Crime in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath: statistics, rates and trends
749 crimes were recorded in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath in the 12 months to August 2026, 82.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath at a glance
- Crime trends in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath
- Types of crime in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath
- Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath
- What happened after crimes were reported in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath
- Demographics of Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath
- Questions about crime in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (228), anti-social behaviour (198) and public order (94) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,738th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath | Mid Sussex | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 749 | 9,839 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 82.9 | 60.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 9,036 | 161,755 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath peaked in the year to August 2024 (804 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (636). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 749 | 82.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 744 | 82.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 804 | 89.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 677 | 74.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 636 | 70.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 769 | 85.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 780 | 86.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 691 | 76.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 662 | 73.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 47 |
| July 2026 | 75 |
| June 2026 | 49 |
| May 2026 | 56 |
| April 2026 | 49 |
| March 2026 | 51 |
| February 2026 | 58 |
| January 2026 | 68 |
| December 2025 | 69 |
| November 2025 | 67 |
| October 2025 | 72 |
| September 2025 | 88 |
Compared with England and Wales, Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath recorded notably more public order (56% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (43% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (53% below) and other theft (36% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 172 to 198, while criminal damage and arson fell from 76 to 53 and other theft fell from 49 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 228 | 25.2 | 34.2 | +6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 198 | 21.9 | 15.4 | +15% |
| Public order | 94 | 10.4 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 53 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -30% |
| Other theft | 37 | 4.1 | 6.4 | -24% |
| Shoplifting | 36 | 4.0 | 8.5 | -14% |
| Drugs | 25 | 2.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 21 | 2.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 18 | 2.0 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 1.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 8 | 0.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haywards Heath Franklands | 327 | 55.4 | -33% |
| Haywards Heath Lucastes & Bolnore | 290 | 36.8 | -56% |
| Haywards Heath Ashenground | 493 | 60.3 | -27% |
| Lindfield | 278 | 37.0 | -55% |
| Lindfield Rural & High Weald | 233 | 30.0 | -64% |
| Cuckfield, Bolney & Ansty | 199 | 46.3 | -44% |
| Burgess Hill Leylands | 429 | 81.5 | -2% |
| Burgess Hill St Andrews | 503 | 69.8 | -16% |
The 10 locations below account for 48% of the crime recorded in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “South Road” (86).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near South Road | 86 |
| On or near B2272 | 65 |
| On or near The Broadway | 33 |
| On or near Supermarket | 31 |
| On or near Parking Area | 28 |
| On or near Plymouth Way | 25 |
| On or near Greenways | 24 |
| On or near Bentswood Road | 23 |
| On or near Quakers Lane | 21 |
| On or near Haywards Heath | 20 |
Of the 551 crimes in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath with a recorded outcome, 51% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 198 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 279 | 50.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 156 | 28.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 35 | 6.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 24 | 4.4% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 23 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 16 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 0.9% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath has an estimated population of 9,036 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%), more private renting (26%, against 20%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (14%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath average decile 7.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 39.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 57.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath a safe place to live?
Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath recorded 82.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,738th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 228 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (198).
Is crime in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath going up or down?
Recorded crime in Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath was almost unchanged on the year before: 749 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 744 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath?
About 9,036 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath?
Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath is policed by Sussex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.