Teenage homicides in England and Wales fall to a decade low

At the Youth Endowment Fund, we’re working towards a world where all children can live a life free from violence. Every year, children across England and Wales are tragically killed in knife attacks or other forms of violence. However, last figures published from the Homicide Index suggest we’re moving rapidly in the right direction, with the number of teenage homicide victims experiencing its biggest annual fall in the past decade.

The data published today by the Office for National Statistics provides figures for the year ending March 2025 on the total number of annual homicides across England and Wales. Critically, it provides detailed breakdowns by the age, gender, ethnicity and other characteristics of the victims. The data shows that in 2024/25, the total number of homicide victims across all ages fell 8% compared to the year before. Some of the biggest falls were amongst teenage victims. In 2024/25, 34 13-19 year-olds were victims of homicide. This is almost half (48%) the number of 13-19 year-olds killed the year before and is 19% down on the numbers in 2014/15, the first time it has fallen below this level in over a decade.

The data shows that these steep falls have been driven by falling knife crime. Knives or other sharp instruments are the leading cause of homicides amongst teenagers, accounting for 65% of homicides of 13-19 year-olds in 2024/25. However, the number of knife-related homicides of 13-19 year-olds is down 59% compared to 2023/24, from 54 to 22. This is the lowest it’s been since 2014/15. In contrast, the number of 13-19 year-olds killed by other means was unchanged at 12 compared to the year before.

The latest data also shows that for total homicides across all ages:  

• The fall compared to last year was driven by fewer Black victims. There were 25% fewer homicides of people from Black backgrounds in 2024/25 compared to the year before. There were 1% more White victims. However, compared to 10 years ago, the numbers are 30% higher for Black victims but down 5% for White victims.
• There were greater falls for male victims – down 10% on the year before, compared to down 2% for female victims. However, compared to 10 years ago, there remain 15% more male homicide victims but 16% fewer female homicide victims.
• There were similar falls in numbers of victims who knew their assailant and where the assailant was a stranger. 76% of victims in 2024/25 were acquainted with the suspect (in cases where the relationship is known and a suspect identified). The numbers for this group fell 15% in 2024/25 compared to the year before and are 23% down compared to 2014/15. Where the suspect is a stranger, the numbers fell 16% in 2024/25 compared to 2023/24, although remain 10% higher compared to a decade ago.

While these figures show encouraging progress, every death remains a tragedy, and sustaining this decline will need continued investment in evidence-based approaches to preventing serious youth violence.