Forces in England and Wales recorded 499 homicide offences in 2025/26, down 7% from 539 in the previous year. More than half of forces (25 out of 44) recorded a year-on-year fall in knife crime in 2025/26. Overall, police forces recorded 5.24 million offences in England and Wales in 2025/26, excluding fraud and computer misuse, down 1% from 5.31 million in 2024/25. “Many aspects of police recorded crime have fallen – homicide is at the lowest level seen this century, with a decrease in knife homicides driving the fall in the past year. “Gun crime is at levels last seen a decade ago, while knife crime is below pre-pandemic levels.”