Nearly 60,000 knives have been removed from streets in England and Wales through new knife surrender schemes and police operations under this government protecting communities and saving young lives.
The figures come as knife homicides have fallen by almost 20% while knife crime overall has fallen for the first time in 4 years, dropping by 5%. The latest admissions data for NHS hospitals in England and Wales also show a 10% fall in admissions for knife assaults.
This government stands firm on its mission to halve knife crime within a decade, and we are on track to do this. But every life lost to knife crime is a tragedy we refuse to accept.
During its first year in office, the government introduced the first phase of Ronan’s Law, banning ninja swords last summer. Ahead of the ban, the government launched a month-long surrender scheme so these dangerous weapons could be safely handed in, including funding nearly 40 new surrender bins and a mobile van in parts of London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands – the areas worst-hit by knife crime.
Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said
Too many young lives are lost each year to knife crime.
This government is determined to halve knife crime. We are making progress, but we won’t stop until we meet that goal.
We will pursue this mission relentlessly, doing everything we can to get these weapons off our streets.
The latest figures show how this government has removed knives from our streets
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7,512 knives and weapons were surrendered either through the ninja sword surrender and compensation scheme, handed in to the mobile surrender van or dropped into surrender bins in the most recent surrender scheme
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47,795 zombie-style knives and machetes surrendered last year
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3,334 knives seized by Border Force
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618 knives recovered through County Lines Programme operations
These efforts are supported by smarter policing – including hotspot patrols, knife arches, drones, and plain clothes officers – and strong partnerships with charities and communities.
The results have also been praised by leading campaigners, charities and the families of knife crime victims.
Pooja Kanda, knife crime campaigner and mother of Ronan, said
After my son Ronan was killed with a ninja sword bought online, I worked with the government to deliver Ronan’s Law, banning these weapons and introducing strict checks.
Thanks to the new amnesty scheme, which took place a month before the ban was implemented, over 7,500 dangerous weapons have already been surrendered, and knife-enabled robberies have fallen nationally by 10%, with a nearly 30% drop in the West Midlands region.
Real change is happening — in memory of Ronan and for the safety of every young person. I am grateful to the government for taking real action and making real change.
Faron Paul, CEO of FazAmnesty, said
It’s been an honour to support the Home Office on this national weapons surrender initiative.
With the support of local authorities and other charities, collectively we took thousands of weapons off the streets. That shows the power of collaboration.
FazAmnesty looks forward to further collaborations in the fight to reduce knife crime, and a special thank you to all the people that surrendered weapons during the scheme.
We feel confident about reducing knife crime by 50% in next 10 years.
The first part of Ronan’s Law, named after 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, is now in force. The government has banned ninja swords and measures in the Crime and Policing Bill, currently going through Parliament, will strengthen age verification checks for the online sale and delivery of knives, and hold tech executives accountable for illegal knife content online.
The Crime and Policing Bill will also tighten online knife sale rules, force retailers to report bulk sales, increase sentences for illegal sales and introduce a new offence of possessing a knife with intent to cause unlawful violence, which extends to private premises.
Sandra Campbell, CEO of Word 4 Weapons, added
Word 4 Weapons is proud to have partnered with the Home Office and FazAmnesty on this landmark surrender scheme, which has taken thousands of knives and weapons off the streets so far.
Every weapon safely surrendered represents one less potential tragedy in our communities.
We’re encouraged by the impact this initiative has already had and look forward to continuing our work together to create safer spaces and brighter futures for young people and neighbourhoods.
