Crime in Handsworth Wood: statistics, rates and trends
1,664 crimes were recorded in Handsworth Wood in the 12 months to August 2026, 81.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Handsworth Wood at a glance
- Crime trends in Handsworth Wood
- Types of crime in Handsworth Wood
- Handsworth Wood compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Handsworth Wood
- What happened after crimes were reported in Handsworth Wood
- Demographics of Handsworth Wood
- Questions about crime in Handsworth Wood
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (865), vehicle crime (149) and criminal damage and arson (129) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,794th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Handsworth Wood | Birmingham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,664 | 146,681 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 81.2 | 123.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 20,489 | 1,183,618 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Handsworth Wood peaked in the year to August 2021 (2,226 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,543). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 8%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,664 | 81.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,683 | 82.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,815 | 88.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,110 | 103.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,134 | 104.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,226 | 108.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,546 | 75.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,717 | 83.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,543 | 75.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 135 |
| July 2026 | 161 |
| June 2026 | 188 |
| May 2026 | 158 |
| April 2026 | 136 |
| March 2026 | 128 |
| February 2026 | 126 |
| January 2026 | 103 |
| December 2025 | 127 |
| November 2025 | 141 |
| October 2025 | 130 |
| September 2025 | 131 |
Compared with England and Wales, Handsworth Wood recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.3 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (46% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (85% below) and shoplifting (73% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 37 to 46 and public order rose from 76 to 88, while anti-social behaviour fell from 112 to 47 and burglary fell from 107 to 78.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 865 | 42.2 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 149 | 7.3 | 5.0 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 129 | 6.3 | 6.7 | +13% |
| Public order | 88 | 4.3 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Other theft | 84 | 4.1 | 6.4 | -12% |
| Burglary | 78 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -27% |
| Drugs | 54 | 2.6 | 3.3 | +6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 47 | 2.3 | 15.4 | -58% |
| Possession of weapons | 46 | 2.2 | 1.0 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 46 | 2.2 | 8.5 | +24% |
| Robbery | 31 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0% |
| Other crime | 30 | 1.5 | 2.1 | -9% |
| Theft from the person | 13 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than Handsworth Wood.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Handsworth Wood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handsworth | 2,083 | 164.0 | +102% |
| Holyhead | 1,681 | 138.0 | +70% |
| Birchfield | 1,457 | 116.2 | +43% |
| Perry Barr | 3,176 | 145.8 | +80% |
| Lozells | 1,574 | 120.2 | +48% |
| Aston | 2,901 | 128.0 | +58% |
| Soho & Jewellery Quarter | 5,431 | 189.2 | +133% |
| Newtown | 2,038 | 137.2 | +69% |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Handsworth Wood over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hamstead” (101).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hamstead | 101 |
| On or near Endwood Court Road | 74 |
| On or near Priestley Close | 65 |
| On or near Boundary Place | 53 |
| On or near Farcroft Road | 49 |
| On or near Chalcot Grove | 44 |
| On or near Cornwall Road | 39 |
| On or near Selborne Road | 38 |
| On or near The Leverretts | 34 |
| On or near Linchmere Road | 33 |
Of the 1,617 crimes in Handsworth Wood with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 47 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 742 | 45.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 504 | 31.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 150 | 9.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 58 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 53 | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 48 | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 41 | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Handsworth Wood has an estimated population of 20,489 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (14.3%, against 7.9%), fewer retired residents (15%, against 22%) and less social housing (12%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Handsworth Wood average decile 3.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Handsworth Wood | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 14.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 25.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 7.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Handsworth Wood a safe place to live?
Handsworth Wood recorded 81.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,794th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Handsworth Wood?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 865 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by vehicle crime (149).
Is crime in Handsworth Wood going up or down?
Recorded crime in Handsworth Wood was down 1% on the year before: 1,664 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,683 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Handsworth Wood?
About 20,489 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Handsworth Wood?
Handsworth Wood is policed by West Midlands.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.