New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that murders have risen across the West Midlands despite a significant drop in knife crime. In the West Midlands Police area, 39 murders were recorded in 2025, eight more than the 31 recorded in 2024.
Knife Crime Decline
Over the same period, knife crime in the region fell by 15 per cent. Officers recorded 3,946 knife offences in 2025, down from 4,642 the previous year. This mirrors a wider national trend, with two-thirds of police forces in England and Wales reporting a year-on-year decrease in knife crime. Major forces including the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police also recorded significant reductions.
National Context
The rise in murders in the West Midlands comes amid a mixed national picture. Around half of police forces in England and Wales saw an increase in murders, while others experienced declines. For example, the Metropolitan Police recorded 99 murders in 2025, down from 112 in 2024, while West Yorkshire saw an increase from 21 to 30 murders.
Murder Statistics by Police Force (2025 vs 2024)
- Avon & Somerset: 5 (21), down 16
- Bedfordshire: 6 (10), down 4
- British Transport Police: 3 (11), down 8
- Cambridgeshire: 14 (5), up 9
- Cheshire: 4 (3), up 1
- City of London: 0 (0), no change
- Cleveland: 9 (8), up 1
- Cumbria: 1 (6), down 5
- Derbyshire: 12 (10), up 2
- Devon & Cornwall: 14 (11), up 3
- Dorset: 4 (3), up 1
- Durham: 3 (3), no change
- Dyfed-Powys: 6 (4), up 2
- Essex: 6 (12), down 6
- Gloucestershire: 9 (6), up 3
- Greater Manchester: 19 (27), down 8
- Gwent: 3 (3), no change
- Hampshire: 17 (9), up 8
- Hertfordshire: 8 (9), down 1
- Humberside: 2 (4), down 2
- Kent: 14 (15), down 1
- Lancashire: 14 (12), up 2
- Leicestershire: 8 (6), up 2
- Lincolnshire: 5 (12), down 7
- Merseyside: 9 (17), down 8
- Metropolitan Police: 99 (112), down 13
- Norfolk: 5 (8), down 3
- North Wales: 4 (3), up 1
- North Yorkshire: 2 (7), down 5
- Northamptonshire: 8 (9), down 1
- Northumbria: 9 (15), down 6
- Nottinghamshire: 12 (9), up 3
- South Wales: 22 (16), up 6
- South Yorkshire: 9 (9), no change
- Staffordshire: 10 (11), down 1
- Suffolk: 9 (4), up 5
- Surrey: 5 (10), down 5
- Sussex: 10 (6), up 4
- Thames Valley: 13 (19), down 6
- Warwickshire: 3 (5), down 2
- West Mercia: 14 (9), up 5
- West Midlands: 39 (31), up 8
- West Yorkshire: 30 (21), up 9
- Wiltshire: 5 (3), up 2
Knife Crime Statistics by Police Force (2025 vs 2024)
- Avon & Somerset: 1,338 (1,636), down 298, -18.2%
- Bedfordshire: 590 (606), down 16, -2.6%
- British Transport Police: 341 (481), down 140, -29.1%
- Cambridgeshire: 638 (592), up 46, +7.8%
- Cheshire: 508 (576), down 68, -11.8%
- City of London: 40 (68), down 28, -41.2%
- Cleveland: 930 (869), up 61, +7.0%
- Cumbria: 167 (169), down 2, -1.2%
- Derbyshire: 746 (654), up 92, +14.1%
- Devon & Cornwall: 884 (919), down 35, -3.8%
- Dorset: 221 (293), down 72, -24.6%
- Durham: 404 (397), up 7, +1.8%
- Dyfed-Powys: 183 (166), up 17, +10.2%
- Essex: 1,455 (1,504), down 49, -3.3%
- Gloucestershire: 253 (279), down 26, -9.3%
- Greater Manchester: 2,890 (3,476), down 586, -16.9%
- Gwent: 348 (395), down 47, -11.9%
- Hampshire: 940 (995), down 55, -5.5%
- Hertfordshire: 647 (758), down 111, -14.6%
- Humberside: 805 (786), up 19, +2.4%
- Kent: 881 (888), down 7, -0.8%
- Lancashire: 1,151 (1,359), down 208, -15.3%
- Leicestershire: 715 (775), down 60, -7.7%
- Lincolnshire: 417 (410), up 7, +1.7%
- Merseyside: 1,189 (1,176), up 13, +1.1%
- Metropolitan Police: 13,994 (16,785), down 2,791, -16.6%
- Norfolk: 458 (466), down 8, -1.7%
- North Wales: 283 (334), down 51, -15.3%
- North Yorkshire: 330 (262), up 68, +26.0%
- Northamptonshire: 566 (568), down 2, -0.4%
- Northumbria: 1,168 (1,087), up 81, +7.5%
- Nottinghamshire: 847 (804), up 43, +5.3%
- South Wales: 668 (661), up 7, +1.1%
- South Yorkshire: 1,438 (1,480), down 42, -2.8%
- Staffordshire: 766 (787), down 21, -2.7%
- Suffolk: 338 (292), up 46, +15.8%
- Surrey: 441 (517), down 76, -14.7%
- Sussex: 940 (1,107), down 167, -15.1%
- Thames Valley: 941 (1,055), down 114, -10.8%
- Warwickshire: 331 (298), up 33, +11.1%
- West Mercia: 602 (680), down 78, -11.5%
- West Midlands: 3,946 (4,642), down 696, -15.0%
- West Yorkshire: 2,149 (2,256), down 107, -4.7%
- Wiltshire: 264 (240), up 24, +10.0%
The ONS data highlights a complex picture of crime trends across England and Wales, with the West Midlands experiencing a rise in murders despite a notable reduction in knife offences.
