London's homicide rate drops to lowest in more than a decade

"London's murder rate has dropped to its lowest in more than a decade with police in the capital and the mayor saying it is now one of the safest cities in the western world. The figures come as those on the radical right criticise the city for having a crime problem, hoping to gain politically from such claims being believed. In 2025, the Metropolitan police recorded 97 homicides in London, down from 153 in 2019, and down from 109 in 2024."

"In terms of longer term trends, a decade ago there were 120 homicides; in 2005, 181 homicides were recorded, with the peak this century being 216 in 2003. Homicides of those aged under-25 have fallen dramatically, with 18 recorded in 2025 compared with a peak of 69 in 2017. Police officials and London's mayor say a twin approach of smarter and more focused work by officers,"

London recorded 97 homicides in 2025, down from 153 in 2019 and 109 in 2024, marking the lowest total in over a decade. Homicides among under-25s fell to 18 in 2025 from a 2017 peak of 69. Officials attribute the decline to a twin strategy of smarter, more focused police work and expanded youth diversion. The Violence Reduction Unit, set up in 2019, and a public-health approach to knife crime are credited, with station-based staff reporting a 90% success rate in diverting arrested youngsters. The fall occurred despite population growth to 9.1 million, improving per-capita safety metrics.

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