Knife Crime in England and Wales: Why Offences Are at Record Highs and What Works to Reduce Them

Knife crime in England and Wales has reached record levels, with 50,500 offences recorded in the year ending September 2024—an 82% increase since 2014, according to Office for National Statistics data. The rise has been driven by youth violence, gang activity, social media disputes, and a culture of fear in which young people carry knives for protection. Police cuts, the collapse of youth services, and ineffective prevention programmes have failed to stem the epidemic. Meanwhile, Scotland has shown that a different approach—treating violence as a public health issue rather than purely a criminal justice problem—can dramatically reduce knife crime. Here is everything you need to know about the knife crime crisis: the scale of the problem, what is driving it, and what actually works to reduce it.

The Scale of the Problem

Knife crime is defined as any offence involving a knife or sharp instrument, including:

• Possession of a knife (carrying a knife in public without lawful authority or reasonable excuse)
• Assault with a knife (threatening or attacking someone with a knife)
• Robbery with a knife (using a knife to steal)
• Murder or manslaughter with a knife (killing someone with a knife)

As of September 2024, the latest Home Office statistics show:

• 50,500 knife crime offences recorded by police in England and Wales (year ending September 2024)
• 82% increase since 2014 (27,700 offences in year ending September 2014)
• 35% of offences in London (17,700 offences), with Birmingham (3,200), Manchester (2,800), and Liverpool (2,100) also major hotspots
• 282 homicides involving a knife in 2024, up from 186 in 2014—a 52% increase

The rise is particularly acute among young people:

• 2,400 under-18s convicted of knife possession in 2024, double the 1,200 in 2015
• Average age of knife possession offenders is 21, down from 24 in 2014
• 40% of knife crime victims are under 25, and in London the figure is 50%

What Is Driving the Increase?

The knife crime epidemic is the result of multiple overlapping factors:

1. Police Cuts and Reduced Visible Policing

Police numbers in England and Wales fell by 20,000 officers between 2010 and 2018, from 144,000 to 124,000, as a result of austerity cuts. Although numbers have since recovered to 149,000 (as of 2024), the cuts had lasting effects:

• Fewer visible patrols: Neighbourhood policing teams were cut by 30%, reducing the visible police presence that deters knife carrying.
• Less stop and search: The number of stop and searches fell by 60% between 2010 and 2017, partly due to fewer officers and partly due to concerns about disproportionality (Black people are 8 times more likely to be stopped than white people). This reduced the risk of being caught carrying a knife.
• Weaker community relationships: Community policing—building trust and gathering intelligence from local residents—was hollowed out by cuts, making it harder for police to identify and intervene with at-risk young people.

2. Gang Activity and Drug Markets

Gang-related violence, particularly linked to drug dealing, is a major driver of knife crime:

• County lines drug dealing: Criminal gangs from cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester exploit vulnerable young people to transport and sell drugs in smaller towns and rural areas. These operations are highly competitive and violent, with knives used to enforce territory, settle disputes, and intimidate rivals.
• Gang membership: The number of young people involved in gangs is estimated at 27,000 in England and Wales, according to the Centre for Social Justice. Gang members are far more likely to carry knives—both for status and for protection.
• Postcode rivalries: In cities like London, gang territories are often defined by postcodes, and crossing into a rival area can trigger violence. Social media amplifies these rivalries, with insults and threats online escalating into real-world confrontations.

3. Social Media and Online Disputes

Social media plays a significant role in knife crime:

• Disputes escalate online: Arguments that might once have been forgotten now escalate on platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok, with insults, threats, and challenges to fight going viral within peer groups.
• Drill music and gang culture: Drill music—a genre that often features violent lyrics and references to real-world gang conflicts—has been linked to knife crime. Police have sought injunctions to ban certain drill artists from performing or posting music online, arguing it incites violence.
• Peer pressure and status: Carrying a knife is seen as a status symbol in some peer groups, and social media amplifies this by glorifying violence and weapon carrying.

4. Fear and Self-Protection

Many young people carry knives not to commit crime but because they are afraid:

• Culture of fear: Surveys of young people in high-crime areas show that up to 30% believe carrying a knife is necessary for self-protection, even though evidence shows carrying a knife makes you more likely to be a victim of violence.
• Lack of trust in police: Young people in areas with high knife crime often do not trust the police to protect them, either because of poor relationships with police or because they have seen police fail to prevent violence.
• Normalisation: In some communities, knife carrying has become normalised—young people see peers, older siblings, or gang members carrying knives and believe it is expected or necessary.

5. Collapse of Youth Services and Early Intervention

Youth services—including youth clubs, mentoring programmes, and early intervention for at-risk young people—have been decimated by austerity cuts:

• 70% cut in youth services funding since 2010, from £1.2 billion to £360 million in 2024, according to the National Youth Agency.
• 600 youth centres closed between 2010 and 2020, removing safe spaces and positive activities for young people.
• Fewer youth workers: The number of youth workers fell by 40% over the same period, reducing the capacity to identify and support at-risk young people before they become involved in crime.

Research shows that young people who are excluded from school, in care, or living in poverty are at much higher risk of carrying knives and becoming involved in violence. Without early intervention, these vulnerabilities go unaddressed.

The Government's Response

The government has introduced several measures to tackle knife crime, but the results have been mixed:

1. Tougher Sentences

The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 introduced:

• Increased maximum sentence for knife possession: From 4 years to 5 years for adults (and from 2 years to 4 years for repeat offenders).
• Mandatory minimum sentences: A second conviction for knife possession now carries a minimum 6-month sentence (previously there was no minimum).
• Knife crime prevention orders: Civil orders that can ban individuals from entering certain areas or associating with certain people if they are believed to be at risk of carrying a knife.

However, tougher sentences have not reduced knife crime. The number of offences has continued to rise despite higher penalties, suggesting that deterrence alone is not effective.

2. Violence Reduction Units

In 2019, the government established Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) in 20 police force areas with the highest levels of serious violence. VRUs are modelled on Scotland's public health approach and focus on:

• Early intervention: Identifying at-risk young people and providing mentoring, education, and support.
• Community engagement: Working with schools, hospitals, youth services, and community groups to prevent violence.
• Data sharing: Bringing together police, health, education, and social services to share information and coordinate interventions.

VRUs have shown some success—areas with VRUs have seen knife crime rise more slowly than areas without them—but they are underfunded and operate in only 20 of 43 police force areas. Critics argue they need to be expanded and sustained over the long term to have a lasting impact.

3. Increased Police Numbers

The government recruited 20,000 additional police officers between 2019 and 2023, returning police numbers to pre-austerity levels. However:

• Not all new officers are on the streets: Many are in specialist roles (e.g., cybercrime, counter-terrorism) rather than neighbourhood policing.
• High turnover: The police service has struggled to retain officers, with 13% leaving within five years of joining.
• Limited impact on knife crime: Knife crime continued to rise during the recruitment drive, suggesting that simply adding more officers is not enough without a change in strategy.

4. Restrictions on Knife Sales

The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 also introduced:

• Ban on online knife sales to under-18s: Retailers must verify the age of buyers and ensure knives are delivered to an adult.
• Ban on certain knives: Zombie knives, knuckledusters, and other weapons designed to intimidate are now illegal to possess.
• Surrender schemes: Police have run knife surrender schemes, allowing people to hand in knives anonymously without prosecution.

These measures have had limited impact because:

• Knives are easy to obtain: Kitchen knives, which are used in the majority of knife crimes, are legal and widely available.
• Enforcement is weak: Online retailers often fail to verify age, and there is little enforcement of the ban.

What Works: Lessons from Scotland

Scotland has achieved a 70% reduction in knife crime between 2007 and 2020, from 10,000 offences per year to 3,000, using a public health approach. The key elements were:

1. Violence Reduction Unit (VRU)

Scotland's VRU, established in 2005, treats violence as a disease to be prevented rather than just a crime to be punished. It works with:

• Schools: Identifying at-risk pupils and providing mentoring and support.
• Hospitals: A&E departments refer young people who have been stabbed to support services, rather than just treating their injuries.
• Community groups: Engaging former gang members and community leaders to mediate disputes and provide positive role models.

2. Diversion, Not Criminalisation

Police in Scotland focus on diverting young people away from the criminal justice system:

• Warnings instead of charges: First-time knife possession offenders are given warnings and referred to support services, rather than being prosecuted.
• Restorative justice: Offenders meet with victims or community members to understand the impact of their actions and make amends.

3. Long-Term Commitment

The public health approach was sustained over 15 years with cross-party political support and consistent funding. This allowed interventions to be refined and scaled up, and for cultural change to take root.

4. Community Engagement

The VRU worked with community leaders, former gang members, and young people themselves to design interventions that were credible and effective. This bottom-up approach built trust and ensured programmes were relevant to the communities they served.

The Challenges Ahead

Despite the success of Scotland's approach, replicating it in England and Wales faces challenges:

• Scale: Scotland has a population of 5.5 million, compared to 60 million in England and Wales. Scaling up the public health approach would require significant investment and coordination.
• Political will: The public health approach requires long-term commitment and cross-party support, which is difficult to sustain in a polarised political environment.
• Funding: Youth services, early intervention programmes, and Violence Reduction Units are all underfunded. Without sustained investment, they cannot deliver the results seen in Scotland.

The Bottom Line

Knife crime offences in England and Wales reached 50,500 in 2024, up 82% since 2014. The rise is driven by police cuts, gang activity, social media disputes, and a culture of fear in which young people carry knives for protection. The government has introduced tougher sentences, Violence Reduction Units, and restrictions on knife sales, but knife crime continues to rise. Scotland reduced knife crime by 70% using a public health approach focused on early intervention, diversion, and community engagement, sustained over 15 years. Replicating this success in England and Wales will require long-term investment in youth services, early intervention, and a shift from enforcement to prevention—but political will and funding remain major obstacles.