Homicides at lowest level in nearly 50 years, ONS says
Official estimates show that the number of murders in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest level in over 40 years. According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published on 29 January 2026, there were 499 homicides recorded in the year ending September 2025.
This is a 7% drop from the previous year and the lowest total since 1983. The fall is largely due to a significant decrease in knife-related killings, which dropped by 23%.
Key Crime Figures (Year ending September 2025)
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Homicides: 499 victims (down 7%).
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Knife Crime: 50,430 offences (down 9%).
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Gun Crime: Just under 5,000 offences (down 10%), the lowest level since 2003.
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Shoplifting: 519,381 offences (up 5%). While this is an increase, it is slightly lower than the record high seen earlier in 2025.
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Robbery: Remained stable at around 82,678 incidents.
Safety in Major Cities
The decrease in violence was particularly noticeable in large urban areas like London, Manchester, and the West Midlands. In London, the Metropolitan Police recorded 97 murders in 2025—the lowest number since 2014.
The murder rate in London now stands at 1.1 per 100,000 people, which is lower than many other major global cities, including:
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Berlin: 3.2
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New York: 2.8
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Milan: 1.6
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Toronto: 1.6
Success in Scotland
A similar positive trend has been reported in Scotland. Figures released in late 2025 showed that there were 45 homicides in 2024-25, which is the lowest level since records began in 1976. Police Scotland also reported a 100% detection rate, meaning every recorded homicide case in that period was solved.
Government Response
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood welcomed the figures but warned that more work is needed to tackle "neighbourhood crimes" like shoplifting and robbery, which remain a concern. The government has promised to put 13,000 more officers into local communities to help keep these numbers moving in the right direction.
