Crime in Upton, Wirral: statistics, rates and trends
1,582 crimes were recorded in Upton, Wirral in the 12 months to August 2026, 90.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 15% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Upton, Wirral at a glance
- Crime trends in Upton, Wirral
- Types of crime in Upton, Wirral
- Upton, Wirral compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Upton, Wirral
- What happened after crimes were reported in Upton, Wirral
- Demographics of Upton, Wirral
- Questions about crime in Upton, Wirral
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (679), anti-social behaviour (270) and public order (159) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,494th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Upton, Wirral | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,582 | 26,029 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 90.0 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -15% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 17,570 | 328,873 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Upton, Wirral peaked in the year to August 2022 (2,084 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (1,566). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 4%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,582 | 90.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,859 | 105.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,575 | 89.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,968 | 112.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,084 | 118.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,812 | 103.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,763 | 100.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,566 | 89.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,653 | 94.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 136 |
| July 2026 | 138 |
| June 2026 | 142 |
| May 2026 | 111 |
| April 2026 | 113 |
| March 2026 | 141 |
| February 2026 | 134 |
| January 2026 | 123 |
| December 2025 | 128 |
| November 2025 | 139 |
| October 2025 | 138 |
| September 2025 | 139 |
Compared with England and Wales, Upton, Wirral recorded notably more public order (36% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (75% below) and shoplifting (55% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 56 to 67, while public order fell from 238 to 159 and criminal damage and arson fell from 186 to 125.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 679 | 38.6 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 270 | 15.4 | 15.4 | -8% |
| Public order | 159 | 9.0 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 125 | 7.1 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Other theft | 83 | 4.7 | 6.4 | +11% |
| Shoplifting | 67 | 3.8 | 8.5 | +20% |
| Drugs | 55 | 3.1 | 3.3 | -30% |
| Burglary | 47 | 2.7 | 3.6 | -16% |
| Other crime | 43 | 2.4 | 2.1 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 22 | 1.3 | 5.0 | -24% |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Upton, Wirral; the highest is Bidston and St James (140.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Greasby, Frankby and Irby (26.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Upton, Wirral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greasby, Frankby and Irby | 379 | 26.8 | -70% |
| Claughton | 1,304 | 86.2 | -4% |
| Moreton West and Saughall Massie | 638 | 47.5 | -47% |
| Bidston and St James | 2,297 | 140.4 | +56% |
| Oxton | 970 | 68.3 | -24% |
| Leasowe and Moreton East | 1,153 | 70.9 | -21% |
| Prenton | 778 | 55.2 | -39% |
| Pensby and Thingwall | 412 | 33.6 | -63% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Upton, Wirral over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hospital” (218).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hospital | 218 |
| On or near Supermarket | 192 |
| On or near Parking Area | 55 |
| On or near Whitefield Close | 52 |
| On or near Ganney'S Meadow Road | 38 |
| On or near A551 | 36 |
| On or near Carr Hey Close | 32 |
| On or near Tinas Way | 32 |
| On or near Kiln Road | 27 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 27 |
Of the 1,312 crimes in Upton, Wirral with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 270 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 607 | 46.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 354 | 27.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 157 | 12.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 64 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 39 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 33 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 16 | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 16 | 1.2% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 13 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Upton, Wirral has an estimated population of 17,570 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (25%, against 17%), fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%) and less private renting (16%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Upton, Wirral average decile 4.1 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Upton, Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 24.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 25.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Upton, Wirral a safe place to live?
Upton, Wirral recorded 90.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,494th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order.
What is the most common crime in Upton, Wirral?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 679 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (270).
Is crime in Upton, Wirral going up or down?
Recorded crime in Upton, Wirral was down 15% on the year before: 1,582 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,859 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Upton, Wirral?
About 17,570 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Upton, Wirral?
Upton, Wirral 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.