Crime in Upper Willingdon: statistics, rates and trends
213 crimes were recorded in Upper Willingdon in the 12 months to August 2026, 61.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 53% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Upper Willingdon at a glance
- Crime trends in Upper Willingdon
- Types of crime in Upper Willingdon
- Upper Willingdon compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Upper Willingdon
- What happened after crimes were reported in Upper Willingdon
- Demographics of Upper Willingdon
- Questions about crime in Upper Willingdon
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (68), anti-social behaviour (54) and criminal damage and arson (25) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,545th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Upper Willingdon | Wealden | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 213 | 9,107 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 61.6 | 54.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +53% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 3,457 | 166,908 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Upper Willingdon of any year here (213 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 122%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 213 | 61.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 139 | 40.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 100 | 28.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 84 | 24.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 78 | 22.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 61 | 17.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 67 | 19.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 87 | 25.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 96 | 27.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 22 |
| July 2026 | 18 |
| June 2026 | 30 |
| May 2026 | 16 |
| April 2026 | 21 |
| March 2026 | 14 |
| February 2026 | 7 |
| January 2026 | 13 |
| December 2025 | 16 |
| November 2025 | 16 |
| October 2025 | 26 |
| September 2025 | 14 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (43% below) was well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 29 to 54 and violence and sexual offences rose from 55 to 68.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 68 | 19.7 | 34.2 | +24% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 54 | 15.6 | 15.4 | +86% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 25 | 7.2 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other theft | 17 | 4.9 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 2.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 9 | 2.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Burglary | 8 | 2.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Public order | 8 | 2.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 2.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Upper Willingdon; the highest is Polegate North (95.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Lower Willingdon, Wealden (37.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Upper Willingdon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Willingdon | 114 | 37.4 | -39% |
| Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill | 181 | 45.1 | -27% |
| Polegate Central | 192 | 38.5 | -38% |
| Polegate North | 346 | 95.1 | +54% |
| Stone Cross | 295 | 52.4 | -15% |
| South Downs | 127 | 38.0 | -38% |
| Hailsham South | 189 | 60.8 | -1% |
| Hailsham East | 434 | 83.3 | +35% |
The 10 locations below account for 77% of the crime recorded in Upper Willingdon over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Blue Bird Way” (46).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Blue Bird Way | 46 |
| On or near St Davids Close | 23 |
| On or near St Martins Road | 18 |
| On or near Eastbourne Road | 15 |
| On or near Regnum Close | 13 |
| On or near Anderida Road | 12 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 12 |
| On or near Lodge Avenue | 10 |
| On or near Church Mews | 9 |
| On or near Freshway | 6 |
Of the 159 crimes in Upper Willingdon with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 54 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 62 | 39.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 58 | 36.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 14 | 8.8% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 4.4% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 1.9% | 5.2% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
Upper Willingdon has an estimated population of 3,457 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (0.9%, against 17.1%), more retired residents (41%, against 22%) and an older population (32%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Upper Willingdon average decile 8.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Upper Willingdon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 31.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 41.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 89.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 0.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Upper Willingdon a safe place to live?
Upper Willingdon recorded 61.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,545th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Upper Willingdon?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 68 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (54).
Is crime in Upper Willingdon going up or down?
Recorded crime in Upper Willingdon was up 53% on the year before: 213 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 139 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Upper Willingdon?
About 3,457 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 32% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Upper Willingdon?
Upper Willingdon 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.