Knife Crime in England & Wales: The 2023–24 Statistics and What They Mean for Safeguarding

The Scale of the Problem

Knife crime in England and Wales reached a near-record high of 50,085 offences in the year ending March 2022, and has remained at historically elevated levels since. The year ending March 2024 recorded approximately 47,800 offences — a marginal fall from the peak, but still 11% higher than 2018/19 levels, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

These figures include offences where a knife or sharp instrument was used or threatened — from robbery and assault to homicide. They do not include possession offences, which the ONS records separately and which have also risen sharply in recent years.

Who Is at Risk?

Young people are disproportionately both the victims and perpetrators of knife crime. Key demographic findings from the Home Office and ONS:

• Victims aged 10–24 account for approximately 43% of all knife crime victims
• Males aged 15–24 are the group most likely to be both victim and offender
• Hospital admissions for assault by a sharp object among under-25s have increased year-on-year since 2015
• Children as young as 10 have been arrested for knife possession offences
• Black boys and young men are disproportionately represented in both victim and offender statistics — a finding that demands both targeted safeguarding and critical awareness of systemic inequity

Urban vs Rural: Where Is It Happening?

Knife crime is disproportionately concentrated in metropolitan areas. London accounts for around 25% of all knife crime in England and Wales despite housing approximately 15% of the population. The Metropolitan Police recorded over 12,000 knife offences in 2023/24 alone.

However, the assumption that knife crime is exclusively an urban problem is both inaccurate and dangerous for safeguarding purposes. The National Rural Crime Network and NCA county lines data confirm that knife violence has risen significantly in market towns, coastal communities and rural areas, often driven by drug supply networks exploiting local children.

Implications for Schools and Safeguarding Teams

Knife crime is a safeguarding issue, not merely a criminal justice one. Under the Serious Violence Duty 2022, schools in specified areas are statutory partners in local serious violence reduction strategies. KCSIE 2024 explicitly requires schools to have policies and awareness relating to serious violence and exploitation.

Practical steps for safeguarding leads:

• Ensure your serious violence policy is current and staff have received training on warning signs
• Engage with your Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) — all 18 VRU areas offer school-facing resources
• Refer any suspected weapon-carrying to your DSL immediately; schools may conduct searches under the Education Act 1996
• Use whole-school approaches — assemblies, PSHE, mentoring — not just reactive exclusions

Sources: ONS, Crime in England and Wales, Year Ending March 2024 (2024); Home Office, Knife and Offensive Weapon Sentencing Statistics (2024); DfE, Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024; HM Government, Serious Violence Duty Statutory Guidance 2022. Last reviewed: April 2026.