UK Crime Overview (2025): Trends, Methods & City Comparisons

A pillar guide to understanding UK crime data: how it’s collected, how to interpret it, and where to explore by city, area and postcode.

How to Interpret UK Crime Data

SafePostcode aggregates publicly available police-reported incidents. Monthly releases have a short lag and can be revised. Always compare multiple months and look at category mix (e.g., theft, burglary, ASB) rather than a single total. City centres with more visitors often report higher volumes relative to residential areas. Per‑capita rates are most useful for comparisons.

Use our city and postcode pages to review: 1) Trends (is crime rising or falling?), 2) Category breakdown (which offences drive changes?), and 3) Local context (compare a neighbourhood to its city and to the UK median).

Start with the Cities

London

Explore trends across boroughs and central hotspots.

View London

Manchester

City centre vs suburbs, category mix and trendlines.

View Manchester

Birmingham

Neighbourhood comparisons and monthly movement.

View Birmingham

Glasgow

Citywide trend overview with area snapshots.

View Glasgow

Leeds

Category breakdowns and relative risk by area.

View Leeds

Drill Down: Areas & Postcodes

After reviewing a city, dive deeper into areas and postcodes for a local snapshot of incidents by month and category. Use the search tool to jump straight to your location.

Open the Search Tool

Further Reading