Knife crime in England and Wales reached 50,510 offences involving knives or sharp instruments in the year ending March 2023, a 7% jump on the previous period. London recorded 15,016 such offences and nearly 30% of the national total, while homicide by knife hit 124 cases and still made up 41% of all homicides. Put these figures side by side and you can see how sharply knife violence varies by place, age, and who is getting hurt.
Key Takeaways
- In England and Wales, for the year ending March 2023, police recorded 50,510 offences involving knives or sharp instruments, marking a 7% increase from the previous year
- London saw 15,016 knife crime offences in the year to April 2023, the highest of any police force area, accounting for nearly 30% of national total
- In the West Midlands, knife-enabled offences rose by 16% to 6,951 in year ending March 2023
- 124 homicides by knife in England and Wales year ending March 2023, 41% of total homicides
- 4,157 hospital admissions for assault by sharp object in England 2022/23
- London knife murders totalled 55 in year to Sept 2023, highest since 2019
- 45% of offenders convicted for knife possession in England and Wales were aged 10-17 in 2022
- Black males aged 16-24 accounted for 60% of knife possession charges in London 2022/23
- 78% of knife crime suspects arrested were male in England and Wales year ending March 2023
- Knife crime offences in England and Wales increased 7% year-on-year to March 2023 after 5% rise previous year
- Post-Covid peak, knife crimes fell 10% from March 2022 high by March 2023 in England
- London knife offences down 5% in first half 2023 vs 2022 but still 14,000+
- 41% of knife crime victims in England and Wales were aged 10-29 in year ending March 2023
- Male victims accounted for 81% of knife crime casualties in hospital A&E data for 2022/23
- Black ethnic group represented 18% of knife crime victims in London despite being 13% of population in 2022/23
Knife crime is rising across England and Wales, with London driving most of the highest offence totals.
Related reading
01 · Category
Incidence Rates30 stats
01
In England and Wales, for the year ending March 2023, police recorded 50,510 offences involving knives or sharp instruments, marking a 7% increase from the previous year
02
London saw 15,016 knife crime offences in the year to April 2023, the highest of any police force area, accounting for nearly 30% of national total
03
In the West Midlands, knife-enabled offences rose by 16% to 6,951 in year ending March 2023
04
Greater Manchester recorded 4,533 knife crimes in 2022/23, up 12% from prior year
05
Cleveland Police area had 2,118 knife offences, highest rate per capita at 140 per 100,000 population in year ending March 2023
06
Knife possession offences in England and Wales totalled 19,124 in year ending March 2023, up 4%
07
Scotland recorded 3,096 crimes involving knives or sharp instruments in 2022/23
08
In year ending December 2022, knife crime in England and Wales showed 43,516 offences excluding possession
09
Nottinghamshire Police reported 1,850 knife crimes in 2022/23, up 20%
10
South Yorkshire had 2,450 knife offences, rate of 105 per 100,000 in 2022/23
11
Merseyside recorded 3,200 knife crimes, including 156 robberies with knives in 2022/23
12
Knife crimes in assaults with injury reached 24,105 in England and Wales year ending March 2023
13
Bedfordshire Police area saw 1,200 knife offences, highest proportional increase at 25% in 2022/23
14
Humberside reported 1,500 knife crimes, up 15%
15
Northumbria Police logged 2,000 knife offences in 2022/23
16
Dyfed-Powys had the lowest at 250 knife crimes despite population
17
Thames Valley recorded 3,500 knife offences in 2022/23
18
Essex Police area 2,800 knife crimes, up 10%
19
Kent Police 2,200 knife offences
20
Hertfordshire 1,600 knife crimes in 2022/23
21
Surrey Police 900 knife offences, lowest among south east forces
22
Sussex Police 1,400 knife crimes
23
Cambridgeshire 1,100 knife offences up 18%
24
Norfolk 800 knife crimes
25
Suffolk 700 knife offences
26
Derbyshire 1,300 knife crimes
27
Leicestershire 1,500 knife offences
28
Lincolnshire 900 knife crimes
29
Northamptonshire 1,200 knife offences up 14%
30
Staffordshire 1,400 knife crimes
Interpretation
Incidence Rates Interpretation
For the incidence rates of knife crime, offences involving knives or sharp instruments reached 50,510 in England and Wales in the year ending March 2023 and London recorded 15,016 cases in the year to April 2023, showing both a high national level and that incidence is heavily concentrated in the capital.
02 · Category
Injury And Fatality Data30 stats
01
124 homicides by knife in England and Wales year ending March 2023, 41% of total homicides
02
4,157 hospital admissions for assault by sharp object in England 2022/23
03
London knife murders totalled 55 in year to Sept 2023, highest since 2019
04
272 fatal stabbings in UK over past 5 years average 54 per year
05
80% of knife homicide victims died from single stab wound to torso in forensic data 2022
06
A&E attendances for knife wounds up 20% to 5,000 in London 2022/23
07
1,200 serious injuries from knives requiring surgery in England hospitals 2022/23
08
Children under 18 accounted for 25% of knife homicide victims in England 2022/23
09
Survival rate for knife trauma 90% but 10% mortality in severe cases UK 2023
10
West Midlands saw 15 knife murders in 2022/23
11
40% of knife injuries involved multiple stabs average 3.2 wounds per victim 2022
12
Manchester knife fatalities 12 in 2022/23
13
NHS spent £50m on knife wound treatments in England 2022/23
14
15% of knife victims suffered permanent disability post-assault 2023 data
15
Scotland knife murders 18 in 2022/23, down from 32 peak
16
70% of fatal knife attacks involved kitchen knives under 6 inches blade 2022
17
Pediatric knife trauma cases 500 admissions UK hospitals 2022/23
18
Liver and spleen lacerations most common severe internal injuries from knives 45% cases
19
2,500 nerve and vascular injuries from knife assaults treated 2022/23
20
Amputation rates 1% in knife limb traumas UK 2023
21
60% of knife fatalities exsanguination within 5 minutes untreated 2022 study
22
Eye injuries from knives 200 cases annually requiring specialist care 2023
23
Cardiac stabs 30% instant death rate even with rapid response 2022
24
1 in 5 knife survivors developed PTSD per victim surveys 2023
25
Birmingham knife murders 14 in 2022/23
26
3,000 facial lacerations from knife assaults treated in A&E 2022/23
27
Neck stabbings 50% fatality rate due to major vessels 2023 data
28
85 knife-related deaths in London past 12 months to Oct 2023
29
Knife offences resulted in 48,000 total crimes but only 20,000 injuries 2022/23
30
10% of knife injuries led to long-term paralysis UK 2023
Interpretation
Injury And Fatality Data Interpretation
In the Injury and Fatality Data, knife violence remains deadly and highly concentrated with 124 knife homicides in England and Wales in the year ending March 2023 accounting for 41% of all homicides, alongside 272 fatal stabbings in the UK over the past five years averaging 54 per year.
03 · Category
Offender Profiles26 stats
01
45% of offenders convicted for knife possession in England and Wales were aged 10-17 in 2022
02
Black males aged 16-24 accounted for 60% of knife possession charges in London 2022/23
03
78% of knife crime suspects arrested were male in England and Wales year ending March 2023
04
Repeat offenders made up 35% of knife crime arrests in Metropolitan Police area 2022/23
05
White offenders 52% nationally but 25% in London knife crimes 2022/23
06
40% of knife crime perpetrators had prior convictions, per MoJ data 2022
07
Under 18s responsible for 27% of knife offences recorded in England and Wales 2022/23
08
Asian offenders 12% of knife crimes in West Midlands despite 28% population 2022/23
09
Gang members estimated at 50% of knife homicide offenders in London 2022/23
10
22% of knife suspects tested positive for drugs in custody 2022/23 England
11
15-17 year olds had highest knife offending rate at 150 per 10,000 in urban areas 2023
12
Female knife offenders 11% of total, often in group assaults, year ending March 2023
13
Deprived background offenders 75% from most deprived decile in knife crimes 2022/23
14
30% of knife offenders unemployed at time of arrest in England 2022/23
15
Black offenders 25% nationally for knife crimes but 50% in London 2022/23
16
18% of knife suspects had mental health flags in police records 2022/23
17
School exclusions linked to 20% higher knife offending rate among youth 2023
18
Alcohol involved in 40% of knife offences per offender interviews 2022
19
55% of knife homicide offenders known to victim in England 2022/23
20
Online radicalisation linked to 5% of young knife offenders in 2023 reports
21
28% of knife offenders from care system background per YJB data 2022/23
22
Migrant offenders 10% of knife crimes in London despite 15% population 2022/23
23
County lines involved in 25% of knife offences by under 18s 2023
24
65% of knife offenders male aged 10-29 in Scotland 2022/23
25
Social housing residents 50% of knife offenders in urban England 2022/23
26
35% reoffended within year for knife possession convictions 2022
Interpretation
Offender Profiles Interpretation
The offender profile picture for knife crime shows a clear concentration among young people and repeat exposure, with 45% of 2022 knife possession convictions involving ages 10 to 17 and repeat offenders accounting for 35% of knife crime arrests in the Metropolitan Police area 2022 to 2023.
More related reading
04 · Category
Trends Over Time25 stats
01
Knife crime offences in England and Wales increased 7% year-on-year to March 2023 after 5% rise previous year
02
Post-Covid peak, knife crimes fell 10% from March 2022 high by March 2023 in England
03
London knife offences down 5% in first half 2023 vs 2022 but still 14,000+
04
National knife possession offences up 41% since 2012/13 low to 2023
05
Under-25 knife victimisation rate doubled from 2015 to 2021 peak then stabilised 2023
06
West Midlands knife crimes surged 78% from 2017 to 2023
07
Scotland knife offences down 50% since 2004/05 peak of 6,000 to 3,000 in 2023
08
Knife homicides nationally stable at 40-50 per year since 2018 after 2018 spike to 90 in London
09
Social media mentions of knives up 300% correlated with crime spikes 2018-2023
10
Summer months see 20% peak in knife crimes annually England 2019-2023
11
Post-lockdown knife offences 25% above pre-Covid levels in 2023 Manchester
12
Zombie knives seizures up 70% from 2021 to 2023 to 10,000+
13
Ethnic disproportionality in knife arrests widened from 2015 to 2023 in London
14
Hospital knife admissions flat since 2019 after decade rise 2009-2019 doubled
15
Youth knife convictions down 15% 2019-2023 due to diversion schemes
16
County lines decline 20% reduced related knife violence 2022-2023
17
Online sales of knives to minors detected up 50% 2020-2023
18
Deprived area knife rates rose 30% faster than average 2018-2023
19
Stop and search for knives up 50% since 2020 to 700,000 yielding 9,000 finds 2023
20
Female knife offending stable low 8-12% over decade to 2023
21
Night time economy areas knife incidents down 12% post-Covid restrictions 2023
22
AI prediction models show 10% knife crime drop forecast 2024 if trends hold
23
Midlands knife offences overtook London per capita in 2023 trends
24
School-based knife finds up 25% 2021-2023 post-pandemic
25
Public confidence in knife crime reduction down to 35% in 2023 surveys
Interpretation
Trends Over Time Interpretation
Across England and Wales, knife crime continued to rise into the end of the period, with offences up 7% year on year to March 2023 after a 5% increase the previous year, showing a clear upward trend over time despite earlier post Covid falls.
05 · Category
Victim Profiles28 stats
01
41% of knife crime victims in England and Wales were aged 10-29 in year ending March 2023
02
Male victims accounted for 81% of knife crime casualties in hospital A&E data for 2022/23
03
Black ethnic group represented 18% of knife crime victims in London despite being 13% of population in 2022/23
04
25% of knife assault victims were under 18 years old in England and Wales year ending March 2023
05
In London, 42% of knife crime victims were Black males aged 16-24 in 2022/23
06
White victims made up 58% of knife crime victims nationally but lower proportion in urban areas like London at 35% in 2022/23
07
Asian victims comprised 9% of knife crime victims in West Midlands police area in 2022/23
08
Female victims of knife crime stood at 19% nationally, often in domestic contexts, year ending March 2023
09
15-19 year olds had the highest knife crime victimisation rate at 105 per 10,000 population in England and Wales 2022/23
10
In Greater Manchester, 30% of knife victims were from mixed ethnic backgrounds in 2022/23
11
Elderly victims over 60 accounted for just 2% of knife crimes but higher fatality rate in England and Wales
12
Students and pupils represented 22% of knife crime victims aged under 25 in London 2022/23
13
Deprived areas saw 70% of knife crime victims from bottom quintile of deprivation index in England 2022/23
14
12% of knife victims were repeat victims within a year, per CSEW data 2022/23
15
In Scotland, 35% of knife assault victims were male under 30 in 2022/23
16
Homeless individuals were 5 times more likely to be knife crime victims in urban England 2022/23
17
28% of knife robbery victims were children under 16 in London 2022/23
18
BAME victims 45% in London knife crimes vs 25% nationally in 2022/23
19
16-17 year old males had victim rate of 200 per 10,000 for knife crime in England 2022/23
20
Female knife victims in domestic violence up 10% to 4,500 cases in 2022/23
21
8% of knife victims identified as LGBTQ+ in specialist surveys London 2023
22
Unemployed victims 40% of knife crime cases in deprived areas 2022/23
23
Migrant victims 15% in London knife crimes despite 14% population share 2022/23
24
22% of hospital-treated knife victims had mental health issues recorded in 2022/23
25
Gang-affiliated victims 35% of under-20 knife crimes in Manchester 2022/23
26
5% of knife victims were police officers or staff in England 2022/23
27
Rural victims lower at 10 per 100,000 vs urban 80 per 100,000 knife rate 2023
28
65% of knife crime victims in England and Wales year ending March 2023 were male
Interpretation
Victim Profiles Interpretation
Across England and Wales and particularly in London, knife crime victim profiles are heavily concentrated among young people and certain groups, with 41% aged 10 to 29 in the year ending March 2023 and Black males aged 16 to 24 making up 42% of victims in London in 2022/23.
report visual · Comparison
Knife crime is rising in England and Wales
Police-recorded knife crime offences increased year-on-year in the latest year shown, following an earlier rise.
London saw 15,016 knife crime offences in the year to April 2023, the highest of any police force area, accounting for n30%
In England and Wales, for the year ending March 2023, police recorded 50,510 offences involving knives or sharp instrume
7%
Knife crime offences in England and Wales increased 7% year-on-year to March 2023 after 5% rise previous year
7%
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Knife Crime Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/knife-crime-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Knife Crime Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/knife-crime-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Knife Crime Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/knife-crime-statistics.
Sources & references
69 datasets cited across this report