Do UK voters think crime is rising?

58% of UK adults say crime is worse than 5 years ago in May 2026 polling, even though official crime statistics show mixed trends. Knife crime and violence are perceived to have worsened, while burglary has declined. The perception-statistics gap is significant: media coverage of high-profile incidents shapes public opinion more than aggregate crime data, meaning crime remains politically salient even when overall crime rates are stable.

Which party do voters trust most on crime?

Reform UK leads crime trust at 28% in May 2026, 14 points ahead of Labour at 14%. The Conservatives are at 22%, still retaining some structural advantage on law and order from years in government. Reform UK's strong position on crime reflects their tough-on-crime messaging including support for mandatory minimum sentences and zero-tolerance policing, which polls well with older voters.

What is public opinion on knife crime in the UK?

Knife crime has emerged as the most salient crime concern in 2026 polling. 71% of voters say knife crime is a serious problem. 64% support mandatory minimum sentences for carrying a knife. 57% support stop and search expansion. Labour's approach — emphasising youth intervention and early prevention — is supported by 38% as the best long-term approach, while tougher sentencing is supported by 55%. The issue is particularly acute in London, where 80% of residents say it is a serious concern.

How satisfied are voters with police performance in 2026?

Police satisfaction is at 34% in May 2026 — one of the lowest readings in modern polling. Satisfaction fell sharply after the 2021-2022 Metropolitan Police scandals and has not recovered. Rural voters are more satisfied (44%) than urban voters (26%). By party, Conservative voters are most satisfied (41%) and Reform UK voters the least (19%), despite Reform's tough-on-crime positions reflecting a perception that current policing is ineffective.

Do UK voters support tougher sentencing?

55% of UK voters support tougher prison sentences for violent offenders in May 2026. However, 48% also support greater use of community sentences for non-violent offenders. The public view is not simply punitive — there is widespread support for rehabilitation programmes (58%) and mental health treatment as an alternative to custody (53%). The apparent contradiction reflects different views about different types of crime rather than a single punitive stance.

What do voters think caused recent increases in violent crime?

In May 2026 polling, voters attribute increases in violent crime to: family breakdown and lack of youth role models (62%), drug gangs and county lines (58%), social media glorifying violence (55%), poverty and inequality (44%), and police budget cuts (41%). Views are strongly partisan: Labour voters emphasise poverty and police cuts, while Conservative and Reform UK voters emphasise family breakdown and gang culture. The multi-factorial public view reflects genuine academic uncertainty about causation.

Issues Tracker — Crime & Policing

UK Crime Polling 2026: Reform UK Leads by +14pts, Police Trust at 34%

58% say crime has got worse since 2019. Knife crime: 72% want tougher sentences. Police trust has fallen to 34%, down from 46% in 2019. Reform UK leads on crime trust by +14 points over Labour. Stop and search: 44% support more use, 32% oppose.

58%

Say crime worse since 2019

34%

Trust police (down from 46% in 2019)

+14pts

Reform UK crime trust lead

72%

Want tougher knife crime sentences

Which Party Do Voters Trust on Crime & Policing?

Reform UK leads by +14pts

Polling question: “Which party do you trust most to handle crime and policing?” Source: composite of YouGov, Ipsos, Survation, May 2026.

Reform UK31%

Labour17%

Conservatives15%

Liberal Democrats6%

None / Don’t know31%

Reform UK leads on crime trust by +14 percentage points over Labour — a remarkable position for a party that did not exist in 2019. The 31% “none/don’t know” response is the highest of any major policy area, reflecting deep public belief that all parties have failed on crime and policing.

Police Trust: Trend 2019–2026

From 46% to 34% in 7 years

Source: Ipsos/MORI policing trust tracker. The 12-point decline from 46% (2019) to 34% (2026) is driven by high-profile misconduct cases, the Baroness Casey Review findings and continued concerns about response times and case closures without charge.

Key Crime Polling Numbers

Crime Getting Worse

58%

Say crime has got worse since 2019. Only 12% say it has improved. Public crime perception consistently outpaces official statistics — but recorded knife crime and violence rose through the 2010s.

Persistent pessimism

Knife Crime Sentences

72%

Want tougher sentences for knife crime offences. The strongest policy support for any punitive criminal justice measure. Cross-party consensus in Parliament reflects this public pressure.

Overwhelming demand

Police Trust

34%

Trust the police in 2026 — down from 46% in 2019. Accelerated by the Sarah Everard case, the Clapham Spa incident and the Baroness Casey Review exposing systemic failures in the Metropolitan Police.

Crisis of confidence

Stop and Search: Divided Public Opinion

The Stop and Search Debate

44%

Support more stop and search

Especially among voters over 55 and in areas with high knife crime. Reform UK and Conservatives are strongest advocates for expanded use as a deterrent tool.

32%

Oppose more stop and search

Concentrated among younger voters and ethnic minority communities who cite disproportionate targeting. Black and minority voters oppose expanded use by 54% vs 29% support.

Crime Concerns by Type (% naming as top concern)

Source: YouGov, June 2026. Knife crime named as top concern by 49% of voters, highest in London at 67% and other major cities. Online fraud is rising rapidly as a concern.

Polling Data Table

Issue	Finding	Date	Pollster	Sample
Crime worse since 2019	58% agree	Apr 2026	YouGov	2,104
Knife crime: want tougher sentences	72%	Apr 2026	YouGov	2,104
Trust the police	34% trust	Mar 2026	Ipsos	1,836
Police trust in 2019 (baseline)	46% trusted	2019	Ipsos	1,800
Reform UK crime trust lead over Labour	+14pts (31% vs 17%)	May 2026	Composite	3,200+
Stop and search: support more use	44% support	Mar 2026	Survation	1,521
Stop and search: oppose more use	32% oppose	Mar 2026	Survation	1,521
More police officers needed	72% agree	Feb 2026	YouGov	1,980
Tougher sentencing needed generally	61% agree	Jan 2026	Ipsos	1,640

Analysis: Reform UK’s Crime Trust Surge

How Reform UK Built a +14pt Crime Lead

Reform UK’s 31% on crime trust — 14 points ahead of Labour — is one of the most striking developments in British polling. The party did not exist at the 2019 general election, yet it now leads on an issue the Conservatives held for decades. Their platform of more police, longer sentences, expanded stop and search and a zero-tolerance stance on knife crime resonates among voters who feel both main parties have been soft on public order. The 31% “none/don’t know” response shows how much space remains for a clear crime message.

Labour’s Law and Order Problem

Labour won power in 2024 partly on a neighbourhood policing platform and anti-ASB pledges. But with police trust at 34% — down 12 points from 2019 — and 58% saying crime is worse, the message has not landed. The Baroness Casey Review’s exposure of Metropolitan Police culture created a context where “reform the police” competes with “more police” and “harder policing” as the dominant voter ask. Labour’s positioning between police reform advocates and law-and-order hardliners leaves them owning neither lane decisively.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do UK voters think about crime levels?

58% of UK voters say crime has got worse since 2019, with only 12% saying it has improved. Public perception of rising crime is consistent across demographics but is strongest in urban areas where knife crime is most visible. The gap between public perception and official crime statistics (which show more nuanced trends) is a well-documented feature of British public opinion on policing.

What do polls say about knife crime sentences?

72% of UK voters want tougher sentences for knife crime offences — the strongest public support for any punitive criminal justice measure in 2026 polling. Cross-party parliamentary consensus broadly reflects this pressure. Labour has introduced longer minimum sentences for repeat knife carriers, though campaigners argue enforcement gaps undermine the deterrent effect.

How has trust in the police changed?

Police trust has fallen from 46% in 2019 to 34% in 2026 — a 12-point decline. The sharpest drop came between 2022 and 2023, driven by the Metropolitan Police’s handling of the Sarah Everard murder by a serving officer, the Clapham Spa incident and the damning Baroness Casey Review, which documented systemic issues of misogyny, racism and corruption in the Met.

Which party leads on crime trust in UK polls?

Reform UK leads on crime trust by +14 percentage points, polling at 31% versus Labour’s 17% in May 2026 composite polling. The Conservatives trail at 15%. A striking 31% of voters say they trust no party on crime — the highest none/don’t know figure on any major policy area.

What do UK voters think about stop and search?

44% of UK voters support more use of stop and search powers and 32% oppose. Support is highest among older voters and in high-crime areas. Opposition is concentrated among younger voters and ethnic minority communities who cite evidence of disproportionate targeting. Black and minority ethnic voters oppose expanded stop and search by 54% to 29%.

What do voters think about knife crime and sentencing?

72% of UK voters support tougher sentences for knife crime — the highest public support for any specific punitive crime measure in 2026 polling. Labour introduced longer minimum sentences for repeat knife carriers as part of the Crime and Policing Bill. Despite the policy activism, knife offences recorded by police remain at elevated levels, sustaining public concern and keeping crime as a top-five issue for voters at 48% salience in May 2026.

What is Labour’s policing policy in 2026?

Labour’s Crime and Policing Bill created neighbourhood policing duties, expanded serious violence reduction orders, and raised minimum knife sentences. Keir Starmer, a former Director of Public Prosecutions, has positioned Labour as a law-and-order party. Despite this, Reform UK leads on crime trust at 31% vs Labour’s 17%, suggesting voters have not yet credited Labour with the same crime credibility that the Conservatives held for decades. Reform UK polling tracker →