Crime in West Lancashire: statistics, rates and trends
7,540 crimes were recorded in West Lancashire in the 12 months to August 2026, 61.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in West Lancashire at a glance
- Crime trends in West Lancashire
- Types of crime in West Lancashire
- Home Office recorded crime in West Lancashire
- West Lancashire compared with nearby districts
- Areas within West Lancashire
- Streets with the most crime in West Lancashire
- What happened after crimes were reported in West Lancashire
- Demographics of West Lancashire
- Fly-tipping in West Lancashire
- Questions about crime in West Lancashire
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,030), anti-social behaviour (1,525) and criminal damage and arson (623) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 252nd of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | West Lancashire | Lancashire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 7,540 | 119,662 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 61.8 | 92.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -13% | -8% | -1% |
| Population | 121,995 | 1,294,914 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in West Lancashire of any year here (7,540 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 | 7,540 | 61.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 8,655 | 70.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 8,278 | 67.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 8,134 | 66.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 8,527 | 69.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 9,158 | 75.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 9,470 | 77.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 8,822 | 72.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 9,230 | 75.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 641 |
| July 2026 | 751 |
| June 2026 | 640 |
| May 2026 | 624 |
| April 2026 | 634 |
| March 2026 | 614 |
| February 2026 | 466 |
| January 2026 | 510 |
| December 2025 | 613 |
| November 2025 | 685 |
| October 2025 | 665 |
| September 2025 | 697 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and bicycle theft (71% below) and shoplifting (68% below) were well below it. On the year before, robbery rose from 42 to 74 and possession of weapons rose from 93 to 113, while anti-social behaviour fell from 2,698 to 1,525 and burglary fell from 330 to 240.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,030 | 24.8 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,525 | 12.5 | 15.4 | -43% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 623 | 5.1 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Other theft | 443 | 3.6 | 6.4 | +3% |
| Public order | 384 | 3.1 | 6.7 | +14% |
| Shoplifting | 330 | 2.7 | 8.5 | -22% |
| Vehicle crime | 296 | 2.4 | 5.0 | +3% |
| Burglary | 240 | 2.0 | 3.6 | -27% |
| Other crime | 219 | 1.8 | 2.1 | +13% |
| Drugs | 215 | 1.8 | 3.3 | +2% |
| Possession of weapons | 113 | 0.9 | 1.0 | +22% |
| Robbery | 74 | 0.6 | 1.4 | +76% |
| Bicycle theft | 29 | 0.2 | 0.8 | +16% |
| Theft from the person | 19 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5,934 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in West Lancashire in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 48.6 per 1,000 residents, lower than the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was up 5% on the year ending March 2025 (5,660), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 272 districts of England and Wales with a figure for that year, West Lancashire had the 28th lowest 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).
Of the crimes recorded in the Lancashire Police area in the year ending March 2026, 2.0% were not assigned to a district. Those crimes are counted in the force and England and Wales totals but in no district, so the figure for West Lancashire is an undercount.
Offences recorded in West Lancashire, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was violence without injury, with 1,017 offences (17% of the total). No category with at least 20 offences had a rate a quarter or more above the England and Wales rate. Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for trafficking of drugs (0.26 times), bicycle theft (0.29 times) and shoplifting (0.33 times).
The largest rises on the year were in robbery of personal property (from 29 to 61) and possession of weapons (+81%). The largest falls were in non-residential burglary (−34%) and trafficking of drugs (−21%). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence without injury | 1,017 | 8.3 | 13.2 | 0.63 | +17% |
| Stalking and harassment | 870 | 7.1 | 10.1 | 0.71 | +8% |
| Violence with injury | 768 | 6.3 | 8.1 | 0.77 | −4% |
| Criminal damage | 619 | 5.1 | 6.8 | 0.74 | +7% |
| Other theft offences | 446 | 3.7 | 6.5 | 0.56 | +0% |
| Public order offences | 344 | 2.8 | 7.0 | 0.41 | +8% |
| Shoplifting | 324 | 2.7 | 8.1 | 0.33 | – |
| Vehicle offences | 259 | 2.1 | 5.0 | 0.42 | −6% |
| Residential burglary | 224 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 0.74 | −1% |
| Other sexual offences | 213 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 0.77 | +7% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 200 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 0.78 | +27% |
| Possession of drugs | 158 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 0.52 | +3% |
| Possession of weapons | 127 | 1.0 | 1.00 | 1.05 | +81% |
| Rape | 93 | 0.76 | 1.2 | 0.63 | +15% |
| Non-residential burglary | 76 | 0.62 | 1.1 | 0.56 | −34% |
| Robbery of personal property | 61 | 0.50 | 0.91 | 0.55 | +110% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 37 | 0.30 | 1.2 | 0.26 | −21% |
| Arson | 35 | 0.29 | 0.38 | 0.75 | −8% |
| Bicycle theft | 30 | 0.25 | 0.85 | 0.29 | +7% |
| Theft from the person | 19 | 0.16 | 1.8 | 0.09 | −21% |
| Robbery of business property | 12 | 0.10 | 0.47 | 0.21 | – |
| Homicide | 2 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 2.04 | +100% |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 0 | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.00 | – |
Recorded crime in West Lancashire since the year ending March 2019
The chart shows police recorded crime per 1,000 residents in each year ending March from 2019 to 2026. West Lancashire's rate was below the England and Wales rate in every one of those 8 years. The series starts in the year ending March 2019 because the share of crimes in the Lancashire Police area not assigned to a district moved from 0.5% in the year ending March 2018 to 1.7% in the year ending March 2019, which changes district totals without any change in crime.
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 | 5,934 | 48.6 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 5,660 | 46.4 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 5,774 | 47.3 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 5,573 | 45.7 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 5,662 | 46.4 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 5,372 | 44.0 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 6,344 | 52.0 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 6,976 | 57.2 | 84.1 |
Districts in the Lancashire Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 14 districts in the Lancashire Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, West Lancashire had the 2nd lowest rate.
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackpool | 21,027 | 145.8 | 1.75 |
| Burnley | 10,660 | 107.4 | 1.29 |
| Preston | 16,068 | 98.7 | 1.19 |
| Hyndburn | 8,345 | 97.0 | 1.17 |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 13,682 | 84.2 | 1.01 |
| Lancaster | 10,564 | 72.9 | 0.88 |
| Pendle | 7,041 | 70.6 | 0.85 |
| Rossendale | 4,835 | 66.2 | 0.80 |
| Chorley | 7,076 | 58.6 | 0.70 |
| Wyre | 6,933 | 58.4 | 0.70 |
| South Ribble | 6,580 | 56.7 | 0.68 |
| Fylde | 4,571 | 53.5 | 0.64 |
| West Lancashire | 5,934 | 48.6 | 0.58 |
| Ribble Valley | 2,576 | 39.2 | 0.47 |
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.
Every one of the 8 nearest districts has a higher crime rate than West Lancashire.
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Lancashire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sefton | 24,393 | 85.2 | +38% |
| Chorley | 9,473 | 78.4 | +27% |
| St. Helens | 17,904 | 94.8 | +53% |
| Knowsley | 14,983 | 92.2 | +49% |
| South Ribble | 8,894 | 76.6 | +24% |
| Liverpool | 69,301 | 136.2 | +120% |
| Fylde | 6,067 | 71.0 | +15% |
| Preston | 20,756 | 127.4 | +106% |
Of the 24 areas within West Lancashire, Tanhouse & Skelmersdale Town Centre had the highest crime rate (116.3 per 1,000) and Hill Dale the lowest (25.9), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanhouse & Skelmersdale Town Centre | Neighbourhood | 8,808 | 1,024 | 116.3 |
| Skelmersdale South | Neighbourhood | 8,966 | 1,032 | 115.1 |
| Skelmersdale | Town | 35,304 | 3,405 | 96.4 |
| Old Skelmersdale | Neighbourhood | 10,430 | 919 | 88.1 |
| Ormskirk East | Neighbourhood | 9,700 | 742 | 76.5 |
| Burscough Town | Neighbourhood | 6,150 | 456 | 74.1 |
| Burscough | Town | 10,258 | 744 | 72.5 |
| Skelmersdale North | Neighbourhood | 8,705 | 546 | 62.7 |
| Ormskirk West | Neighbourhood | 8,314 | 485 | 58.3 |
| Burscough Bridge & Rufford | Neighbourhood | 7,453 | 421 | 56.5 |
| Ormskirk | Town | 30,479 | 1,518 | 49.8 |
| Up Holland | Neighbourhood | 7,803 | 365 | 46.8 |
| Banks | Town | 5,122 | 218 | 42.6 |
| Haskayne | Town | 1,428 | 59 | 41.3 |
| Rural West | Neighbourhood | 7,801 | 322 | 41.3 |
| Tarleton Village | Neighbourhood | 6,633 | 271 | 40.9 |
| North Meols & Hesketh Bank | Neighbourhood | 7,891 | 277 | 35.1 |
| Tarleton and Hesketh Bank | Town | 9,402 | 330 | 35.1 |
| Newburgh (West Lancashire) | Town | 2,086 | 73 | 35.0 |
| Rural North East | Neighbourhood | 8,560 | 285 | 33.3 |
| Parbold | Town | 2,457 | 80 | 32.6 |
| Aughton & Holborn | Neighbourhood | 9,798 | 263 | 26.8 |
| Rural South | Neighbourhood | 4,983 | 132 | 26.5 |
| Hill Dale | Town | 1,121 | 29 | 25.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 18% of the crime recorded in West Lancashire over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (350).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 350 |
| On or near Parking Area | 339 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 150 |
| On or near Carfield | 98 |
| On or near Moor Street | 98 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 80 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 72 |
| On or near Beechtrees | 70 |
| On or near Admiralty Close | 68 |
| On or near Elmridge | 65 |
Of the 6,015 crimes in West Lancashire with a recorded outcome, 25% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,525 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,420 | 40.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,474 | 24.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 744 | 12.4% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 385 | 6.4% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 326 | 5.4% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 211 | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 160 | 2.7% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 123 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 73 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 44 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 34 | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 17 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
West Lancashire has an estimated population of 121,995 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (11.0%, against 7.9%), less private renting (14%, against 20%) and fewer households without a car (18%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Lancashire average decile 6.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | West Lancashire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 11.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 5.1% | 10.1% (England) |
2,122 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in West Lancashire in 2024/25 (17.4 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 West Lancashire has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is West Lancashire a safe place to live?
West Lancashire recorded 61.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 252nd of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in West Lancashire?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,030 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,525).
Is crime in West Lancashire going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Lancashire was down 13% on the year before: 7,540 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 8,655 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Lancashire?
About 121,995 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Lancashire?
West Lancashire is policed by Lancashire.
How many crimes did the police record in West Lancashire in the year ending March 2026?
5,934 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 48.6 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 5,660.
Which offences are more common in West Lancashire than across England and Wales?
None: no category with at least 20 offences had a rate a quarter or more above the England and Wales rate in the year ending March 2026. The largest category was violence without injury (1,017).
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.