Crime in New Brighton: statistics, rates and trends
1,091 crimes were recorded in New Brighton in the 12 months to August 2026, 71.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in New Brighton at a glance
- Crime trends in New Brighton
- Types of crime in New Brighton
- New Brighton compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in New Brighton
- What happened after crimes were reported in New Brighton
- Demographics of New Brighton
- Questions about crime in New Brighton
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (510), anti-social behaviour (197) and public order (101) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,149th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | New Brighton | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,091 | 26,029 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 71.8 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 15,199 | 328,873 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in New Brighton peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,551 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,061). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,091 | 71.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,300 | 85.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,061 | 69.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,342 | 88.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,551 | 102.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,451 | 95.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,308 | 86.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,376 | 90.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,348 | 88.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 98 |
| July 2026 | 120 |
| June 2026 | 102 |
| May 2026 | 95 |
| April 2026 | 87 |
| March 2026 | 93 |
| February 2026 | 86 |
| January 2026 | 68 |
| December 2025 | 92 |
| November 2025 | 71 |
| October 2025 | 83 |
| September 2025 | 96 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (72% below) and other theft (48% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting fell from 61 to 36 and public order fell from 162 to 101.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 510 | 33.6 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 197 | 13.0 | 15.4 | -22% |
| Public order | 101 | 6.6 | 6.7 | -38% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 89 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Other theft | 51 | 3.4 | 6.4 | +13% |
| Drugs | 42 | 2.8 | 3.3 | -22% |
| Shoplifting | 36 | 2.4 | 8.5 | -41% |
| Other crime | 16 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 14 | 0.9 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 0.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than New Brighton; the highest is Birkenhead and Tranmere (254.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Wallasey, Wirral (42.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs New Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallasey | 629 | 42.9 | -40% |
| Liscard | 1,394 | 92.5 | +29% |
| Seacombe | 2,127 | 135.8 | +89% |
| Bidston and St James | 2,297 | 140.4 | +96% |
| Leasowe and Moreton East | 1,153 | 70.9 | -1% |
| Claughton | 1,304 | 86.2 | +20% |
| Birkenhead and Tranmere | 4,562 | 254.1 | +254% |
| Oxton | 970 | 68.3 | -5% |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in New Brighton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (144).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 144 |
| On or near Supermarket | 136 |
| On or near Hope Street | 36 |
| On or near Radnor Drive | 27 |
| On or near Waterloo Road | 25 |
| On or near Dalton Road | 19 |
| On or near Mason Street | 19 |
| On or near Windsor Street | 19 |
| On or near A554 | 18 |
| On or near Burlington Road | 17 |
Of the 894 crimes in New Brighton with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 197 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 413 | 46.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 252 | 28.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 101 | 11.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 53 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 28 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
New Brighton has an estimated population of 15,199 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (9.2%, against 17.1%), more private renting (28%, against 20%) and fewer students (5.2%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up New Brighton average decile 3.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | New Brighton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 28.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 10.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is New Brighton a safe place to live?
New Brighton recorded 71.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,149th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in New Brighton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 510 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (197).
Is crime in New Brighton going up or down?
Recorded crime in New Brighton was down 16% on the year before: 1,091 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,300 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of New Brighton?
About 15,199 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers New Brighton?
New Brighton is policed by Merseyside.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.