Statizoid

Homicide rate (UN, World) in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Homicide rate (UN, World) was 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
1.12 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
up 18.3%
World rank
128th
of 179 countries
All-time high
1.86 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2002
All-time low
0.9003 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2014
Years of data
30
1990–2021

Homicide rate in United Kingdom, 1990–2021

00.511.521990200520211990: 1.3 homicides per 100,000 population1991: 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population1992: 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population1993: 1.3 homicides per 100,000 population1994: 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population1995: 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population1996: 1.3 homicides per 100,000 population1997: 1.3 homicides per 100,000 population1998: 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population1999: 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population2000: 1.5 homicides per 100,000 population2001: 1.6 homicides per 100,000 population2002: 1.9 homicides per 100,000 population2005: 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population2006: 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population2007: 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population2008: 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population2009: 1.1 homicides per 100,000 population2010: 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population2011: 1 homicides per 100,000 population2012: 0.98 homicides per 100,000 population2013: 0.935 homicides per 100,000 population2014: 0.9 homicides per 100,000 population2015: 0.948 homicides per 100,000 population2016: 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population2017: 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population2018: 1.1 homicides per 100,000 population2019: 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population2020: 0.946 homicides per 100,000 population2021: 1.1 homicides per 100,000 population

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides per 100,000 population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2021.

The figure is up 18.3% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, homicide rate in United Kingdom peaked at 1.86 homicides per 100,000 population in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0.9003 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2014.

That places United Kingdom 128th out of 179 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 30 years of available data.

Homicide rate (UN, World) in United Kingdom, year by year

Year homicides per 100,000 population Change
1990 1.27 homicides per 100,000 population —
1991 1.39 homicides per 100,000 population +9.2%
1992 1.38 homicides per 100,000 population -0.4%
1993 1.35 homicides per 100,000 population -2.5%
1994 1.42 homicides per 100,000 population +5.4%
1995 1.39 homicides per 100,000 population -2.2%
1996 1.28 homicides per 100,000 population -7.9%
1997 1.25 homicides per 100,000 population -2.1%
1998 1.38 homicides per 100,000 population +10.3%
1999 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population +1.2%
2000 1.54 homicides per 100,000 population +10.1%
2001 1.63 homicides per 100,000 population +5.4%
2002 1.86 homicides per 100,000 population +14.3%
2005 1.38 homicides per 100,000 population -25.9%
2006 1.41 homicides per 100,000 population +2.5%
2007 1.42 homicides per 100,000 population +0.6%
2008 1.23 homicides per 100,000 population -13.7%
2009 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population -8.2%
2010 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population +6.7%
2011 1.01 homicides per 100,000 population -16.0%
2012 0.9803 homicides per 100,000 population -2.7%
2013 0.9349 homicides per 100,000 population -4.6%
2014 0.9003 homicides per 100,000 population -3.7%
2015 0.9483 homicides per 100,000 population +5.3%
2016 1.17 homicides per 100,000 population +23.7%
2017 1.18 homicides per 100,000 population +0.2%
2018 1.09 homicides per 100,000 population -7.2%
2019 1.15 homicides per 100,000 population +5.5%
2020 0.9458 homicides per 100,000 population -17.8%
2021 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population +18.3%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, 100% of the median. (76 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, 100% of the median. (52 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1.35 homicides per 100,000 population 1.25 homicides per 100,000 population 1.42 homicides per 100,000 population 10
2000s 1.45 homicides per 100,000 population 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population 1.86 homicides per 100,000 population 8
2010s 1.06 homicides per 100,000 population 0.9003 homicides per 100,000 population 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population 10
2020s 1.03 homicides per 100,000 population 0.9458 homicides per 100,000 population 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population 2

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 125 Sweden 1.15 homicides per 100,000 population compare
  2. 126 Slovakia 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
  3. 127 Romania 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
  4. 129 Bulgaria 1.09 homicides per 100,000 population compare
  5. 130 Belgium 1.08 homicides per 100,000 population compare
  6. 131 Turkmenistan 1.01 homicides per 100,000 population compare

See the full ranking of 179 places →

More social development data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is homicide rate in United Kingdom?
Homicide rate in United Kingdom was 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population in 2021, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest homicide rate recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 1.86 homicides per 100,000 population in 2002.
What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 0.9003 homicides per 100,000 population in 2014.
How does United Kingdom rank for homicide rate?
United Kingdom ranks 128th out of 179 countries with data for 2021.
Is homicide rate rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Homicide rate in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 October 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/homicide-rate-unodc/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Homicide rate
Unit
homicides per 100,000 population
Source
UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
179 places, 4,154 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population.