Homicides by firearm in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Homicides by firearm was 35 homicides in 2022. ▼ Falling
Homicides by firearm in United Kingdom, 2008–2022
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.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 35 homicides for homicides by firearm in 2022.
The figure is up 6.1% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides by firearm in United Kingdom peaked at 65 homicides in 2010 and was at its lowest, 23 homicides, in 2014.
That places United Kingdom 34th out of 82 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Homicides by firearm in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 41 homicides | — |
| 2009 | 47 homicides | +14.6% |
| 2010 | 65 homicides | +38.3% |
| 2011 | 50 homicides | -23.1% |
| 2012 | 35 homicides | -30.0% |
| 2013 | 36 homicides | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 23 homicides | -36.1% |
| 2015 | 30 homicides | +30.4% |
| 2016 | 39 homicides | +30.0% |
| 2017 | 32 homicides | -17.9% |
| 2018 | 37 homicides | +15.6% |
| 2021 | 33 homicides | -10.8% |
| 2022 | 35 homicides | +6.1% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 35 homicides is above the median for high income countries, which is 17 homicides, 2.1× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 35 homicides is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 14.5 homicides, 2.4× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 44 homicides | 41 homicides | 47 homicides | 2 |
| 2010s | 38.56 homicides | 23 homicides | 65 homicides | 9 |
| 2020s | 34 homicides | 33 homicides | 35 homicides | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 32 Algeria 50 homicides compare
- 33 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 43 homicides compare
- 35 Greece 34 homicides compare
- 35 Jordan 34 homicides compare
- 37 Netherlands 29 homicides compare
More social development data for United Kingdom
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 581,072 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0084 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicides by firearm in United Kingdom?
- Homicides by firearm in United Kingdom was 35 homicides in 2022, 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 homicides by firearm recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 65 homicides in 2010.
- What is the lowest homicides by firearm recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 23 homicides in 2014.
- How does United Kingdom rank for homicides by firearm?
- United Kingdom ranks 34th out of 82 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicides by firearm rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. 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 Homicides by firearm. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicides where the weapon was a firearm.