Crime & Policing Polling
58% of voters say crime has gotten worse. Police trust is at a low. Track the politics of law and order — and Reform UK’s rise on this issue.
Public Perceptions of Crime — 2026
YouGov polling from 2026 finds 58% of British adults believe crime in the UK has gotten worse over the past five years, with 24% saying it has stayed the same and just 11% saying it has improved. This perception persists even though official Crime Survey for England and Wales data shows some crime categories declining.
The disconnect between perception and statistics is itself a politically significant finding. Voters who believe crime is rising are significantly more likely to support Reform UK (which leads on “tough on crime” messaging) and less likely to support Labour or the Liberal Democrats.
Trust in the police has also fallen sharply. Following high-profile scandals — including the Sarah Everard case, findings of institutional racism and misogyny in Metropolitan Police, and the Clapham spa attack — polling shows only 34% of adults say they trust the police to handle crime well in their area.
Key crime & policing poll findings — 2026
- 58% say crime has gotten worse nationally in the past 5 years
- 38% say crime has gotten worse in their own local area
- Only 34% trust the police to handle crime well in their area
- 73% of Reform UK voters cite crime as a top issue
- 62% say sentences are “too lenient” for violent crime
- Reform UK leads as the most trusted party on crime at 28%
Is Crime Actually Rising?
Official data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales shows overall crime broadly flat or declining since the mid-2010s. However, knife crime, fraud, and online crime have all increased, and these are the categories driving media coverage and public concern. The gap between crime statistics and perceived crime is a long-standing feature of UK public opinion.
| Crime Type | ONS Trend (5yr) | Public Worry | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | Broadly flat | 61% | Falls since 1995 peak; knife crime sub-category still high |
| Knife crime | Rising | 64% | London/major cities: 71% cite as top concern |
| Fraud & online | Rising sharply | 48% | Largest crime category by volume; under-reported |
| Burglary | Declining | 52% | Fell 40% since 2010; still high media coverage |
| Antisocial behaviour | Flat to rising | 58% | Hardest to measure; perceptions often local |
| Drug offences | Flat | 39% | Supply arrests up; personal use sentences debated |
Sources: ONS Crime Survey; YouGov public worry tracker, May 2026.
Most Trusted Party on Crime
Most trusted party to handle crime. YouGov, June 2026.
Reform UK’s 28% represents a rise from near-zero in 2022.
Police Trust Over Time
- 2018: ~55% trust police to handle crime
- 2020: ~49% (Clapham spa / Sarah Everard)
- 2022: ~41% (institutional failures; HMICFRS reports)
- 2024: ~37% (continued decline)
- 2026: 34% (current)
Source: YouGov police trust tracker, GB adults.
Knife Crime: The Issue Driving Polling
Knife crime has become the single most emotionally salient crime issue in UK polling, particularly among younger voters and urban communities. Despite representing a fraction of all crime, knife crime drives disproportionate fear because it is tangible, local, and frequently covered in the press.
Sentencing: Voters Want Tougher Penalties
Polling consistently shows a public that wants sentences toughened. This attitude is cross-partisan on violent crime, but more divided on drug offences. Voters also express significant concern about prison overcrowding and the effectiveness of custodial sentences in reducing reoffending.
| Statement | Agree | Disagree |
|---|---|---|
| Sentences for violent crime are too lenient | 62% | 18% |
| Sentences for drug offences are too lenient | 48% | 28% |
| Prison rehabilitates offenders effectively | 19% | 58% |
| Police are doing a good job controlling crime | 31% | 52% |
| We need more police on the streets | 75% | 10% |
| Longer sentences would deter knife crime | 54% | 29% |
| Community sentences work better than prison for minor offences | 49% | 33% |
Source: YouGov, June 2026. England and Wales respondents.
Policing Policy: What Voters Want
Beyond sentencing, voters have clear preferences across a range of policing policies. Body-worn cameras attract near-universal support across party lines. Neighbourhood policing is the single most strongly supported structural reform. Stop-and-search remains the most polarising issue, with a clear partisan and demographic split.
| Policy | Support | Oppose | Partisan Lean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increase number of police officers | 75% | 10% | Cross-partisan (Reform 82%, Lab 71%, Con 78%) |
| Body-worn cameras mandatory for all officers | 79% | 10% | Near-universal; highest: Labour 84% |
| Restore neighbourhood policing teams | 68% | 12% | Strong cross-party support |
| Expand stop-and-search powers to tackle knife crime | 42% | 31% | Reform 71%, Con 58%, Labour 28%, Green 14% |
| Mandatory minimum sentences for knife possession | 61% | 22% | Majority across all parties; Green 38% |
| Introduce drug consumption rooms (harm reduction) | 41% | 38% | Left-leaning: Lab 54%, Green 68%; Reform 9% |
| Reduce police diversity targets | 38% | 44% | Reform 72%, Con 48%; Lab 14%, Green 6% |
| Online abuse treated as seriously as physical crime | 67% | 18% | Strong support among women (74%) and under-35s (72%) |
Source: YouGov, June 2026. England and Wales adults.
Crime Trust by Party: The Long-Term Shift
The Conservatives dominated crime trust polling for decades, holding a 15–20 point lead over Labour. That advantage has now passed to Reform UK, which has captured the “tough on crime” positioning the Conservative Party previously owned.
| Party | 2019 | 2022 | 2024 | 2026 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservatives | 38% | 26% | 22% | 22% | ▼ Collapsed |
| Labour | 18% | 22% | 26% | 24% | ─ Peaked then fell |
| Reform UK | 3% | 12% | 22% | 28% | ▲ Now leading |
Source: YouGov issue trust tracker, various dates. GB adults.
Explore More
Reform UK Polling
Track Reform’s rise to 28% nationally and which voters are switching to Farage’s party.
Tommy Robinson Profile
Net favourability -47% but issues aligned with 60-70% of voters. Full polling deep-dive.
Voting Intention Tracker
Latest national VI data across all parties — weekly updated averages.
Immigration Polling
71% want migration reduced — the issue intersecting most with crime & policing sentiment.
NHS Satisfaction Polling
Record low 24% satisfaction — the healthcare issue at the heart of British politics.
All Topics
Browse all polling topic deep-dives — NHS, climate, economy, immigration and more.
What do UK polls say about crime levels?
58% of British voters believe crime has gotten worse nationally in the past five years, though only 38% say the same about their own local area — a pattern known as the “local-national crime gap” in polling research. The gap reflects both media effects on national perceptions and the relative accuracy of local observation. See full VI polling →
Why is Reform UK strong on crime polling?
Reform UK benefits from voters who prioritise law and order, distrust existing parties on crime, and want tougher sentencing and policing. 73% of Reform voters cite crime as a top issue, compared to around 40% of Conservative voters. Reform now leads as the most trusted party on crime at 28%, having taken over from the Conservatives who held this position since the 1990s.
Has trust in the police fallen?
Yes, significantly. The share of adults trusting the police to handle crime well in their local area has fallen from around 55% in 2018 to just 34% in 2026. The decline accelerated following the Metropolitan Police’s handling of the Sarah Everard case, HMICFRS findings of institutional racism and misogyny, and the Clapham spa attack.
What does polling say about stop and search?
Public opinion on stop and search is sharply divided on partisan lines. 42% want it expanded to tackle knife crime, but 31% oppose expansion. Support is highest among Reform UK voters (71%) and lowest among Labour and Green voters (around 28% and 14% respectively). The question correlates strongly with whether voters prioritise crime reduction or civil liberties.
What policing policies have the broadest support?
Body-worn cameras for all officers (79%), increasing police numbers (75%), and restoring neighbourhood policing teams (68%) all achieve genuine cross-party majorities. These represent the areas of near-consensus in crime policy polling. The most divisive policies tested are stop-and-search expansion, drug consumption rooms, and reducing police diversity targets, each of which produce sharp partisan splits.
Is knife crime rising according to official data?
Yes. Unlike many other crime categories, knife crime has increased over the long term and remains elevated in major cities. 64% of adults say knife crime is a serious problem nationally, rising to 71% in London. Both major parties have committed to mandatory minimum sentences for knife possession — a position backed by 61% of voters in polling, though criminologists debate the deterrent effect.