Knife Crime Awareness Week

runs from

18. May 2026 – 24. May 2026

There are training sessions available from the Ben Kinsella Trust.

Real Stories, Real People – LIVE Q&A, taking place on Thursday 21st May from 6.30–8pm.

Knife Crime Awareness Essentials, a one‑hour training session for teachers and school staff, on Wednesday 20th May from 3.45–4.45pm. 

Book these sessions here

If you would like to know more about the guidance that is available, the Met Police website includes a number of important resources that can offer guidance,  including what to do if you think someone you know needs help,  how to keep people safe, and support organisations you can talk to.  

Government statistics for knife crime 2025 show 

1. The overall number of knife and offensive weapon offences dealt with by the Criminal Justice System (CJS) was 21,091. This has increased since the year ending December 2024.
   
   1. This represents a 1.8% increase compared to the year ending December 2024 and an increase of 20.7% over the last decade.
2. The proportion of knife and offensive weapon offences resulting in an immediate custodial sentence was 31.2% in the year ending December 2025.
   1. This is a decrease of 2.6 percentage points since the year ending December 2024. Compared to a decade ago, there has been an increase of 0.3 percentage point.
3. The average sentence length received by offenders sentenced to immediate custody under Section 315 of the Sentencing Act 2020 was 7.9 months in the year ending December 2025.
   1. This is an increase from 7.8 months in the year ending December 2024 and an increase from 7.2 months in the year ending December 2016.
4. The proportion of caution and sentencing occasions involving first-time knife and offensive weapon offenders for the year ending December 2025 was 68%.
   1. The proportion of caution and sentencing occasions involving first-time knife and offensive weapon offenders has seen a decrease of 6.6 percentage points over the last decade. This represents the lowest proportion over the decade.

The overall number of knife and offensive weapon offences formally dealt with by the CJS over the latest year was 21,091, with the total amount of offences staying within the range of 17,476 and 22,485 over the last ten years. Possession of an article with a blade or point represents the highest proportion (68%) of all knife and offensive weapon offences over the latest year.

Figure 1: Number of Knife and offensive weapon offences by offence type, in England and Wales, annually from year ending December 2015 to December 2025

In the year ending December 2025, 6,581 offences resulted in an immediate custodial sentence. These offences were responsible for 31.2% of total knife and offensive weapon offences, compared to 30.9% in the year ending December 2015 and 33.8% in the year ending December 2024. Over the latest year the number of offences resulting in immediate custody has decreased by 6.1%, but over the decade the number of offences resulting in immediate custody increased by 21.8%.

Figure 2: Percentage change of knife and offensive weapon offences by sentencing type, in England and Wales, compared to year ending December 2024 and year ending December 2015

See the whole document statistics as published on 21. May 2026

I pressurised Tower Hamlets Council to install knife bins in the borough and there are now some.

 

• Barnet Grove, E2 6 AD
• Treves House, Vallance Road E1 5A3
• Burslem Street, E1 2LL
• Brownfield Street, E14 6ND
• Byng Street, Canary Wharf E14
• St Mary and St Michael’s, Commercial Road E1 0AA

It is an offence to have a knife in a public place without a reasonable excuse.

Please also note that any sharp articles carried without reasonable explanations can be classified as offensive weapon to be used with intent to harm.

Please encourage everybody you know to dispose of their knives in the knife bins provided.

Knife bins vary from area to area but any are good to use. See locations in Tower Hamlets or search the knife bins provider website for locations anywhere.

Tower Hamlets Council removed in excess of 1200 knives off our streets, see council article with picture of knife bin opposite the Osmani Centre.

Word 4 Weapons installs the knife bins in the borough and they have a map online to search for exact locations.

I encourage all parents to talk to children and make it known to them that carrying an offensive weapon like a knife does not reduce the risk of being attacked but increases it. Look in your children’s school bags for knife like implements and tell kids not to use violence of any sort in schools, among friends or family or any other location. No fruit knives, no scissors, no screw drivers in school bags please.