London murders fall to 11-year low, police data show
A total of 95 homicides were recorded in 2025, down from 109 in 2024, marking the lowest figure in 11 years despite London’s population having grown by around half a million over that period, a joint statement by City Hall and police said. The homicide rate per capita also dropped to its lowest level since 1997.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has faced frequent attacks from opposition Conservatives, Reform UK and high-profile critics abroad, welcomed the data. “Many try to talk London down, but the numbers tell a very different story,” he said, adding that a firm stance on crime combined with addressing its root causes was delivering results.
Police said London remains safer than other major cities of comparable size, including New York, Los Angeles and Berlin. Violent crime causing injury fell by 20% last year, while firearm discharges have more than halved over the past seven years. Killings involving victims under 25 were at a record low.
The figures did not include data on other crimes such as rape or theft. Phone thefts, police statistics show, rose by 25% between 2019 and 2024.
Reform UK’s London mayoral candidate for 2028, Laila Cunningham, said crime would be her party’s top priority, arguing the capital was “no longer safe”, particularly for women.
