While some politicians peddle a “Britain is lawless” narrative, new crime data tells a different story.
According to the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) latest figures, the murder rate in England and Wales fell to its lowest level since 1977 in the year to September 2025.
Police reported incidents of domestic burglary and vehicle theft were also down – by 12% and 13%, respectively – while shoplifting and sexual offences rose by 5% and 8%. The latter, said the ONS, is partly due to the introduction of new sexual offences in 2024.
“Many aspects of violent crime and theft recorded by the police have fallen in the past 12 months,” said the ONS’ Billy Gazard. “Homicide and gun crime are at the lowest levels seen this century, while knife crime has also decreased.”
Police stats rarely provide a full picture as many offences go unreported. However, the data on knife crime is supported by hospital figures, which show a fall in admissions for assault by a sharp object.
The ONS’ own annual crime survey further enriches the picture. It quizzes thousands of people on their experiences of crime and the latest results point to a year-on-year decline in incidents, albeit slight.
The ONS data comes after London registered its lowest murder rate since records began last year. Meanwhile, the US also saw a record fall in its homicide rate.
Image: Sander Crombach
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