Crime in Lancashire: statistics, rates and trends
119,662 crimes were recorded in Lancashire in the 12 months to August 2026, 92.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (45,844), anti-social behaviour (25,306) and criminal damage and arson (9,288) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1st of the 20 counties covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Lancashire | North West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 119,662 | 439,611 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 92.4 | 93.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 1,294,914 | 4,727,750 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Lancashire of any year here (119,662 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 18%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 119,662 | 92.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 129,993 | 100.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 128,087 | 98.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 126,705 | 97.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 139,151 | 107.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 148,811 | 114.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 146,237 | 112.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 136,046 | 105.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 145,212 | 112.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 10,241 |
| July 2026 | 11,039 |
| June 2026 | 10,578 |
| May 2026 | 10,373 |
| April 2026 | 9,673 |
| March 2026 | 9,688 |
| February 2026 | 8,212 |
| January 2026 | 9,203 |
| December 2025 | 9,836 |
| November 2025 | 9,906 |
| October 2025 | 10,466 |
| September 2025 | 10,447 |
Compared with England and Wales, Lancashire recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (27% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (79% below) and robbery (53% below). On the year before, theft from the person rose from 370 to 453, while anti-social behaviour fell from 40,061 to 25,306.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 45,844 | 35.4 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 25,306 | 19.5 | 15.4 | -37% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 9,288 | 7.2 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Shoplifting | 7,724 | 6.0 | 8.5 | +9% |
| Other theft | 6,659 | 5.1 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Public order | 6,474 | 5.0 | 6.7 | +14% |
| Vehicle crime | 4,690 | 3.6 | 5.0 | -5% |
| Burglary | 4,329 | 3.3 | 3.6 | -8% |
| Other crime | 3,062 | 2.4 | 2.1 | -3% |
| Drugs | 2,996 | 2.3 | 3.3 | +12% |
| Possession of weapons | 1,239 | 1.0 | 1.0 | +6% |
| Robbery | 837 | 0.6 | 1.4 | +4% |
| Bicycle theft | 761 | 0.6 | 0.8 | +3% |
| Theft from the person | 453 | 0.3 | 1.7 | +22% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Lancashire has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest counties.
| County | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lancashire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire | 66,489 | 80.8 | -13% |
| Staffordshire | 69,659 | 76.8 | -17% |
| Nottinghamshire | 73,574 | 85.8 | -7% |
| Leicestershire | 51,097 | 68.5 | -26% |
| Lincolnshire | 72,613 | 92.0 | 0% |
| Worcestershire | 48,472 | 78.0 | -16% |
| Warwickshire | 51,630 | 81.7 | -12% |
| Cambridgeshire | 54,865 | 77.2 | -16% |
Of the 12 areas within Lancashire, Burnley had the highest crime rate (141.4 per 1,000) and Ribble Valley the lowest (50.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnley | District | 99,233 | 14,031 | 141.4 |
| Preston | District | 162,864 | 20,756 | 127.4 |
| Hyndburn | District | 86,058 | 10,693 | 124.3 |
| Lancaster | District | 145,006 | 14,063 | 97.0 |
| Pendle | District | 99,777 | 9,233 | 92.5 |
| Rossendale | District | 73,045 | 6,369 | 87.2 |
| Chorley | District | 120,839 | 9,473 | 78.4 |
| Wyre | District | 118,743 | 9,232 | 77.7 |
| South Ribble | District | 116,113 | 8,894 | 76.6 |
| Fylde | District | 85,447 | 6,067 | 71.0 |
| West Lancashire | District | 121,995 | 7,540 | 61.8 |
| Ribble Valley | District | 65,794 | 3,311 | 50.3 |
Of the 94,356 crimes in Lancashire with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 25,306 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 36,655 | 38.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 26,027 | 27.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 10,877 | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 6,078 | 6.4% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 4,342 | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 4,017 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 2,676 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1,625 | 1.7% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 932 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 531 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 331 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 208 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Lancashire has an estimated population of 1,294,914 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (12%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lancashire average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Lancashire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 14.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Lancashire a safe place to live?
Lancashire recorded 92.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1st of the 20 counties on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Lancashire?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 45,844 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (25,306).
Is crime in Lancashire going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lancashire was down 8% on the year before: 119,662 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 129,993 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lancashire?
About 1,294,914 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lancashire?
Lancashire is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.