UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Conservative analysis reveals crime costs Britain £33bn yearly, with violent crime topping £10bn, and plans include 10,000 new police and hotspot patrols.
As reported by The Telegraph, Tory analysis shows the UK spends £33bn a year on crime, including property loss, victim support, and prevention efforts.
Using government crime figures, the party updated a Home Office model to estimate crime’s economic and social impact.
What did Tory analysis reveal about UK crime costs and police plans?
Britain faces a £10bn annual cost for violent crimes with injury, and £6.7bn for violence without injury. The Tories report a £300m rise in violent crime costs, with total crime spending up £445m, reaching £33bn.
Using their latest crime insights, the Tories are promoting a policing plan, pledging a £650m fund to recruit 10,000 extra officers over three years. The crime costs each British citizen £478, up 1.3% compared with last year.
The party plans heavy police patrols in 2,000 high-crime areas, aiming to prevent around 35,000 offences. They aim to change police rules, making it easier for officers to stop and search suspected criminals.
The Tory party predicts that stops and searches will rise from 535,000 in 2024 to over 1.5 million. The proposed changes would lower the threshold for using the tactic and broaden powers to act without prior suspicion.
Using Office for National Statistics figures, Kemi Badenoch’s party estimated fraud costs at £3bn, with rape and other sexual offences rising to £5.3bn. Robbery added over £1.3bn.
The party said their analysis shows crime costs declined from £49bn in 2018 to £33bn, a £16bn drop.
What did Chris Philp say about Labour’s handling of crime?
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, stated,
“It’s never comfortable to put a price on crime, but these figures expose the scale of Labour’s failure. They measure not just money lost but lives damaged by a Labour Government that has let law and order fall apart.”
He said,
“Keir Starmer does not have the backbone to stand up and take the difficult decisions Britain needs. Now he’s paralysed, too frightened to face down the soft-Left activists who think criminals are victims and victims are statistics.”
Mr Philp added,
“The real crime is what Labour have done to our country. A country left less safe, less secure, and less certain that justice still means something. The Conservatives will restore that certainty – putting control back in the hands of the law, not the lawless.”
What did the Policy Exchange report say about the crime’s cost to Britain?
The centre-right thinktank Policy Exchange released a March 2025 report warning that rising crime could cost Britain £250bn, blaming austerity-driven policing failures.
The report, backed by former chancellor Sajid Javid, said years of cuts to policing, prisons, and courts fueled rising crime.
Mr Javid added,
“History teaches us that economic activity flourishes in societies that value law and order. When consumers and businesses know that contracts will be honoured, and that the fruits of their labour will be protected from theft and the threat of violence, they have the confidence to work, to earn and to build something of value. Without this confidence we all suffer.”
What did Andy Haldane say about rising crime costs and public spending?
Andy Haldane, CEO of the Royal Society of Arts, stated,
“We are approaching what will almost certainly be a brutal, and what could be an electorally defining, public spending review.”
She added,
“In an era of acute anxiety, this report is an arresting clarion – and wake-up – call to all political parties on the true and rising economic costs of crime and the societal consequences of continuing malign neglect of that most foundational of government responsibilities – the security of citizens.”
What did Diana Johnson say about halving violence and boosting policing?
Diana Johnson, the minister for crime and policing, stated,
“In the next decade, this government plans to halve violence against women and girls and knife crime, and restore public confidence in policing and the criminal justice system, as part of the Safer Streets Mission.”
She added,
“Through the Plan for Change, we will also bring visible policing back to communities, with 13,000 extra neighbourhood police officers, PCSOs and specials. Alongside this, the government will build 14,000 more prison places by 2031 to lock up dangerous offenders.”
What did the Home Office reveal about the financial impact of homicide, rape, and theft?
The Home Office first calculated the financial cost of crime in 2018, including burglary prevention, property damage, and policing expenses.
Each homicide costs £3.2m, the highest among crimes, but with fewer cases than others, the overall impact is limited. Recent figures show 518 in England and Wales.
The financial toll per crime ranks rape at £39,360, violence with injury at £14,050, robbery at £11,320, and vehicle theft at £10,290.
What is Labour’s plan for change?
The plan includes building 1.5 million new homes in England and fast-tracking planning decisions for at least 150 major infrastructure projects.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s plan aims to meet the NHS standard that 92% of patients in England wait no longer than 18 weeks for elective treatment.
It includes delivering higher real household disposable income, higher GDP per capita, and milestones on clean energy, policing, and early years education.