UK residential street at night representing neighbourhood safety and crime statistics

Updated monthly from Police.uk

UK Crime Rates by City
and Town 2026

Compare crime statistics across 50 major UK cities and towns. Per-capita rates for violent crime, burglary, theft, and more, all sourced from official police data.

Enter any UK postcode for a detailed crime breakdown. Free, instant, no sign-up.

42.1

Lowest crime rate (per 1,000)

Winchester

112.3

Highest crime rate (per 1,000)

London

75.4

National average

Across all 50 towns

About this data

The crime rates on this page are calculated from official Police.uk data, which covers all police forces in England and Wales, plus Police Scotland. Figures are expressed as recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, using ONS mid-year population estimates as the denominator. This per-capita approach ensures fair comparisons between towns and cities of very different sizes.

It is worth noting that recorded crime is not the same as experienced crime. Many offences go unreported, and reporting rates vary between areas and crime types. City centres also tend to have inflated rates because commuters, tourists, and shoppers increase the number of people (and potential offences) without being counted in the resident population. With that context in mind, these figures remain the most reliable way to compare safety across UK areas.

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Crime rates for 50 UK cities and towns

Ranked from lowest (safest) to highest crime rate. All figures are recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year.

#	Town / City	Total	Violent	Burglary	Trend	Safety
1	Winchester	42.1	12.8	2.1	↓ Falling	Very Safe	Check this area
2	Harrogate	44.3	13.5	2.4	→ Stable	Very Safe	Check this area
3	Bath	47.8	14.2	2.6	↓ Falling	Very Safe	Check this area
4	Cheltenham	49.2	15.1	2.9	→ Stable	Very Safe	Check this area
5	York	51.6	15.8	3.0	↓ Falling	Safe	Check this area
6	Cambridge	53.4	14.9	3.8	→ Stable	Safe	Check this area
7	Salisbury	54.1	16.2	2.7	↓ Falling	Safe	Check this area
8	Lancaster	55.8	17.0	3.1	→ Stable	Safe	Check this area
9	Chester	56.3	16.5	3.3	↓ Falling	Safe	Check this area
10	Exeter	57.9	17.4	3.2	→ Stable	Safe	Check this area
11	Oxford	59.2	16.8	4.1	↑ Rising	Safe	Check this area
12	Edinburgh	60.5	18.1	3.5	↓ Falling	Safe	Check this area
13	Canterbury	61.2	18.6	3.4	→ Stable	Safe	Check this area
14	Colchester	62.8	19.1	3.6	→ Stable	Average	Check this area
15	Aberdeen	63.5	19.8	3.2	↓ Falling	Average	Check this area
16	Bournemouth	64.1	19.4	3.9	↑ Rising	Average	Check this area
17	Norwich	65.3	20.2	3.7	→ Stable	Average	Check this area
18	Bristol	67.8	21.5	4.2	→ Stable	Average	Check this area
19	Cardiff	68.4	22.0	3.8	↓ Falling	Average	Check this area
20	Glasgow	69.1	23.5	3.4	↓ Falling	Average	Check this area
21	Reading	69.8	21.2	4.5	↑ Rising	Average	Check this area
22	Ipswich	70.5	22.8	4.0	→ Stable	Average	Check this area
23	Plymouth	71.2	23.1	3.6	→ Stable	Average	Check this area
24	Swansea	72.0	23.8	3.5	↓ Falling	Average	Check this area
25	Southampton	73.4	24.2	4.3	↑ Rising	Average	Check this area
26	Milton Keynes	74.1	23.6	4.8	↑ Rising	Average	Check this area
27	Derby	75.3	24.8	4.5	→ Stable	Average	Check this area
28	Peterborough	76.8	25.4	4.6	↑ Rising	Below Average	Check this area
29	Lincoln	77.2	25.1	4.4	→ Stable	Below Average	Check this area
30	Leeds	78.5	26.3	5.1	→ Stable	Below Average	Check this area
31	Newcastle upon Tyne	79.8	27.1	4.8	↓ Falling	Below Average	Check this area
32	Carlisle	80.4	27.5	4.3	→ Stable	Below Average	Check this area
33	Portsmouth	81.2	26.8	5.2	↑ Rising	Below Average	Check this area
34	Coventry	82.6	27.9	5.4	↑ Rising	Below Average	Check this area
35	Gloucester	83.1	28.2	5.0	→ Stable	Below Average	Check this area
36	Leicester	84.5	28.8	5.6	↑ Rising	Below Average	Check this area
37	Northampton	85.2	29.1	5.3	→ Stable	Below Average	Check this area
38	Sheffield	86.8	29.5	5.8	→ Stable	Below Average	Check this area
39	Liverpool	88.3	30.2	5.5	↓ Falling	Below Average	Check this area
40	Stoke-on-Trent	89.7	30.8	5.9	→ Stable	Below Average	Check this area
41	Dundee	90.4	31.2	5.1	↓ Falling	Below Average	Check this area
42	Wolverhampton	92.1	32.5	6.2	↑ Rising	Poor	Check this area
43	Brighton	93.5	28.4	5.8	↑ Rising	Poor	Check this area
44	Sunderland	94.8	33.1	5.7	→ Stable	Poor	Check this area
45	Hull	96.2	34.5	6.0	→ Stable	Poor	Check this area
46	Bradford	97.8	35.2	6.4	↑ Rising	Poor	Check this area
47	Nottingham	99.4	34.8	7.1	→ Stable	Poor	Check this area
48	Manchester	104.2	36.5	7.8	↑ Rising	Poor	Check this area
49	Birmingham	108.6	38.2	8.1	↑ Rising	Poor	Check this area
50	London	112.3	35.1	9.4	→ Stable	Poor	Check this area

Source: Police.uk, ONS mid-year population estimates. Rates are per 1,000 residents per year. Last updated March 2026.

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Safest vs most dangerous areas

10 safest towns and cities

42.1per 1k

44.3per 1k

47.8per 1k

49.2per 1k

51.6per 1k

53.4per 1k

54.1per 1k

55.8per 1k

56.3per 1k

57.9per 1k

The safest areas in the UK tend to be smaller cathedral cities and affluent market towns. Winchester, consistently rated one of the best places to live in Britain, has a total crime rate nearly three times lower than the most dangerous cities. These areas typically benefit from lower population density, above-average income levels, and strong community ties. Notably, several of the safest towns are in the South West and Yorkshire, regions with historically lower crime than the national average. Low burglary rates in particular suggest strong community vigilance and lower levels of deprivation.

10 highest crime rate areas

112.3per 1k

108.6per 1k

104.2per 1k

99.4per 1k

97.8per 1k

96.2per 1k

94.8per 1k

93.5per 1k

92.1per 1k

90.4per 1k

The highest crime rates are concentrated in large cities, which is expected given the density of people, commerce, and nightlife. London tops the list largely because of high property crime rates, including shoplifting, bicycle theft, and vehicle crime, rather than violent offences alone. Birmingham and Manchester have seen rising crime trends driven by both violent crime and burglary. However, it is important to remember that these figures represent the entire city. Within any city, some postcodes will be significantly safer than the average. Always check your specific postcode using our free area checker for a more accurate picture.

Understanding crime statistics

Per capita vs total crime numbers

Raw crime totals can be misleading. London records more crimes than any other UK city in absolute terms, but with nearly 9 million residents, the per-capita rate is what matters for comparing safety. A small town with 500 crimes and 10,000 residents has a higher crime rate (50 per 1,000) than a city with 50,000 crimes and 1,000,000 residents (also 50 per 1,000). Throughout this page, we use per-capita rates to ensure every comparison is fair and meaningful.

Recorded crime vs actual crime

The figures shown here are recorded crimes, meaning offences that were reported to and logged by police. The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimates that only around 40% of crimes are actually reported to police. Reporting rates vary by crime type: almost all vehicle thefts are reported (for insurance purposes), but many assaults and instances of antisocial behaviour go unrecorded. This means the true crime rate in every area is likely higher than what appears in official statistics.

The daytime population effect

City centres attract commuters, shoppers, and tourists who are not counted in the resident population. This inflates per-capita crime rates for areas like central London, Manchester, and Birmingham. A postcode with 5,000 residents but 50,000 daytime visitors will show an artificially high crime rate per resident. This is one reason why city centres often appear more dangerous than residential suburbs, even when the likelihood of any individual being a victim is similar.

How trends are calculated

The trend column compares the most recent 12 months of data against the previous 12 months. An upward trend does not necessarily mean an area is becoming unsafe; it could reflect improved recording practices, changes in policing focus, or short-term spikes. Similarly, a downward trend is encouraging but should be viewed alongside the absolute rate. An area with a falling but still high rate is not necessarily safer than one with a stable but low rate.

Types of crime explained

Violent crime

Includes assault, robbery, sexual offences, and harassment. This is typically the category people worry about most. Violent crime rates in the UK range from around 12 per 1,000 in the safest areas to over 38 per 1,000 in the highest-crime cities. Much of this category involves domestic incidents or altercations between people who know each other, rather than random attacks on strangers.

Burglary

Covers both residential burglary (break-ins at homes) and commercial burglary (shops, offices). Burglary rates vary enormously, from around 2 per 1,000 in safe rural areas to over 9 per 1,000 in parts of London. Higher rates are strongly correlated with areas of higher deprivation and with proximity to major road networks, which provide escape routes.

Antisocial behaviour

Includes noise complaints, rowdy behaviour, public drinking, vandalism, and neighbour disputes. This is often the most common category in urban areas and can significantly affect quality of life. Antisocial behaviour tends to spike in summer months and around bank holidays. It is more common near pubs, bars, and late-night takeaways.

Theft and shoplifting

Covers theft from the person, shoplifting, bicycle theft, and other theft offences. Town centres and retail areas naturally show higher rates. Shoplifting alone has increased by over 30% nationally since 2022, driven in part by cost of living pressures. Bicycle theft is heavily concentrated in university cities like Cambridge and Oxford.

Vehicle crime

Includes theft of vehicles, theft from vehicles, and criminal damage to vehicles. Keyless car theft has become a growing concern, with certain vehicle models being particular targets. Areas with on-street parking and less CCTV coverage tend to see higher rates. Off-street parking and gated developments reduce risk significantly.

Drug offences

Covers possession, supply, and trafficking of controlled substances. Drug offence statistics are heavily influenced by policing priorities: areas where police actively target drug crime will show higher recorded rates, not necessarily higher actual drug use. This makes drug offence data less useful for comparing areas than other crime types.

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How to check crime in your area

The table above shows city-wide averages, but crime varies hugely from one postcode to the next. A single city can have both very safe suburbs and high-crime hotspots. To get an accurate picture, check your specific postcode.

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Frequently asked questions

Where does the crime data come from?▼

All crime statistics on PostcodeCheck are sourced from Police.uk, the official UK police crime data portal. This data is published monthly by the Home Office and covers all 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales, plus Police Scotland and the PSNI. We process the raw data to calculate per-capita rates using ONS mid-year population estimates.

What does 'crimes per 1,000 people' mean?▼

This is a standardised way to compare crime across areas of different sizes. It divides the total number of recorded crimes by the resident population, then multiplies by 1,000. So a rate of 80 per 1,000 means roughly 8 in every 100 residents experienced a recorded crime that year. This makes it fair to compare a small town against a large city.

Why do cities often have higher crime rates than rural areas?▼

Cities naturally concentrate people, nightlife, retail, and transport hubs. This leads to more opportunities for both property crime and violent offences. City centres also attract visitors and commuters who are not counted in the resident population, which can inflate per-capita rates. A city centre postcode may appear more dangerous than it actually feels day to day.

How often is the crime data updated?▼

Police.uk publishes new data monthly, typically with a two-month delay. For example, January data usually appears in March. We update our calculations as soon as new data is released. The trend indicators on this page reflect changes over the most recent 12-month period compared to the prior 12 months.

Is a high crime rate always a reason to avoid an area?▼

Not necessarily. Context matters. A city centre might have high overall crime numbers driven by shoplifting and antisocial behaviour, but still feel perfectly safe for residents. Burglary and violent crime rates are usually more relevant for people choosing where to live. Always check the breakdown by crime type, not just the headline number.

How can I check crime for a specific street or postcode?▼

Enter any UK postcode into the PostcodeCheck search tool at the top of this page. You will get a detailed crime breakdown for your exact area, including monthly trends, crime type splits, and a comparison against the national average. It is free, instant, and does not require registration.

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Browse detailed area reports for every postcode district across 50 UK towns and cities. Click any outcode to see crime, schools, property prices, broadband, and more.

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