Crime in Kensington and Chelsea: statistics, rates and trends
24,987 crimes were recorded in Kensington and Chelsea in the 12 months to August 2026, 172.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Kensington and Chelsea at a glance
- Crime trends in Kensington and Chelsea
- Types of crime in Kensington and Chelsea
- Kensington and Chelsea compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Kensington and Chelsea
- Streets with the most crime in Kensington and Chelsea
- What happened after crimes were reported in Kensington and Chelsea
- Demographics of Kensington and Chelsea
- Questions about crime in Kensington and Chelsea
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (5,029), anti-social behaviour (4,924) and shoplifting (3,330) made up 53% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 28th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Kensington and Chelsea | Kensington and Chelsea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 24,987 | 24,987 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 172.9 | 172.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 144,518 | 144,518 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Kensington and Chelsea of any year here (24,987 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 24,987 | 172.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 27,604 | 191.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 27,074 | 187.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 25,996 | 179.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 26,434 | 182.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 25,487 | 176.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 26,569 | 183.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 26,975 | 186.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 25,643 | 177.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 2,634 |
| July 2026 | 2,130 |
| June 2026 | 2,059 |
| May 2026 | 1,997 |
| April 2026 | 1,879 |
| March 2026 | 2,002 |
| February 2026 | 1,779 |
| January 2026 | 1,973 |
| December 2025 | 2,046 |
| November 2025 | 2,091 |
| October 2025 | 2,289 |
| September 2025 | 2,108 |
Compared with England and Wales, Kensington and Chelsea recorded notably more theft from the person (6.3 times the national rate), other theft (3.1 times the national rate) and bicycle theft (3.0 times the national rate), and notably less other crime (40% below) and criminal damage and arson (33% below). On the year before, criminal damage and arson fell from 1,145 to 658 and theft from the person fell from 2,418 to 1,538.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 5,029 | 34.8 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 4,924 | 34.1 | 15.4 | -4% |
| Shoplifting | 3,330 | 23.0 | 8.5 | +12% |
| Other theft | 2,868 | 19.8 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Vehicle crime | 2,048 | 14.2 | 5.0 | -20% |
| Theft from the person | 1,538 | 10.6 | 1.7 | -36% |
| Public order | 1,232 | 8.5 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Burglary | 1,218 | 8.4 | 3.6 | -9% |
| Drugs | 1,000 | 6.9 | 3.3 | -14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 658 | 4.6 | 6.7 | -43% |
| Robbery | 501 | 3.5 | 1.4 | -28% |
| Bicycle theft | 352 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0% |
| Other crime | 183 | 1.3 | 2.1 | -3% |
| Possession of weapons | 106 | 0.7 | 1.0 | -20% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Kensington and Chelsea; the highest is City and County of the City of London (639.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Wandsworth (98.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Kensington and Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 26,183 | 138.8 | -20% |
| City of Westminster | 86,028 | 409.7 | +137% |
| Camden | 46,472 | 217.4 | +26% |
| Wandsworth | 33,210 | 98.4 | -43% |
| Lambeth | 48,676 | 154.4 | -11% |
| City and County of the City of London | 9,663 | 639.5 | +270% |
| Brent | 42,469 | 121.0 | -30% |
| Islington | 41,297 | 185.2 | +7% |
Of the 18 areas within Kensington and Chelsea, Brompton & Hans Town had the highest crime rate (272.4 per 1,000) and Holland the lowest (88.7), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brompton & Hans Town | Neighbourhood | 8,299 | 2,261 | 272.4 |
| Colville | Neighbourhood | 8,183 | 2,102 | 256.9 |
| Notting Dale | Neighbourhood | 9,373 | 2,172 | 231.7 |
| Stanley | Neighbourhood | 8,509 | 1,758 | 206.6 |
| Pembridge | Neighbourhood | 5,459 | 1,122 | 205.5 |
| Earl's Court | Neighbourhood | 9,594 | 1,961 | 204.4 |
| Courtfield | Neighbourhood | 6,240 | 1,188 | 190.4 |
| St. Helen's | Neighbourhood | 5,226 | 966 | 184.8 |
| Royal Hospital | Neighbourhood | 9,304 | 1,611 | 173.2 |
| Golborne | Neighbourhood | 9,211 | 1,574 | 170.9 |
| Campden | Neighbourhood | 8,848 | 1,470 | 166.1 |
| Dalgarno | Neighbourhood | 7,387 | 1,183 | 160.1 |
| Chelsea Riverside | Neighbourhood | 7,100 | 1,050 | 147.9 |
| Abingdon | Neighbourhood | 6,692 | 884 | 132.1 |
| Norland | Neighbourhood | 5,016 | 630 | 125.6 |
| Queen's Gate | Neighbourhood | 8,349 | 985 | 118.0 |
| Redcliffe | Neighbourhood | 11,274 | 1,143 | 101.4 |
| Holland | Neighbourhood | 10,454 | 927 | 88.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 20% of the crime recorded in Kensington and Chelsea over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (1,756).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 1,756 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 1,000 |
| On or near Parking Area | 611 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 345 |
| On or near Ladbroke Grove | 297 |
| On or near Hospital | 260 |
| On or near Nightclub | 243 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 215 |
| On or near Hollywood Road | 172 |
| On or near Methwold Road | 163 |
Of the 20,063 crimes in Kensington and Chelsea with a recorded outcome, 55% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 4,924 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 11,047 | 55.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 4,122 | 20.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 2,556 | 12.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 940 | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 689 | 3.4% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 247 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 240 | 1.2% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 70 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 64 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 43 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 26 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 17 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Kensington and Chelsea has an estimated population of 144,518 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (58%, against 23%), more private renting (40%, against 20%) and more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (60%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Kensington and Chelsea average decile 5.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Kensington and Chelsea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 12.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 59.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 58.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 32.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 39.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.4 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 2.5% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Kensington and Chelsea a safe place to live?
Kensington and Chelsea recorded 172.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 28th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were theft from the person and other theft.
What is the most common crime in Kensington and Chelsea?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 5,029 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (4,924).
Is crime in Kensington and Chelsea going up or down?
Recorded crime in Kensington and Chelsea was down 9% on the year before: 24,987 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 27,604 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Kensington and Chelsea?
About 144,518 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Kensington and Chelsea?
Kensington and Chelsea is policed by Metropolitan Police.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.