Plan to Halve Knife Crime
National Plan to Halve Knife Crime published
The Home Office has published Protecting Lives, Building Hope: A Plan to Halve Knife Crime, setting out the Government’s ambition to reduce knife crime across England and Wales over the next decade.
Published in April 2026, the plan brings together evidence, lived experience and input from the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime. It is structured around four core pillars:
- Support – giving children and young people a better start in life through early help and positive opportunities
- Stop – intervening earlier with those at risk of being drawn into serious violence
- Police – targeted enforcement to prevent offending and protect communities
- End – breaking the cycle of knife crime through rehabilitation and long-term support [gov.uk]
The plan is directly relevant to safeguarding partners, including local authorities, police, health, education and the voluntary sector. It reinforces the importance of prevention, early intervention and strong multi-agency working to identify risk, support vulnerable children and families, and reduce serious violence in communities.
