Listz area intelligence

Where reported crime rates are rising and falling

Compare changes in Police.uk street-level incidents per 1,000 residents between consecutive complete 12-month periods across England and Wales.

Feb 2024–Jan 2025Previous 12-month period
Feb 2025–Jan 2026Current 12-month period
306 councils284 England and 22 Wales

These are changes in reported street-level crime, not a direct measure of personal risk. Police recording practices, public reporting and local activity can affect comparisons. A falling rate does not mean crime is absent.

Coverage safeguards: councils require at least 20,000 residents and 20 incidents in the preceding period. Greater Manchester remains excluded because its police data was unavailable throughout the comparison window.

Largest rate increases: Overall recorded street-level crime

Largest rate increases for Overall recorded street-level crime
RankCouncil areaNationRate change% changePrevious rateCurrent rateCurrent incidents
1PembrokeshireWales+16.3+25.7%63.479.710,026
2CarmarthenshireWales+15.6+26.9%58.073.613,992
3PowysWales+13.5+27.2%49.663.18,506
4StevenageEngland+12.2+15.6%78.690.88,362
5HastingsEngland+9.2+9.2%100.5109.69,962
6Newcastle-under-LymeEngland+7.9+12.6%62.570.49,014
7CanterburyEngland+7.3+8.7%83.690.914,786
8NottinghamEngland+7.3+6.1%119.3126.641,233
9Epsom and EwellEngland+7.2+12.0%59.967.15,590
10Southend-on-SeaEngland+7.2+7.9%90.397.518,059
11CeredigionWales+7.0+12.7%55.262.24,521
12Welwyn HatfieldEngland+6.7+9.1%73.480.19,751
13EastbourneEngland+6.0+5.8%103.8109.811,408
14WatfordEngland+5.7+7.2%79.885.59,209
15HillingdonEngland+5.5+6.2%89.795.231,104
16ColchesterEngland+5.3+6.9%76.581.816,448
17Mole ValleyEngland+5.1+10.3%49.354.34,826
18GedlingEngland+5.1+10.2%49.754.86,635
19SwindonEngland+5.0+8.0%63.068.016,682
20Tower HamletsEngland+5.0+4.8%104.0109.036,430

Largest rate decreases: Overall recorded street-level crime

Largest rate decreases for Overall recorded street-level crime
RankCouncil areaNationRate change% changePrevious rateCurrent rateCurrent incidents
1WestminsterEngland-28.7-6.9%414.6385.981,949
2GraveshamEngland-19.9-20.7%96.476.58,511
3LincolnEngland-13.2-10.0%131.6118.412,238
4HaltonEngland-10.8-11.7%92.181.310,727
5WolverhamptonEngland-10.7-10.4%103.592.726,096
6Newcastle upon TyneEngland-10.4-9.0%115.7105.233,764
7NewportWales-9.2-7.8%118.1108.918,366
8SunderlandEngland-8.9-8.8%101.492.526,555
9CoventryEngland-8.9-8.9%99.690.733,092
10ConwyWales-7.7-8.7%88.580.79,237
11South TynesideEngland-7.6-7.4%102.795.214,392
12Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleEngland-7.4-10.3%72.364.826,316
13GatesheadEngland-7.4-7.8%94.386.917,604
14BarnsleyEngland-7.1-7.3%97.690.522,865
15DoverEngland-7.1-8.9%79.972.88,816
16SevenoaksEngland-7.0-12.0%57.951.06,280
17New ForestEngland-6.8-11.3%60.153.49,390
18GosportEngland-6.5-8.1%80.674.06,117
19North West LeicestershireEngland-6.5-9.9%65.458.96,673
20Tunbridge WellsEngland-6.5-10.7%60.854.36,518

Methodology and limitations

Ranking measure

The change in reported incidents per 1,000 residents between consecutive complete rolling 12-month periods. Absolute rate change determines rank; percentage change is supplementary.

Stability thresholds

Councils need at least 20,000 residents and 20 incidents in the previous period. This prevents tiny populations or baselines from dominating the rankings.

Comparable coverage

The newest 24-month window with complete geographic-force coverage is selected automatically, except Greater Manchester Police. British Transport Police is outside this measure.

Related comparison

These rankings measure change over time. For the current level alone, see the lowest and highest council crime rates.

Source: Police.uk street-level crime and anti-social behaviour data. Population denominator: Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates via Nomis. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.