures by saying that while “every murder is a tragedy,” the reduction means fewer families have been affected by violent crime. Similarly, data from Scotland indicated 45 homicide victims in 2024-25, down by 12 from the previous year and the lowest count in almost half a century
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