Crime in Brierfield: statistics, rates and trends
1,205 crimes were recorded in Brierfield in the 12 months to August 2026, 96.6 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Brierfield at a glance
- Crime trends in Brierfield
- Types of crime in Brierfield
- Brierfield compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Brierfield
- Streets with the most crime in Brierfield
- What happened after crimes were reported in Brierfield
- Demographics of Brierfield
- Questions about crime in Brierfield
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (517), anti-social behaviour (253) and criminal damage and arson (98) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 396th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Brierfield | Pendle | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,205 | 9,233 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 96.6 | 92.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | -8% | -1% |
| Population | 12,471 | 99,777 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Brierfield peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,456 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (960). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,205 | 96.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,127 | 90.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,048 | 84.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 960 | 77.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,049 | 84.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,401 | 112.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,234 | 98.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,167 | 93.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,456 | 116.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 89 |
| July 2026 | 132 |
| June 2026 | 114 |
| May 2026 | 122 |
| April 2026 | 86 |
| March 2026 | 117 |
| February 2026 | 75 |
| January 2026 | 97 |
| December 2025 | 91 |
| November 2025 | 80 |
| October 2025 | 89 |
| September 2025 | 113 |
Compared with England and Wales, Brierfield recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.0 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (32% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (74% below) and vehicle crime (39% below). On the year before, public order rose from 42 to 65 and other theft rose from 42 to 61, while anti-social behaviour fell from 344 to 253 and vehicle crime fell from 49 to 38.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 517 | 41.5 | 34.2 | +23% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 253 | 20.3 | 15.4 | -26% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 98 | 7.9 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Public order | 65 | 5.2 | 6.7 | +55% |
| Other theft | 61 | 4.9 | 6.4 | +45% |
| Drugs | 44 | 3.5 | 3.3 | +22% |
| Vehicle crime | 38 | 3.0 | 5.0 | -22% |
| Burglary | 37 | 3.0 | 3.6 | -18% |
| Other crime | 31 | 2.5 | 2.1 | +35% |
| Shoplifting | 27 | 2.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 24 | 1.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Brierfield; the highest is Accrington (149.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Barnoldswick (52.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Brierfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson (Pendle) | 3,882 | 107.9 | +12% |
| Barrowford | 451 | 66.1 | -32% |
| Burnley | 12,274 | 146.3 | +51% |
| Colne | 2,469 | 122.1 | +26% |
| Padiham | 1,527 | 137.7 | +42% |
| Barnoldswick | 580 | 52.0 | -46% |
| Clayton-le-Moors | 1,139 | 113.7 | +18% |
| Accrington | 5,483 | 149.9 | +55% |
Of the 2 areas within Brierfield, Brierfield East & Clover Hill had the highest crime rate (99.1 per 1,000) and Brierfield West & Reedley the lowest (98.8).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brierfield East & Clover Hill | Neighbourhood | 9,104 | 902 | 99.1 |
| Brierfield West & Reedley | Neighbourhood | 7,053 | 697 | 98.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 21% of the crime recorded in Brierfield over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Stanley Street” (36).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Stanley Street | 36 |
| On or near Hartington Street | 33 |
| On or near Wesley Street | 32 |
| On or near Mansfield Grove | 27 |
| On or near Swaledale Avenue | 26 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 24 |
| On or near Every Street | 22 |
| On or near Bird Street | 20 |
| On or near Arnold Close | 19 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 19 |
Of the 952 crimes in Brierfield with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 253 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 435 | 45.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 230 | 24.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 94 | 9.9% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 68 | 7.1% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 45 | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 28 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 22 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 5 | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Brierfield has an estimated population of 12,471 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.4%, against 17.1%), more residents with no qualifications (27%, against 18%) and more children (24%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Brierfield average decile 2.7 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Brierfield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 27.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 48.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Brierfield a safe place to live?
Brierfield recorded 96.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 396th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Brierfield?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 517 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (253).
Is crime in Brierfield going up or down?
Recorded crime in Brierfield was up 7% on the year before: 1,205 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,127 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Brierfield?
About 12,471 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Brierfield?
Brierfield 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.