Decline in Murder Rate in England and Wales

Despite the common narrative of a ‘lawless Britain’ by some politicians, recent crime statistics tell a different tale.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that the murder rate in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest since 1977 in the year to September 2025.

Not only has the murder rate seen a significant decrease, but incidents of domestic burglary and vehicle theft have also dropped by 12% and 13% respectively. On the contrary, shoplifting and sexual offences have seen a rise of 5% and 8%. The ONS explains the hike in sexual offences partly due to the new sexual offence laws introduced in 2024.

According to Billy Gazard of the ONS, “Many aspects of violent crime and theft recorded by the police have fallen over the past 12 months. Homicide and gun crime are now at their lowest levels this century, and knife crime has also seen a decrease.”

Although police stats often do not provide a full picture, as numerous offences go unreported, this data on knife crime is supported by hospital figures, which indicate a drop in admissions due to assault by a sharp object.

Further giving insight into the crime rate, the ONS conducts an annual crime survey, interviewing thousands of people about their experiences with crime. The most recent results suggest a slight year-on-year decline in incidents.

These encouraging figures from ONS, come after London recorded its lowest murder rate in history last year. Similarly, the US also witnessed a record drop in its homicide rate.

Image: Sander Crombach