Over the same period, knife homicides have fallen by 27%, with knife-point robberies and hospital admissions for stabbings down by 10% and 11% respectively.
Successful surrender schemes, bans of zombie-style knives, machetes and ninja swords since the election, have seen 57,726 knives and weapons handed in.
Border Force have also seized 4,656 knives at the border and the police have removed a further 1,229 during operations conducted under the County Lines Programme.
The figures came as the government launched its plan to halve knife crime within a decade. Titled “Protecting Lives, Building Hope”, it will save lives, transform the futures of young people, and protect communities across the country.
To tackle knife crime, the government will support young people so they get the best start in life, stop those at risk from turning to knife crime and police our streets to catch and punish perpetrators.
Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said
Knife crime ruins lives, devastates families and damages communities. It is why we are determined to rid our streets of these dangerous weapons.
The government will halve knife crime within a decade, saving lives and protecting communities.
We will deploy successful surrender schemes and strict online sales, as well as giving young people the support they need to get knives off our streets.
Following the devastating loss of her son, Ronan, who was fatally stabbed in 2022 with a ninja sword purchased online, his mum, Pooja Kanda, has spearheaded a campaign to bring about tighter controls for online knife sales.
Ronan’s Law was introduced in the Crime and Policing Bill and will bring in a mandatory two-stage age verification system for knives sold online at the point of purchase and delivery, as well as a requirement to report any bulk knife purchases to law enforcement.
Ronan’s mum, Pooja Kanda, member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said
As a mother who has lost my son to knife crime, I know the devastating reality of this crime. Seeing more than 63,000 knives removed from our streets, thanks to the government’s work, is significant progress and will help save lives.
Ronan was an innocent child and his death exposed how easily dangerous weapons could be accessed. Through my work with the government on Ronan’s Law, we are beginning to see important changes, from stronger age verification to greater accountability for retailers – and that progress is welcome.
There is always more to do, more gaps to close so that no child can suffer as mine did. Ronan should still be here. His legacy is ensuring that other families do not have to live through the same pain.
Further measures being introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill will introduce a new offence of possession of a knife with intent to commit unlawful violence. This includes possession in private. There will also be a new power for the police to seize a knife intended for unlawful violence.