Knife crime homicides fall to 30-year low

Knife-related homicides have dropped to their lowest level in 35 years as the government's surrender drive takes more than 15,000 knives off Britain's streets.

Knife-enabled homicides have fallen to 26% while knife crime overall has dropped by 11% under this government.

More than 14,500 knives and weapons including ninja swords, zombie-style knives, machetes, swords and kitchen knives have been taken out of circulation through Home Office-funded surrender bins since July last year.

The bins managed by the charity Word 4 Weapons are located in London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. A further 783 knives and weapons were handed in at a mobile surrender van operated by FazAmnesty, which supported the Home Office's dedicated surrender scheme last summer. Blades like those surrendered have been used in violent crimes and caused devastation to communities across the country.

Building on last year's success, the government is now making it possible for more people to surrender their weapons by providing new bins across South and West Yorkshire.

The mobile surrender van operated by FazAmnesty will also visit a series of locations across the West Midlands before travelling to London where it will stop off at 24 boroughs, providing another trusted route for people to anonymously surrender their weapons this month.

Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones said:

Every dangerous weapon that has been surrendered so far is a weapon off our streets and a community made that little bit safer.

That's why we're going further and making it easier for more people in more places to do the right thing and hand over their knives.

Knife crime is down by 11% since the general election but we will not stop until we meet our commitment of halving knife crime in a decade.

The location of the 45 surrender bins, including the 8 new ones, and the stop off points for the mobile surrender van have been agreed with local violence reduction partnerships, policing and community safety partners. This helps ensure support is focused in areas most affected by knife crime and serious violence.

The surrender bins and van operate on a no questions asked' basis in order to encourage people who may otherwise be reluctant to hand over their weapons in fear of the consequences. The weapons, which must be wrapped and sealed in a box or bag, will be disposed of safely and securely.

Faron Paul, CEO of FazAmnesty, survived a knife attack in which he was stabbed 18 times. He has now turned his experience into a mission to prevent others suffering similar harm. Through FazAmnesty, he works with communities across the country to encourage people to safely surrender weapons and has become a leading voice on tackling knife crime and preventing violence.

Faron Paul, CEO of FazAmnesty and member of the Government's Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said:

We are proud to continue supporting the Home Office's National Surrender Scheme and to play our part in removing dangerous weapons from our streets. Every weapon surrendered is one less weapon that could be used to seriously harm or take a life.

The introduction of our mobile surrender van has given direct surrender opportunities into some of the hardest-to-reach communities. By engaging with residents, we are helping to remove barriers that might otherwise prevent someone from surrendering a knife.

Seeing more than 15,000 weapons removed through the government's surrender bins is a significant milestone and demonstrates what can be achieved when government, policing and community organisations work together with a shared purpose.

The surrender activity also builds on the wider action being delivered through Ronan's Law, named after 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was killed in 2022 with a ninja sword bought online.

Following campaigning by his mother, Pooja Kanda, the government introduced tougher measures to restrict access to dangerous weapons and close loopholes in online sales.

Weapons surrenders have played an important role in supporting those changes.

Pooja Kanda OBE, founder of the Justice for Ronan Kanda campaign and member of the government's Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime said:

Every knife handed into a surrender bin is one less weapon that could end a life or devastate a family like mine. I lost my 16-year-old son, Ronan, in a mistaken identity knife attack. He paid the ultimate price because someone else chose to carry a knife. There are no winners in knife crime.

The removal of more than 15,000 knives from our communities is a significant achievement and demonstrates what can be accomplished when government, charities, police and communities work together.

As we mark one year since the introduction of Ronan's Law, this surrender scheme is another important step in preventing dangerous weapons from causing further harm. It provides young people, and anyone else carrying a dangerous weapon, with a safe and anonymous opportunity to surrender it.

Sandra Campbell, CEO of Word4Weapons and member of the government's Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said:

We are proud to work in partnership with the Home Office and our wider coalition partners to help remove knives and other dangerous weapons from our streets and communities. Every weapon safely surrendered is one fewer weapon that could be used to destroy lives.

Everyone can choose safe disposal through our Home Office-funded surrender bins, alongside Word 4 Weapons' established network of bins, which has quietly served communities since 2007.

The government continues to push forward with its mission to halve knife crime in the next decade. Knife crime hotspots will see a dramatic surge in police activity to catch knife criminals, including increased police patrols, new CCTV cameras, live facial recognition deployment and the installation of knife arches.

Action is also being taken to stop young people from ever picking up a weapon in the first place and creating safer environments in which they can grow up. Through initiatives such as Young Futures hubs, mentoring and targeted support for at-risk children, alongside work with schools, youth services and local partners, the government is helping to create safer environments where young people can thrive and reach their full potential.

People can find the locations of the surrender bins and the mobile surrender van on GOV.UK. The online guidance also explains how to safely and responsibly transport and deposit a knife or weapon. All weapons handed in through the scheme will be securely disposed of.