0h 4min, jan 29, 2026 y - Homicides at 50 Year Low

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Homicides have fallen to their lowest level for nearly 50 years across England and Wales, official statistics show.

There were 499 victims of murder, manslaughter and infanticide in the year to September, according to crime statistics, external published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

It is the lowest number since 1977 and a 7% fall on the previous year, largely due to a drop in the number of people killed by knives - 174, down 23%.

Crimes with weapons also continued a downward trend. Knife crime offences were down by 9% to 50,430 and firearms offences fell by 9% to just under 5,000, their lowest since 2003.

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