UK Crime Rate by City: How 23 Cities Compare (2026)

by iain macLEOD | Nov 1, 2026 | Home Security

If you want to know how crime in your city compares with the rest of the country, the most reliable starting point is the police recorded crime data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). For the year ending June 2026, England and Wales as a whole recorded about 85 crimes (excluding fraud) for every 1,000 people. Most big cities sit above that, but the gap varies a lot, and the picture for burglary, the crime that matters most for your front door, is quite different from the headline totals.

Below we set out the latest figures for 23 major cities in England and Wales, explain why “most dangerous city” lists often mislead, and show what the numbers actually mean for securing your home.

Where the figures come from

All figures in this guide come from the ONS Crime in England and Wales: Police Force Area data tables, year ending June 2026, released on 22 October 2026 (Table C4). That table gives crime rates for each Community Safety Partnership, which in most cases is the same as the local council area.

A few things are worth knowing before you read the table:

• It is police recorded crime. It only counts crimes reported to and recorded by the police, and the ONS publishes it as official statistics rather than accredited official statistics.
• Fraud is excluded from the total, because fraud is recorded nationally rather than by local police.
• “City” means the council area. Manchester, for example, is Manchester City Council’s area only. Salford, Trafford and Stockport are counted separately even though they are part of the same urban area.
• Scotland and Northern Ireland are not included. They publish their own crime statistics, which are counted differently, so they cannot be compared directly with this table.

UK crime rate by city: the latest figures

The table lists total recorded crime (excluding fraud) per 1,000 residents, and residential burglary per 1,000 households, for the year ending June 2026. Cities are sorted from the highest overall rate to the lowest.

Source: ONS, Police Force Area data tables, year ending June 2026, Tables C4 and P3. Figures rounded to one decimal place.

What stands out

• Manchester has the highest overall rate of the cities in the table, at 143 crimes per 1,000 residents, roughly 1.7 times the England and Wales figure.
• York and Swansea are the only cities in the table below the national average for overall crime, and both also have low burglary rates.
• Burglary tells a different story. Bradford (13.0), Hull (12.7), Leeds (12.6) and Birmingham (11.4) have residential burglary rates around double the national figure of 5.9 per 1,000 households. Liverpool, by contrast, is fourth for overall crime but below the national average for residential burglary.
• Some cities with high overall rates have low burglary rates. Norwich and Brighton and Hove both record more crime per head than the national average, but far fewer burglaries per household.

Why “most dangerous city” rankings often mislead

Lists of the “most dangerous cities in the UK” are popular, but they are easy to get wrong. Here is why a single number rarely tells you how safe your home is.

City centres have small resident populations

Crime rates are worked out per resident, but city centres fill up every day with commuters, shoppers and people on nights out who don’t live there. The ONS itself warns that very high city-centre rates are partly caused by using a small resident population as the denominator. Westminster in London is the clearest example: it recorded about 342 crimes per 1,000 residents, around four times the national average, largely because of the huge number of visitors and the shoplifting, theft and violence linked to a busy centre. That figure says very little about the risk to a typical house in a residential street.

Most crime is not burglary

The headline total includes violence, shoplifting, criminal damage, public order offences and much more. If you are thinking about the security of your home, the residential burglary rate is far more relevant than the total.

Council boundaries are arbitrary

Cities whose council area covers only the dense core (such as Manchester or Nottingham) tend to look worse than cities whose boundary takes in quieter suburbs. Two places with similar streets can produce very different rates simply because of where the boundary is drawn.

Recording varies between forces

Police recorded crime depends on what people report and how each force records it. Changes in recording practice or police activity can move the numbers without any change in how much crime actually happens, which is one reason the ONS also uses the Crime Survey for England and Wales to measure national trends.

How to check crime where you actually live

A city-wide average hides big differences between neighbourhoods. To get a more useful picture:

1. Use police.uk. Enter your postcode on police.uk to see recent crime on a map of your neighbourhood, broken down by type, and to find your local policing team.
2. Look at burglary on its own. Filter the map to burglary rather than looking at all crime, which in many areas is dominated by incidents around shops, pubs and transport hubs.
3. Compare several months. One month can be unusual. Look at a trend over the past year.
4. Remember the limits. Locations on police maps are approximate to protect privacy, so a crime shown on your street may have happened nearby rather than at a specific house.

What the figures mean for your home security

Whichever city you live in, the practical lesson from the data is the same: burglary happens in every area, including the ones near the bottom of the table. Even in York, with the lowest rate here, around 3.6 homes in every 1,000 had a recorded burglary in a year. Good security is worth having wherever you live, and it matters even more in cities where burglary rates are well above average.

The basics cost little and make a real difference:

• Lock up properly every time. On a uPVC door, lift the handle and turn the key so the multipoint lock engages, even when you are at home.
• Check your cylinder. Older euro cylinders can be vulnerable to lock snapping. Our guide to anti-snap locks explains what to look for.
• Know your door’s weak points. Handles, cylinders, letterboxes and hinges are all common targets. See the top weak points of uPVC doors and how to reinforce them.
• Don’t forget the back door. Rear doors are out of sight of the street, which gives a burglar more time.
• Make the house look occupied. Timer lights and a neighbour who clears the doorstep help when you are away.

For a whole-house checklist, read how to secure your home.

Add a second line of defence on uPVC doors

Locks can fail if they are attacked, so many people add a physical device that keeps the door shut from the inside when they are at home. The Door Jammer – HOLDOOR hooks under the inside handle of a uPVC door and braces it against the floor, so the door stays shut even if the lock is snapped, bumped or picked. It is Sold Secure Bronze rated and Secured by Design accredited (Police Preferred Specification), needs no drilling or tools, and fits in about a minute.

In a fire: find the key, lift the Door Jammer off (or unlock and remove the Door Handle Guard), unlock the door and leave the building.

FAQs

Which city in England and Wales has the highest crime rate?

Westminster has by far the highest recorded rate per resident, but that is mainly because of its very large visitor population. Of the main cities in our table, Manchester had the highest rate in the year ending June 2026, at 143 crimes (excluding fraud) per 1,000 residents.

Which city has the highest burglary rate?

Of the cities in our table, Bradford had the highest residential burglary rate, at 13.0 per 1,000 households, followed closely by Hull and Leeds. The England and Wales figure was 5.9.

What is the safest city in England and Wales?

Of the 23 cities we looked at, York had the lowest overall rate (65.5 per 1,000 residents) and Swansea had the lowest residential burglary rate (2.5 per 1,000 households). “Safest” depends on what you measure, and conditions vary a lot within any city.

How often are these figures updated?

The ONS publishes updated police recorded crime figures every quarter, each covering the latest 12 months. Police.uk maps are updated monthly.

Are the figures the same as the Crime Survey?

No. The Crime Survey for England and Wales asks households about their experiences, including crimes not reported to the police, and is the better guide to national trends. Police recorded crime is the source for local breakdowns like the ones in this guide.

Next steps

Check your own postcode on police.uk, then look at your doors honestly: is the cylinder up to date, and is there anything stopping the door being opened if the lock is defeated? If you have a single uPVC door with a lever handle, the Door Jammer – HOLDOOR adds that extra layer whenever you are at home. It adjusts from 70cm to 120cm, fits most UK single-handle uPVC doors with the handle on the left or right, and is made in Britain from British steel. It costs £90 (offer ends 31 December 2026) with free UK delivery, 30-day returns and a 2-year warranty. Have a question first? See our FAQs.

Door Handle Security Bar: What It Is and How It Works

by iain macLEOD | Oct 31, 2026 | Home Security

A door handle security bar is a door security barrier you fit on the inside of your door. It hooks under the handle (or covers it) and braces against the floor or frame, so the door stays shut even if the lock itself is attacked. It does not replace your lock: it adds a second, independent layer that does not share the lock’s weak point.

This guide explains how these bars work, the main types, which doors they suit (and which they do not), what to check before you buy and the mistakes that stop them working properly.

Why a lock alone can leave a gap

Most UK uPVC doors use a multipoint lock. Lifting the handle throws several hooks and bolts into the frame, and turning the key deadlocks them. That is a strong system, but every locking point is driven from one place: the euro cylinder and the gearbox in the middle of the door.

If that cylinder is weak, the whole system can be defeated at once. Police forces, including West Yorkshire Police, warn that some offenders have found ways of overcoming euro cylinder locks, and advise upgrading to a cylinder rated TS 007 3 star (or a 1 star cylinder with 2 star security handles). Our guide to anti-lock snapping explains that upgrade in more detail.

A door handle security bar works on a different principle. Instead of relying on the lock to hold the door, it physically braces the door from the inside. So even if the lock is snapped, bumped or picked, the door itself is held in place.

Lock versus bar: what each layer does

The best set-up uses both: a good cylinder to protect the lock, and a bar for the times you are inside, such as overnight.

How a door handle security bar works

A floor-braced bar has two ends. The top end hooks under the inside handle of the door. The bottom end sits on the floor at an angle, a short distance back from the door. When someone pushes the door from outside, the force travels down the bar into the floor, and the bar wedges tighter rather than slipping.

Because the handle is held up, it also cannot be pushed down to release the latch. That matters because some break-ins rely on working the inside handle rather than beating the lock.

These devices are purely mechanical. There are no batteries, apps or wiring, and nothing to go flat. If you want to know how they cope with brute force, our article on whether a door security bar can stop a kick-in goes into more depth.

Types of door security barrier compared

Not every door security bar works the same way. The main designs are:

Floor-braced handle bars

These hook under the handle and brace against the floor, as described above. They suit standard inward-opening single doors with a lever handle, which covers most UK uPVC front and back doors.

Lockable handle covers

Rather than bracing the door, these cover the inside lever handle so it cannot be pressed down. They are fixed to a keeper on the frame and locked in place. They are aimed at handle manipulation rather than brute force.

Horizontal and sliding-door bars

Telescopic bars that sit across a frame or in the bottom track of a sliding door. They are designed for sliding patio doors, where a handle bar will not work, and depend on a solid track or anchor point.

Alarmed wedges

Wedges that slide under the door and sound an alarm if the door moves. They add noise as a deterrent, but they offer far less physical resistance than a braced bar.

Which doors suit a door handle security bar

Handle bars are designed for single doors with one lever handle, typically uPVC front and back doors. Back and side doors are worth as much attention as the front: they are often out of view from the street, screened by fences or a side return, and usually have the same lock as the front door. Our guide to the top weak points of uPVC doors covers the other areas to check.

They are not the right choice for:

• Sliding patio doors: use anti-lift blocks, an auxiliary patio lock or a track bar instead.
• French or double doors: these need devices made for two leaves, such as a handle lock designed for French doors, plus good shoot bolts and hinge security.
• Doors you need to lock from outside: a bar is fitted from the inside, so it only protects the door while someone is at home.

How to fit and use one

Every product has its own instructions, so follow those first. The general routine for a floor-braced bar looks like this:

1. Close and lock the door as normal with your key.
2. Adjust the bar to roughly the right length for your handle height.
3. Hook the top under the inside handle and set the foot on the floor at the angle the maker recommends.
4. Push the door firmly from the inside to check there is no wobble or slip.
5. Make a note of the setting so it takes seconds next time.

Treat it as part of locking up for the night. A bar sitting in a cupboard protects nobody, so keep it within reach of the door. If you rent, a no-drill device is a practical option because it leaves no marks on the door or frame.

One note from West Yorkshire Police’s euro cylinder advice: if you are adding any device to a door, check it will not affect your door’s warranty.

What to look for when buying

• Independent testing. Look for a named rating you can check, such as Sold Secure, and products accredited by Secured by Design (the UK police crime-prevention initiative). West Yorkshire Police advise looking for the Secured by Design mark on add-on security products in its door and window advice. Be wary of vague claims with no listing behind them.
• Solid steel construction. Thin metal or plastic can flex under load.
• The right fit for your door. Check the adjustment range against the height of your handle, whether the handle is on the left or right, and the flooring behind the door.
• No drilling if you need it. Important for renters, and for anyone worried about the door frame.
• Quick to fit and remove. If it is fiddly, you will stop using it.
• A clear fire-escape routine. You must be able to remove it quickly from inside.

Common mistakes

• Wrong angle. Too upright or too shallow and a floor-braced bar loses its grip. Check it is firm every time.
• Using it only “sometimes”. Build it into your night-time routine.
• Skipping the lock. A bar is a second layer, not a replacement. Lock the door and keep your cylinder up to standard.
• Buying for the wrong door. A handle bar will not suit sliding, French or double doors.
• Storing it somewhere awkward. Keep it near the door you use it on.
• No escape plan. Everyone in the house should know how to remove it and where the door key is kept.

Two HOLDOOR options for single uPVC doors

Door Jammer – HOLDOOR

The Door Jammer – HOLDOOR is a floor-braced handle bar. It hooks under the inside handle of a uPVC door and braces it against the floor, so the door stays shut even if the lock is snapped, bumped or picked.

• Sold Secure Bronze rated and Secured by Design accredited (Police Preferred Specification).
• Adjusts from 70cm to 120cm and fits most UK single-handle uPVC doors, with the handle on the left or right.
• No drilling and no tools; it fits in about a minute. Purely mechanical.
• Made in Britain from British steel; invented and designed by Jon Gill in Manchester, and supplied with a wall mount so it can live by the door.
• £90 with free UK delivery, 30-day returns and a 2-year warranty.

It is fitted from inside, so it is for when someone is at home. It is not for sliding, French/double or patio doors.

Door Handle Guard – HOLDOOR

The Door Handle Guard – HOLDOOR is a lockable steel cover. It drops over the inside lever handle of a single uPVC door and locates in a Secure Keeper screwed to the frame, then locks with a Secure Peg that has a hole for a small padlock. With it fitted, the handle cannot be pressed down.

• Made in the UK.
• Available to pre-order at £47 including free tracked UK delivery, dispatched within 60 days of your order.
• Being submitted for independent testing, so it does not have a rating yet.
• Not for patio, French or double doors, and not a travel product.

Fire safety: In a fire: find the key, lift the Door Jammer off (or unlock and remove the Door Handle Guard), unlock the door and leave the building.

FAQs

Is a door handle security bar the same as a door jammer?

Broadly, yes. “Door jammer”, “door security bar” and “door handle security bar” are often used for the same kind of device: a bar that braces the door from the inside. Alarmed wedges are sometimes called door jammers too, but they work differently.

Do I still need a good lock?

Yes. A bar only protects the door while you are inside. When the house is empty, your lock is doing all the work, so a TS 007 3 star or Sold Secure Diamond cylinder is still worth having.

Will a door handle security bar fit a composite or wooden door?

Check the maker’s guidance for your door type. The HOLDOOR Door Jammer and Door Handle Guard are designed for single uPVC doors.

Can I use one on patio or French doors?

Handle bars are designed for single doors. For sliding patio doors look at anti-lift blocks, auxiliary locks or track bars; for French doors look at devices designed for two leaves.

Is it safe in a fire?

It is, as long as you can remove it quickly. Keep the door key in an agreed place near the door and make sure everyone at home knows how to take the device off.

Next steps

1. Check your cylinder. If it is not TS 007 3 star or Sold Secure Diamond, consider upgrading it (see our anti-lock snapping guide).
2. Decide which doors need a bar, starting with any single uPVC back or side door that is out of view.
3. For a tested, no-drill door security barrier on a single uPVC door, see the Door Jammer – HOLDOOR. If you would rather lock the inside handle itself, look at the Door Handle Guard – HOLDOOR.
4. Questions about whether it will fit your door? Contact HOLDOOR.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design: What It Is

by iain macLEOD | Oct 31, 2026 | Home Security

Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is the idea that the way a place is laid out can make crime easier or harder. Good sightlines, clear boundaries, controlled routes in and out, and well-kept spaces all reduce the opportunities an offender looks for. It is used by planners, architects and police designing-out-crime officers across the UK, and you can apply the same thinking to your own home.

This guide explains where CPTED came from, its core principles, what the UK evidence says, and a practical checklist for your house, from the pavement to the front door.

Where CPTED came from

The term was coined by American criminologist C. Ray Jeffery, whose 1971 book was titled Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. A year later, architect Oscar Newman published Defensible Space, which focused on how the design of housing affected whether residents could watch over and take ownership of the spaces around their homes. Both built on Jane Jacobs’ 1961 argument that busy, overlooked streets have natural “eyes on the street”. The history of CPTED is summarised well on Wikipedia.

In the UK these ideas fed into Secured by Design, a police initiative established in 1989 that sets security standards for buildings and products such as doors, windows, fencing and lighting, according to the College of Policing. National planning policy also expects new developments to be safe places where crime and the fear of crime do not undermine quality of life, as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework.

The core principles of CPTED

Different sources group the principles slightly differently, but most cover the same ground:

The first four are about deterrence: making an offender feel watched, slowed down or out of place before they reach the door. Target hardening is what happens when deterrence is not enough. Some purists treat target hardening as a separate approach, but in practice UK designing-out-crime advice combines the two.

Natural surveillance

Offenders generally prefer not to be seen. Windows that overlook paths and parking, low front boundaries, lighting at entrances and open sightlines all raise the risk of being noticed. The opposite, such as tall hedges in front of a door or a recessed porch hidden from view, gives someone time to work unseen.

Access control

Every extra route onto a property is another way in and out. Closing off side passages and rear alleys, and having one clear way to the front door, limits an offender’s choices and escape routes.

Territorial reinforcement and maintenance

Clear boundaries and a well-kept appearance signal that someone cares about the space and is likely to notice an intruder. Neglect sends the opposite message.

What the UK evidence says

CPTED is not just theory. The College of Policing’s Crime Reduction Toolkit summarises systematic reviews of two approaches that put these principles into practice:

• Secured by Design. The toolkit’s review of Secured by Design rates the evidence as very strong that homes built to SBD standards experience less burglary than comparable homes that are not, with the largest effect in new builds. It notes that only a few studies looked at existing homes and that how SBD works has not been tested as thoroughly.
• Alley gating. Fitting lockable gates across rear alleys is a classic access-control measure. The toolkit’s review of alley gating found that it reduced domestic burglary, with no evidence of crime being displaced to surrounding areas. It works best where residents know each other, support the scheme and agree how the gates will be used, and where gates are tall, robust and self-locking.

Both examples show the same thing: when the environment genuinely changes, burglary opportunities fall.

How to apply CPTED to your own home

You cannot redesign your street, but you can walk round your property the way an opportunist would and fix what you find. Most of these steps cost little.

From the street

• Trim hedges and shrubs at the front so your door and ground-floor windows can be seen from the street and neighbouring houses.
• Make sure your house number is clear and the front garden looks cared for.
• Fit lighting at the front door, ideally dusk-to-dawn or motion-activated, so nobody can stand at the door in darkness.

Side and back

• Fit a sturdy lockable gate to any side passage and keep it locked.
• Check rear fences and walls are in good repair. Prickly planting along boundaries can help.
• If you live on a street with a rear alley, ask your council whether an alley-gating scheme exists or could be considered.
• Do not leave ladders, tools or wheelie bins where they could be used to climb.

At the door: target hardening

• Check your euro cylinder. Police forces such as West Yorkshire Police recommend a TS 007 3 star cylinder, or a 1 star cylinder with 2 star security handles. See our anti-lock snapping guide.
• On timber doors, use a five-lever mortice lock to BS 3621, which West Yorkshire Police notes insurers often require.
• Fit a door viewer so you can see who is calling before you open the door.
• For replacements, look for a doorset certified to PAS 24 and accredited by Secured by Design.
• Consider an extra physical layer for when you are at home. Our guide to the top weak points of uPVC doors explains where doors tend to fail.

Where CPTED falls short

CPTED works best when it is built in from the start. On a new estate, planners can control sightlines and routes before a brick is laid. Older streets, such as Victorian terraces with shared rear alleys, are harder to change and often need every neighbour to cooperate.

It also relies on deterrence. Good lighting and open sightlines put off many opportunists, but they will not physically stop someone who decides to try anyway. Critics have pointed out that it is really crime deterrence through environmental design: it reduces the odds rather than guaranteeing anything.

That is why the last layer, the door itself, matters. Our article on whether a door security bar can stop a kick-in looks at that layer in more detail.

FAQs

What are the main principles of CPTED?

Natural surveillance, access control, territorial reinforcement and maintenance, with target hardening (physical security) often added as a final layer.

Is CPTED the same as Secured by Design?

Not exactly. CPTED is the general approach. Secured by Design is a UK police initiative that applies those principles, along with tested security products, to buildings and developments.

Does CPTED actually reduce burglary?

The College of Policing’s reviews found that both Secured by Design housing and alley gating reduced burglary. Results depend on how well a scheme is designed and maintained.

Can I use CPTED on an existing home?

Yes. Improving visibility at the front, locking side access, keeping the property well maintained and strengthening the door all apply CPTED principles to a house you already live in.

Next steps

1. Walk round your home at dusk and note anywhere someone could stand unseen.
2. Fix visibility and lighting at the front, then lock down side and rear access.
3. Check your door lock and cylinder, and upgrade if needed.
4. For a final physical layer on a single uPVC door when you are home, see the Door Jammer – HOLDOOR. It hooks under the inside handle and braces the door against the floor, so the door stays shut even if the lock is snapped, bumped or picked. It is Sold Secure Bronze rated and Secured by Design accredited (Police Preferred Specification), adjusts from 70cm to 120cm to fit most UK single-handle uPVC doors, and needs no drilling or tools. Made in Britain from British steel. It is not for sliding, French/double or patio doors. In a fire: find the key, lift the Door Jammer off, unlock the door and leave the building.
5. For a wider plan, read our guide on how to secure your home.

UK Crime Statistics: The Latest Figures and What They Mean for Your Home

by iain macLEOD | Oct 31, 2026 | Home Security

The latest official UK crime statistics for England and Wales were published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on 22 October 2026 and cover the year ending June 2026. They show overall crime measured by the national survey broadly unchanged on the year, fraud and computer misuse rising, and police-recorded burglary falling. This guide sets out the key figures, explains how to read them without being misled, and shows what they mean for securing your own home.

All figures below come from the ONS bulletin Crime in England and Wales: year ending June 2026 unless stated. The next update is due on 28 January 2027.

Two sources, two different numbers

Before looking at any figure, it helps to know there are two main measures of crime in England and Wales, and they answer different questions.

The ONS says the CSEW is the better guide to long-term trends for the crimes it covers, while police data is useful for specific offences such as residential burglary. Neither is “the true number”; they are different lenses.

The latest figures at a glance (year ending June 2026)

From the Crime Survey for England and Wales

• Headline crime: an estimated 9.7 million incidents, which the ONS describes as no statistically significant change on the previous year’s survey (around 9.3 million). It is 14% below the year ending March 2017 (11.2 million), the earliest comparable year.
• Fraud: 4.5 million incidents, up 11% from 4.1 million. Bank and credit account fraud rose 13% to 2.8 million.
• Computer misuse: 817,000 incidents, up 23% from 663,000.
• Theft: 2.7 million incidents, no statistically significant change, and 27% below the year ending March 2016.
• Other household theft: up 27% to around 833,000 incidents. This includes theft from outside the home, such as from gardens, and the ONS counts it separately from burglary.
• Violence: 939,000 incidents, no statistically significant change.

The survey figures are based on interviews from July 2025 to June 2026, covering crimes experienced from July 2024 to May 2026.

From police recorded crime

• Burglary (residential and non-residential combined): down 6% to 222,304 offences.
• Vehicle offences: down 7% to 312,231 offences.
• Shoplifting: down 2% to 519,516 offences.
• Theft from the person: down 20% to 115,891 offences.
• Knife or sharp instrument offences: down 6% to 48,615.

For context, the previous quarter’s bulletin (year ending March 2026, published 23 July 2026) reported police recorded burglary down 9% to 223,456 offences, so the downward direction has held across two releases.

How to read crime statistics without being misled

1. Check the period

ONS figures are rolling 12-month totals, such as “year ending June 2026”. A headline saying “crime is up” may be comparing different periods or quoting a single quarter. Always find the dates.

2. Check which source is being quoted

A story about “9.7 million crimes” is using the survey; a story about “222,304 burglaries” is using police records. They are not directly comparable, and switching between them can make trends look bigger or smaller than they are.

3. Look for “statistically significant”

Because the CSEW is a sample, small changes may be noise. When the ONS says there was “no statistically significant change”, treat the figure as flat, even if the number moved. The rise in headline crime from about 9.3 million to 9.7 million falls into this category.

4. Watch the categories

The police burglary figure above includes both homes and non-residential buildings. Theft from outside the home, such as from a garden, is counted as “other household theft” in the survey rather than as burglary. Category names matter.

5. Be careful with recording changes

Changes in how police record crime can move numbers without any real change in crime. The ONS flags these in its bulletins. For example, it notes that a rise in recorded business robbery was largely due to a clarified recording rule.

6. Use local maps with care

The police.uk crime map shows recorded crime for your area, but locations are anonymised: crimes are shown on or near where they happened, not at the exact address. Categories are broad, and overview graphs only show complete quarters so an unfinished quarter does not look misleadingly low. Use it to see patterns on your street or estate, not to judge a single house.

What the figures mean for home security

The headline is reassuring rather than alarming: police recorded burglary is falling, and survey-measured crime is well below where it was a decade ago. But averages do not protect individual homes, and two points stand out for householders.

Burglary is lower, but still common

Police still recorded more than 220,000 burglaries of homes and other buildings in a single year, and not every burglary is reported. Whatever the reasons for the fall, the sensible response is to keep your own doors and habits up to standard rather than relax. If your uPVC door still has its original cylinder, read our guide to anti lock snapping and our overview of how secure uPVC doors really are.

Theft from around the home is rising

The 27% rise in other household theft is a reminder that things outside the house are targets too, and sheds, garages and bikes are worth protecting as well. Lock outbuildings, keep tools and ladders out of sight (they can be used to break into the house), and consider an alarm sensor on the shed.

Fraud is now the biggest single category

At 4.5 million incidents, fraud is far larger than burglary in the survey. Home security today includes doorstep and online safety: do not let unexpected callers in, check ID, and never give bank details to someone who calls you.

Practical steps based on the data

1. Check your local picture on police.uk for the last few complete quarters, focusing on burglary and other theft near you.
2. Lock up properly every time: on a uPVC door, lift the handle and turn the key so the multi-point lock engages.
3. Upgrade weak cylinders to a TS 007 3-star or Sold Secure Diamond rated product.
4. Add a physical barrier when you are home. A door security bar holds the door shut even if the lock is attacked.
5. Secure outbuildings and keep tools locked away.
6. Think about an alarm. Avon and Somerset Police advise that most burglars are put off by alarms, and suggest sorting physical security first.

In a fire: find the key, lift the Door Jammer off (or unlock and remove the Door Handle Guard), unlock the door and leave the building.

What about Scotland and Northern Ireland?

The ONS figures above cover England and Wales only. Scotland publishes its own statistics, such as Recorded Crime in Scotland 2025-26, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland publishes recorded crime for Northern Ireland. Definitions differ (Scotland uses “housebreaking” rather than burglary), so do not combine the figures into a single UK total.

FAQs

Is crime going up or down in the UK?

In England and Wales, the latest survey shows no statistically significant change in overall crime over the year to June 2026, while police recorded burglary fell 6%. Fraud and computer misuse rose.

Which figure should I trust, the survey or police data?

Both, for different jobs. The survey is better for long-term trends because it includes unreported crime. Police data is better for well-reported offences such as residential burglary, and for local detail.

How often are UK crime statistics updated?

The ONS publishes quarterly, each time covering the latest 12 months. The release after the year ending June 2026 bulletin is due on 28 January 2027.

Does a low crime rate in my area mean I am safe?

It means the risk is lower, not zero. Burglars target individual weaknesses such as an unlocked door or a poor cylinder, so basic security still matters everywhere. Our guide on how to secure your home covers the essentials.

Next steps

The statistics say burglary is falling, and the best way to keep your home out of the figures is to make it hard to get into. For uPVC doors, the Door Jammer – HOLDOOR hooks under the inside handle and braces the door against the floor, so it stays shut even if the lock is snapped, bumped or picked. It is Sold Secure Bronze rated and Secured by Design accredited, fits most UK single-handle uPVC doors with no drilling, and costs £90 with free UK delivery. It is not suitable for sliding, French/double or patio doors.