Crime in Kirklees: statistics, rates and trends
43,862 crimes were recorded in Kirklees in the 12 months to August 2026, 97.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Kirklees at a glance
- Crime trends in Kirklees
- Types of crime in Kirklees
- Home Office recorded crime in Kirklees
- Kirklees compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Kirklees
- Streets with the most crime in Kirklees
- What happened after crimes were reported in Kirklees
- Demographics of Kirklees
- Fly-tipping in Kirklees
- Questions about crime in Kirklees
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (18,205), anti-social behaviour (4,870) and public order (3,654) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 105th of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Kirklees | Yorkshire and The Humber | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 43,862 | 615,075 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 97.9 | 108.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 447,847 | 5,672,962 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Kirklees of any year here (43,862 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 43,862 | 97.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 44,792 | 100.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 46,803 | 104.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 52,279 | 116.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 51,304 | 114.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 48,175 | 107.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 50,500 | 112.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 53,975 | 120.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 51,362 | 114.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 3,606 |
| July 2026 | 4,049 |
| June 2026 | 3,981 |
| May 2026 | 3,991 |
| April 2026 | 3,665 |
| March 2026 | 3,612 |
| February 2026 | 3,178 |
| January 2026 | 3,278 |
| December 2025 | 3,342 |
| November 2025 | 3,569 |
| October 2025 | 3,754 |
| September 2025 | 3,837 |
Compared with England and Wales, Kirklees recorded notably more other crime (59% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (70% below) and bicycle theft (67% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 2,245 to 2,706 and anti-social behaviour rose from 4,171 to 4,870, while theft from the person fell from 298 to 228.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 18,205 | 40.7 | 34.2 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 4,870 | 10.9 | 15.4 | +17% |
| Public order | 3,654 | 8.2 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 3,168 | 7.1 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Other theft | 2,802 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Shoplifting | 2,706 | 6.0 | 8.5 | +21% |
| Vehicle crime | 2,204 | 4.9 | 5.0 | +4% |
| Burglary | 1,925 | 4.3 | 3.6 | +3% |
| Drugs | 1,650 | 3.7 | 3.3 | +1% |
| Other crime | 1,510 | 3.4 | 2.1 | +2% |
| Possession of weapons | 430 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -5% |
| Robbery | 387 | 0.9 | 1.4 | +9% |
| Theft from the person | 228 | 0.5 | 1.7 | -23% |
| Bicycle theft | 123 | 0.3 | 0.8 | +7% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
39,219 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in Kirklees in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 87.6 per 1,000 residents, close to the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was down 4% on the year ending March 2025 (40,989), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 272 districts of England and Wales with a figure for that year, Kirklees had the 89th highest rate (the street-level ranking above is among the 302 districts with street-level pages on this site, over the 12 months to August 2026).
Offences recorded in Kirklees, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was stalking and harassment, with 7,628 offences (19% of the total). Relative to England and Wales, rates were highest for death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving (1.9 times the national rate), stalking and harassment (1.7 times the national rate) and residential burglary (1.3 times the national rate). Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for theft from the person (0.30 times), bicycle theft (0.33 times) and robbery of business property (0.55 times).
The largest rises on the year were in death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving (+25%) and residential burglary (+21%). The largest falls were in theft from the person (−24%) and non-residential burglary (−18%). Robbery of business property and shoplifting are not compared with the year ending March 2025: from April 2025 the Home Office Counting Rules were clarified so that a theft from a shop in which violence is used or threatened against staff or anyone else is recorded as robbery of business property rather than shoplifting (ONS).
| Offence | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stalking and harassment | 7,628 | 17.0 | 10.1 | 1.69 | −2% |
| Violence without injury | 6,217 | 13.9 | 13.2 | 1.05 | −6% |
| Public order offences | 3,842 | 8.6 | 7.0 | 1.23 | −11% |
| Violence with injury | 3,498 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 0.96 | −7% |
| Criminal damage | 2,875 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 0.94 | −4% |
| Other theft offences | 2,702 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 0.92 | −7% |
| Shoplifting | 2,538 | 5.7 | 8.1 | 0.70 | – |
| Vehicle offences | 2,072 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 0.92 | −13% |
| Residential burglary | 1,468 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 1.32 | +21% |
| Possession of drugs | 1,290 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 1.15 | +17% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 1,166 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.24 | +2% |
| Other sexual offences | 1,076 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.06 | −4% |
| Rape | 640 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.18 | −7% |
| Non-residential burglary | 487 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.97 | −18% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 382 | 0.85 | 1.2 | 0.72 | +19% |
| Possession of weapons | 358 | 0.80 | 1.00 | 0.80 | −3% |
| Robbery of personal property | 255 | 0.57 | 0.91 | 0.63 | −13% |
| Theft from the person | 238 | 0.53 | 1.8 | 0.30 | −24% |
| Arson | 208 | 0.46 | 0.38 | 1.22 | +10% |
| Bicycle theft | 125 | 0.28 | 0.85 | 0.33 | +14% |
| Robbery of business property | 118 | 0.26 | 0.47 | 0.55 | – |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 30 | 0.07 | 0.03 | 1.92 | +25% |
| Homicide | 6 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 1.67 | +100% |
Recorded crime in Kirklees since the year ending March 2013
The chart shows police recorded crime per 1,000 residents in each year ending March from 2013 to 2026. Kirklees's rate was above the England and Wales rate in 12 of those 14 years and below it in 2. Changes in how forces record crime move these figures as well as changes in crime (methodology).
| Year ending March | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 39,219 | 87.6 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 40,989 | 91.5 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 44,090 | 98.4 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 47,974 | 107.1 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 45,289 | 101.1 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 39,544 | 88.3 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 46,613 | 104.1 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 46,043 | 102.8 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 41,179 | 91.9 | 78.2 |
| 2017 | 37,733 | 84.3 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 31,277 | 69.8 | 62.3 |
| 2015 | 24,866 | 55.5 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 24,245 | 54.1 | 55.9 |
| 2013 | 25,603 | 57.2 | 56.7 |
Districts in the West Yorkshire Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 5 districts in the West Yorkshire Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Kirklees had the lowest rate.
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford | 65,941 | 117.0 | 1.41 |
| Leeds | 96,875 | 114.6 | 1.38 |
| Wakefield | 38,883 | 105.8 | 1.27 |
| Calderdale | 21,812 | 103.4 | 1.24 |
| Kirklees | 39,219 | 87.6 | 1.05 |
Source: Home Office police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables (released 23 July 2026), gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Financial years, excluding fraud; how they differ from the street-level figures: methodology.
6 of the 8 nearest districts have a higher crime rate than Kirklees; the highest is Bradford district (128.9 per 1,000) and the lowest High Peak (72.3).
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Kirklees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calderdale | 24,413 | 115.7 | +18% |
| Bradford | 72,631 | 128.9 | +32% |
| Leeds | 105,688 | 125.0 | +28% |
| Wakefield | 42,896 | 116.7 | +19% |
| Barnsley | 27,081 | 107.6 | +10% |
| Rossendale | 6,369 | 87.2 | -11% |
| Sheffield | 65,904 | 113.1 | +16% |
| High Peak | 6,650 | 72.3 | -26% |
Of the 49 areas within Kirklees, Dalton had the highest crime rate (194.3 per 1,000) and Shepley the lowest (28.2), 7 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton | Neighbourhood | 18,855 | 3,663 | 194.3 |
| Newsome | Neighbourhood | 20,677 | 3,567 | 172.5 |
| Dewsbury East | Neighbourhood | 21,796 | 3,534 | 162.1 |
| Batley West | Neighbourhood | 22,163 | 2,841 | 128.2 |
| Dewsbury | Town | 65,487 | 8,191 | 125.1 |
| Cleckheaton | Town | 12,369 | 1,521 | 123.0 |
| Dewsbury West | Neighbourhood | 22,913 | 2,700 | 117.8 |
| Huddersfield | Town | 150,077 | 17,230 | 114.8 |
| Batley | Town | 42,616 | 4,884 | 114.6 |
| Cleckheaton | Neighbourhood | 17,467 | 1,949 | 111.6 |
| Liversedge | Town | 16,269 | 1,687 | 103.7 |
| Ashbrow | Neighbourhood | 22,656 | 2,335 | 103.1 |
| Liversedge and Gomersal | Neighbourhood | 19,840 | 1,932 | 97.4 |
| Heckmondwike | Neighbourhood | 18,786 | 1,807 | 96.2 |
| Heckmondwike | Town | 11,888 | 1,134 | 95.4 |
| Greenhead | Neighbourhood | 23,349 | 2,139 | 91.6 |
| Batley East | Neighbourhood | 15,879 | 1,450 | 91.3 |
| Almondbury | Neighbourhood | 17,111 | 1,534 | 89.6 |
| Dewsbury South | Neighbourhood | 19,449 | 1,662 | 85.5 |
| Birstall and Birkenshaw | Neighbourhood | 17,956 | 1,524 | 84.9 |
| Crosland Moor and Netherton | Neighbourhood | 21,202 | 1,798 | 84.8 |
| Mirfield | Town | 20,171 | 1,668 | 82.7 |
| Golcar | Neighbourhood | 18,860 | 1,526 | 80.9 |
| Lepton | Town | 5,033 | 395 | 78.5 |
| Scholes (near Cleckheaton) | Town | 3,096 | 234 | 75.6 |
| Gomersal and Birkenshaw | Town | 16,118 | 1,178 | 73.1 |
| Lindley | Neighbourhood | 20,911 | 1,486 | 71.1 |
| Linthwaite and Slaithwaite | Town | 10,510 | 742 | 70.6 |
| Colne Valley | Neighbourhood | 16,643 | 1,100 | 66.1 |
| Marsden | Town | 4,701 | 310 | 65.9 |
| Clayton West and Scissett | Town | 5,071 | 329 | 64.9 |
| Meltham | Town | 9,417 | 601 | 63.8 |
| Holme Valley North | Neighbourhood | 18,015 | 1,077 | 59.8 |
| Holmbridge | Town | 1,664 | 99 | 59.5 |
| Netherton (Kirklees) | Town | 2,864 | 152 | 53.1 |
| Holme Valley South | Neighbourhood | 19,432 | 1,004 | 51.7 |
| Kirkburton | Town | 3,460 | 173 | 50.0 |
| Skelmanthorpe | Town | 5,468 | 272 | 49.7 |
| Denby Dale | Neighbourhood | 17,106 | 832 | 48.6 |
| Honley | Town | 14,197 | 690 | 48.6 |
| Kirkheaton | Town | 3,989 | 190 | 47.6 |
| Kirkburton | Neighbourhood | 16,610 | 734 | 44.2 |
| Denby Dale | Town | 3,488 | 134 | 38.4 |
| Upper Cumberworth | Town | 1,635 | 52 | 31.8 |
| Emley | Town | 1,444 | 45 | 31.2 |
| Scholes (near Hade Edge) | Town | 1,686 | 51 | 30.2 |
| Shelley (Kirklees) | Town | 2,849 | 84 | 29.5 |
| Holmfirth | Town | 1,917 | 56 | 29.2 |
| Shepley | Town | 3,087 | 87 | 28.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 15% of the crime recorded in Kirklees over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (1,695).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 1,695 |
| On or near Supermarket | 1,516 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 914 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 611 |
| On or near Police Station | 364 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 351 |
| On or near Cross Church Street | 311 |
| On or near Market Place | 234 |
| On or near Railway Street | 227 |
| On or near Queen Street | 187 |
Of the 38,992 crimes in Kirklees with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 4,870 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 14,210 | 36.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 11,545 | 29.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 5,082 | 13.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2,229 | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,881 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 1,213 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 1,169 | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 633 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 614 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 228 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 113 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 62 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Kirklees has an estimated population of 447,847 (ONS, mid-2024). On the Census 2021 measures below it is close to England and Wales as a whole. On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Kirklees average decile 4.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Kirklees | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 14.1% | 10.1% (England) |
10,120 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Kirklees in 2024/25 (22.6 per 1,000 residents, against 21.1 across the councils in England that count all incidents), according to the council's return to Defra. Fly-tipping is not in the police figures on this page: fly-tipping in Kirklees has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Kirklees a safe place to live?
Kirklees recorded 97.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 105th of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime.
What is the most common crime in Kirklees?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 18,205 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (4,870).
Is crime in Kirklees going up or down?
Recorded crime in Kirklees was down 2% on the year before: 43,862 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 44,792 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Kirklees?
About 447,847 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Kirklees?
Kirklees is policed by West Yorkshire.
How many crimes did the police record in Kirklees in the year ending March 2026?
39,219 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 87.6 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 40,989.
Which offences are more common in Kirklees than across England and Wales?
Relative to the national rate, the most over-represented categories in the year ending March 2026 were death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving (30 offences, 1.9 times the England and Wales rate), stalking and harassment (7,628 offences, 1.7 times the England and Wales rate) and residential burglary (1,468 offences, 1.3 times the England and Wales rate).
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.