How to check crime rates by postcode in the UK

If you are moving house, renting, or just curious about an area, “crime rate” is usually the first thing people ask about. The good news: England, Wales and Northern Ireland publish street-level crime data that anyone can check for free.

Police.uk publishes recorded crime by approximate location (not exact addresses). Local Area Check uses that open data for a roughly one-mile radius around a postcode, grouped by category — anti-social behaviour, violence, burglary, vehicle crime, and so on.

When you read a total, treat it as a starting point, not a verdict. Counts rise with population density and nightlife. A busy town centre will usually show more incidents than a quiet village even if day-to-day risk feels similar. Compare nearby postcodes, look at the mix of categories, and check whether one type of crime dominates.

Also remember: recorded crime is not the same as solved crime, and not every incident is reported. Use the figures alongside schools, flood risk, house prices and a proper visit at different times of day.

Enter a postcode on Local Area Check to see the latest available Police.uk month for that pin, then follow the source link back to Police.uk if you want the raw map view.