Crime in Little Harwood & Whitebirk: statistics, rates and trends
1,013 crimes were recorded in Little Harwood & Whitebirk in the 12 months to August 2026, 100.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Little Harwood & Whitebirk at a glance
- Crime trends in Little Harwood & Whitebirk
- Types of crime in Little Harwood & Whitebirk
- Little Harwood & Whitebirk compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Little Harwood & Whitebirk
- What happened after crimes were reported in Little Harwood & Whitebirk
- Demographics of Little Harwood & Whitebirk
- Questions about crime in Little Harwood & Whitebirk
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (424), anti-social behaviour (183) and criminal damage and arson (90) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,229th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Little Harwood & Whitebirk | Blackburn with Darwen | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,013 | 17,854 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 100.4 | 109.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 10,094 | 162,540 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Little Harwood & Whitebirk of any year here (1,013 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 20%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,013 | 100.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,066 | 105.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,100 | 109.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,233 | 122.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,318 | 130.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,457 | 144.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,247 | 123.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,242 | 123.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,274 | 126.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 98 |
| July 2026 | 98 |
| June 2026 | 85 |
| May 2026 | 94 |
| April 2026 | 75 |
| March 2026 | 86 |
| February 2026 | 82 |
| January 2026 | 65 |
| December 2025 | 82 |
| November 2025 | 85 |
| October 2025 | 86 |
| September 2025 | 77 |
Compared with England and Wales, Little Harwood & Whitebirk recorded notably more drugs (39% above the national rate), criminal damage and arson (32% above the national rate) and other crime (27% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (61% below) and burglary (39% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 36 to 46 and public order rose from 53 to 62, while anti-social behaviour fell from 285 to 183 and burglary fell from 30 to 22.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 424 | 42.0 | 34.2 | +9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 183 | 18.1 | 15.4 | -36% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 90 | 8.9 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Public order | 62 | 6.1 | 6.7 | +17% |
| Vehicle crime | 60 | 5.9 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Other theft | 47 | 4.7 | 6.4 | +7% |
| Drugs | 46 | 4.6 | 3.3 | +28% |
| Shoplifting | 33 | 3.3 | 8.5 | -18% |
| Other crime | 27 | 2.7 | 2.1 | -13% |
| Burglary | 22 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -27% |
| Possession of weapons | 15 | 1.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Little Harwood & Whitebirk; the highest is Blackburn Central (259.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Billinge & Beardwood (40.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Little Harwood & Whitebirk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bastwell & Daisyfield | 584 | 61.2 | -39% |
| Audley & Queen's Park | 1,632 | 143.8 | +43% |
| Roe Lee | 737 | 74.1 | -26% |
| Blackburn Central | 3,329 | 259.6 | +159% |
| Shear Brow & Corporation Park | 1,224 | 131.5 | +31% |
| Blackburn South East | 1,157 | 145.2 | +45% |
| Wensley Fold | 947 | 96.8 | -4% |
| Billinge & Beardwood | 393 | 40.0 | -60% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Little Harwood & Whitebirk over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Thornley Avenue” (249).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Thornley Avenue | 249 |
| On or near Eagle Street | 58 |
| On or near Hamer Avenue | 56 |
| On or near Whitebirk Road | 35 |
| On or near A679 | 31 |
| On or near Gloucester Road | 25 |
| On or near Ingleby Close | 22 |
| On or near Bank Lane | 21 |
| On or near Margaret Street | 18 |
| On or near Whalley Old Road | 17 |
Of the 830 crimes in Little Harwood & Whitebirk with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 183 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 316 | 38.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 190 | 22.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 97 | 11.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 58 | 7.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 55 | 6.6% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 46 | 5.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 29 | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 24 | 2.9% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Little Harwood & Whitebirk has an estimated population of 10,094 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (30%, against 18%), more students (11.4%, against 7.9%) and a younger population (11%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Little Harwood & Whitebirk average decile 2.1 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Little Harwood & Whitebirk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 25.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 11.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 29.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 28.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 55.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 20.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Little Harwood & Whitebirk a safe place to live?
Little Harwood & Whitebirk recorded 100.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,229th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Little Harwood & Whitebirk?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 424 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (183).
Is crime in Little Harwood & Whitebirk going up or down?
Recorded crime in Little Harwood & Whitebirk was down 5% on the year before: 1,013 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,066 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Little Harwood & Whitebirk?
About 10,094 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Little Harwood & Whitebirk?
Little Harwood & Whitebirk is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.