Knife homicides fall 27% as government launches decade-long plan to halve knife crime
More than 63,000 knives and weapons have been removed from Britain's streets since the current government took office, as ministers unveil a new strategy to halve knife crime within ten years.
Knife homicides in England and Wales have fallen by 27 per cent after more than 63,000 knives and weapons were taken off the streets under the current government, the Home Office has announced.
The figures, published on 9 April 2026, also revealed that knife-point robberies have dropped by 10 per cent and hospital admissions for stabbings have fallen by 11 per cent over the same period. The statistics accompanied the launch of a new government strategy titled "Protecting Lives, Building Hope", which sets out a plan to halve knife crime within a decade.
Of the weapons removed, 57,726 were handed in through surrender schemes and following bans on zombie-style knives, machetes and ninja swords introduced since the general election. Border Force seized a further 4,656 knives at the border, while police recovered 1,229 weapons during operations conducted under the County Lines Programme.
Ronan's Law
The announcement comes alongside significant new legislation. Ronan's Law, introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill, will mandate a two-stage age verification system for knives sold online — both at the point of purchase and at delivery — and will require retailers to report bulk knife purchases to law enforcement. The measure is named after Ronan Kanda, who was fatally stabbed in 2022 with a ninja sword purchased online. His mother, Pooja Kanda, has since campaigned for tighter controls on online knife sales.
"As a mother who has lost my son to knife crime, I know the devastating reality of this crime," said Pooja Kanda, a member of the government's Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime. "Seeing more than 63,000 knives removed from our streets is significant progress and will help save lives. Ronan was an innocent child and his death exposed how easily dangerous weapons could be accessed."
She added: "There is always more to do, more gaps to close so that no child can suffer as mine did. Ronan should still be here. His legacy is ensuring that other families do not have to live through the same pain."
New criminal offences
Further measures in the Crime and Policing Bill will create a new offence of possession of a knife with intent to commit unlawful violence, including possession in private. Police will also be granted a new power to seize knives intended for use in unlawful violence.
Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: "Knife crime ruins lives, devastates families and damages communities. It is why we are determined to rid our streets of these dangerous weapons. We will deploy successful surrender schemes and strict online sales, as well as giving young people the support they need to get knives off our streets."
The broader strategy outlined in the plan includes early intervention to support young people, targeted work to divert those at risk away from knife crime, and strengthened policing to apprehend and prosecute offenders.