More than 280,000 crimes went unrecorded last year, the police watchdog has found – with recording of violent crimes the weakest.
A new report from the Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) estimates that in the year to 31 March about 5% of crimes went unrecorded.
While it notes recording of crime has improved substantially, up to about 95% of all crimes being recorded from 80.5% in 2014, there are still areas that need improvement.
Unrecorded crimes are incidents that are reported to the police, but not recorded as offences, which often leads to no further action being taken.
According to rules set out by the inspectorate, an incident will be recorded as a crime as long as it passes a legal threshold and there is “no credible evidence” to contradict the incident occurred.
If an allegation is made but the reporting officer knows the allegation is false – they may decide not to record a crime, but must justify why it will not be recorded and inform the victim of this, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Crimes which disproportionately affect women, including harassment, stalking and controlling behaviour, comprise 37.9% of unrecorded violent crime and must be better recorded, the report found.
Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledged to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.
A report by the UK’s spending watchdog, published in January, found that Home Office efforts to tackle violence against women and girls had so far “not improved outcomes”.
In July, the Office for National Statistics found around one in eight women were victims of sexual assault, domestic abuse or stalking in the last year.
Similarly, offences linked to domestic abuse, crimes classed as anti-social behaviour, and crimes affecting vulnerable people must be improved.
HM Inspector of Constabulary Roy Wilsher said violent crimes “still aren’t being recorded well enough”.
“There remains much difference between forces in how well they record crime,” he said.
The watchdog found that only 78% of crimes on average are recorded within 24 hours.
“For the public to have trust and confidence in policing, they need to know that when they report a crime, the police will record it accurately and without delay,” Wilsher added.
“Correctly recording these crimes means forces can quickly allocate cases and begin investigations promptly.”
A sample of cases audited between 2021 to 2025 showed that five forces recorded less than 40% of crimes within 24 hours.
One police force, which was not named, only managed toe record 2.6% of crimes within 24 hours – taking more than a week to record most offences.
Data from the same period suggested that only 51.9% of crimes classed as anti-social behaviour targeting a specific individual or group were recorded.
“This level of crime recording is unacceptably low, and it means victims remain at risk of harm, ” the report said.
In particular, it stated that officers should make sure they properly document unconfirmed reports of rape.
Of the samples reviewed between 2021 to 2025, the correct procedure was applied in less than 70% of cases.
Mr Wilsher said: “We have seen marked improvements in the way forces record crimes, and a greater awareness and understanding of its importance.
“I am particularly pleased with the way forces have taken action to implement our recommendations from previous inspections.
“However, there is still more to do.”
