Crime in Leigh: statistics, rates and trends
669 crimes were recorded in Leigh in the 12 months to August 2026, 66.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 25% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (296), anti-social behaviour (90) and criminal damage and arson (58) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,370th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Leigh | Southend-on-Sea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 669 | 21,255 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 66.3 | 114.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +25% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 10,088 | 185,256 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Leigh peaked in the year to August 2020 (969 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (537). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 669 | 66.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 537 | 53.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 593 | 58.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 648 | 64.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 750 | 74.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 948 | 94.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 969 | 96.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 890 | 88.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 900 | 89.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 69 |
| July 2026 | 71 |
| June 2026 | 53 |
| May 2026 | 67 |
| April 2026 | 48 |
| March 2026 | 56 |
| February 2026 | 42 |
| January 2026 | 51 |
| December 2025 | 51 |
| November 2025 | 53 |
| October 2025 | 54 |
| September 2025 | 54 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (74% below) and anti-social behaviour (42% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 30 to 41 and anti-social behaviour rose from 68 to 90.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 296 | 29.3 | 34.2 | +26% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 90 | 8.9 | 15.4 | +32% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 58 | 5.7 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Public order | 51 | 5.1 | 6.7 | +31% |
| Other theft | 41 | 4.1 | 6.4 | +37% |
| Vehicle crime | 37 | 3.7 | 5.0 | +12% |
| Burglary | 23 | 2.3 | 3.6 | +5% |
| Drugs | 23 | 2.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 22 | 2.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 0.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Leigh; the highest is Chalkwell, Southend-on-Sea (136.9 per 1,000) and the lowest West Leigh (34.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Leigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blenheim Park | 734 | 65.2 | -2% |
| Chalkwell | 1,391 | 136.9 | +106% |
| West Leigh | 325 | 34.2 | -48% |
| Belfairs | 428 | 46.1 | -31% |
| Westborough | 656 | 56.6 | -15% |
| Prittlewell | 1,228 | 109.3 | +65% |
| Eastwood Park | 404 | 41.5 | -37% |
| St Laurence | 754 | 70.3 | +6% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Leigh over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (84).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 84 |
| On or near Pall Mall | 30 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 29 |
| On or near Ashleigh Drive | 28 |
| On or near Queen'S Avenue | 27 |
| On or near Alexandra Road | 26 |
| On or near Carlton Drive | 21 |
| On or near West Street | 21 |
| On or near Broadway West | 17 |
| On or near Laurel Close | 17 |
Of the 579 crimes in Leigh with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 90 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 232 | 40.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 190 | 32.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 41 | 7.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 28 | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 18 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 18 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 15 | 2.6% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 9 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Leigh has an estimated population of 10,088 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (1.8%, against 17.1%), more private renting (32%, against 20%) and fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Leigh average decile 7.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Leigh | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 1.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Leigh a safe place to live?
Leigh recorded 66.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,370th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Leigh?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 296 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (90).
Is crime in Leigh going up or down?
Recorded crime in Leigh was up 25% on the year before: 669 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 537 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Leigh?
About 10,088 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Leigh?
Leigh is policed by Essex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.