SafePostcode began as a passion project to demystify crime statistics for the everyday person. Too often, discussions about safety are fuelled by anecdotes and hearsay rather than data. We believe that everyone should have access to clear, unbiased information about the communities in which they live, work and travel. By tapping into the official UK Police API, we make it easy to see patterns by postcode, area and city without needing to download raw datasets or interpret complex spreadsheets.
Our mission is twofold: to empower individuals with knowledge and to encourage open conversations about community safety. We want to help parents understand what crime categories are most common near schools, renters to compare neighbourhoods before moving, and local groups to advocate for resources where they are needed most. To achieve this, we combine hard numbers with context and explanations. Each data point is accompanied by plain‑language notes and visualisations so you can make sense of the trends rather than being overwhelmed by numbers.
SafePostcode retrieves monthly crime reports from the official Police API. Each report contains the date, a broad category (such as burglary, violence or vehicle crime) and a location anonymised to the nearest street or neighbourhood. We aggregate these reports into monthly counts for every city, area and postcode and generate charts to show how different categories change over time. Because the data is anonymised, individual addresses are never exposed and privacy is preserved.
When you search for a city or postcode, our tools fetch the relevant subset of this data and present it with interactive filters. You can compare categories side by side, see twelve‑month trends at a glance and drill down from a country to a city to a neighbourhood. On our blog, we share stories about how to interpret these numbers, national crime trends and tips for staying safe.
We know that numbers alone cannot capture the full picture. Policing practices, social programmes, economic conditions and community engagement all influence crime rates. That’s why we provide context with every chart and link to further resources whenever possible. We also make it clear when data might be missing or when changes in reporting could affect the numbers. Our aim is to build trust by being upfront about the strengths and limitations of the data we use.
SafePostcode does not track individual users or collect personal information beyond basic analytics to understand how people use the site. We do not sell data to third parties. For more details, see our Privacy Policy. If you have questions about how we handle data or suggestions for improvements, we’d love to hear from you via our contact page.
We are constantly working to improve SafePostcode. Whether you are a developer who wants to help refine our tools, a researcher with insights into crime and safety, or a resident with stories about your neighbourhood, your voice is valuable. Visit our blog for the latest articles and subscribe to stay informed. Together, we can use data to build safer, more informed communities.