It’s fair to say that the UK faces significant and widespread challenges when it comes to criminal behaviour across the country. Whether that’s on our roads, in businesses and homes, or somewhere else entirely, the statistics on just how many of us will face crime in our lifetimes make for grim reading.
That’s especially true of antisocial behaviour, or ASB, which has long been an unwelcome feature of a shocking proportion of Britain’s streets and neighbourhoods. While it is an unclear label at best, it’s undoubtedly something many of us have encountered in some capacity.
At Churchill Support Services, we’ve got a track record of openly representing the data and the stats you need to know to stay safe – best exemplified by our long-standing rankings of the most dangerous areas of the UK. It’s all part of our ongoing commitment to truly ensuring safety with both our industry-leading security services, and with our transparent reporting.
With our latest piece, we’ll explore everything you need to know about ASB, where to avoid if you’re seeking to shake off the UK’s infamous reputation for antisocial behaviour, and how you can actively combat what’s quickly becoming an epidemic.
First, it’s important to understand what we mean by antisocial behaviour. It’s easy to imagine the stereotypical hooded teenagers, loitering and generally making a nuisance of themselves, but the truth of the matter is that ASB is a much more diverse concept than that.
The UK government changed its definition of the “catch all” term as recently as 2012, eschewing the vague description in favour of clearer guidelines, better classification of criminal behaviour, and a more apparent way forward in countering the issues faced.
According to the latest government publication, antisocial behaviour is now placed in one of three different categories – personal, nuisance, and environmental. Let’s look at each of those in more depth:
Under those categorisations, we find many of the illicit activities and generally disruptive actions we’d expect under the banner of antisocial behaviour. That includes, but isn’t limited to:
Of course, while this clearer reporting makes it easier for police forces to categorise offences appropriately and efficiently, it only gives us a partial picture of how affected the UK is by antisocial behaviour.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say exactly how much antisocial behaviour goes on in the UK. It’s thought that much of it goes unreported for one reason or another, especially with public faith in the police waning in recent years.
However, we can make a good estimate with the data that is available. The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that there were 1,042,654 separate incidents of antisocial behaviour, including those recorded by the British Transport Police, throughout 2023/24 – representing a dip of around 0.45% over last year.
However, a step further illustrates the problem in more depth. The data shows that an estimated 35.4% – or over 1 in every 3 – UK residents have experienced or witnessed antisocial behaviour over the last year, compared with 34% in 2022/23. That’s where the true impetus of the data lies – the impact of antisocial behaviour isn’t just limited to one person.
The Home Office’s recent research shed light on several concerning statistics to arise from the more than 1 million instances of antisocial behaviour. Here’s just a snapshot of the government’s data, and how the reach of ASB is far more than just a single person:
However, what’s important to recognise is that those million plus incidents aren’t evenly distributed across age and gender lines. Those same governmental statistics found that men (25% of victims) are more likely to be significantly affected by ASB than women (15% of victims).
Younger people (particularly those aged between 18 and 34) are more likely to be disproportionately affected by antisocial behaviour, and experience more drastic, long-term impacts as a result. While the statistics don’t drill down far enough for us to understand the ages of those directly affected by ASB, it’s safe to say that it’s a crime that has far-reaching and often unrealised consequences.
That’s fed directly into public perceptions of antisocial behaviour nationwide. An estimated 24% of those surveyed as part of the Home Office’s research cited ASB as a “big problem” in their area – a figure that’s remained consistent over the last decade.
What’s not stayed consistent, though, is the distribution of those antisocial behaviour issues across the country. Let’s look at some of England and Wales’ hardest-hit regions when it comes to antisocial behaviour.
Let’s look at the areas of the UK with the highest rates of antisocial behaviour, and why there’s such a cause for concern in that region.
A sprawling conurbation across the North West of England, Greater Manchester is often seen as one of England’s more pivotal areas. It’s easy to see why – Manchester is one of the UK’s most culturally and economically influential cities, and upcoming regions like Bolton, Rochdale and Wigan complement what’s fast becoming one of the country’s more popular areas.
Undercutting that popularity, however, is the region’s concerning statistics on antisocial behaviour. The latest estimates state that 40.4% of Greater Manchester’s 2.8 million residents have been affected by ASB in just the last year.
Nestled in the far North East of England, and home to the iconic Angel of the North, Northumbria has undergone substantial transformations from its Old English roots. Now a sprawling urban area that straddles the border between England and Scotland, you’d be forgiven for expecting this secluded spot with strong heritage to be relatively safe.
Last year alone saw a huge spike in the number of instances of antisocial behaviour (42,094 offences) – a notable 1.1% increase over the previous year’s stats. Diving deeper only reinforces that concern around ASB, with an estimated 40.9% of all surveyed being affected by antisocial behaviour.
Most closely tied with the major city and namesake of Derby, the county of Derbyshire is one of two halves. While the eastern part is more densely populated with cities like the aforementioned Derby, Chesterfield and Swadlincote, the western half is more rural, and offers spectacular views across the breathtaking Peak District.
However, while the region no doubt has its aficionados, the area’s rate of antisocial behaviour is among the worst across the UK. It’s estimated that a shocking 40.9% of the 803,464 people living in the Derbyshire area experienced some form of ASB in the last year alone.
Famed for its fierce rivalry with neighbouring Lancashire, West Yorkshire’s major cities of Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield form the bulk of the county’s burgeoning population, as well as drawing in swathes of tourism. That’s juxtaposed against West Yorks’ undeniable beauty, with chocolate box villages and winding roads offering a more sedate option for visitors and residents alike.
Equally though, the issues the county faces with antisocial behaviour (27,337 incidents) detracts from that overall appeal. Surveys revealed that a shocking 42.7%% of West Yorkshire’s 2,378,148 residents experienced some form of ASB in the last year alone.
A hugely historic area, and closely associated with the UK’s second-largest city in Birmingham for good reason, the West Midlands is predominantly an urban jungle. Interspersed with swathes of green in Sutton Park and the Sandwell Valley, the county is one of undoubted attraction.
However, that’s clearly attracted some of the wrong kinds of attention, and especially so in the region’s issues with antisocial behaviour. With 26,511 total incidents of ASB over the last year, and an estimated 41.1% of the county’s residents having experienced antisocial behaviour in that same period, there’s a clear issue on the cards.
Home to the ever-popular city of Liverpool, as well as playing host to some of England’s most influential contributions towards arts, culture and sport across the countryside. Couple that with some of the UK’s most vibrant nightlife scenes, and it’s clear to see why Merseyside is called home by more than 1.4 million people.
That popularity has, however, led to a spike in the amount of antisocial behaviour (15,376 offences) across the Merseyside area, with around 41.6% of the county’s residents experiencing some form of ASB in just the last year.
Best known for its iconic links to figures of legend in Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire is one of England’s more rural counties, with great swathes of the region bisected by green belt land, emerald canopies and the banks of the River Trent. It’s that rurality, coupled with the flourishing economies of the county’s cities, that make it such an attractive prospect.
What’s perhaps not as appealing, though, is the county’s issues with antisocial behaviour (28,964 incidents). A concerning 43.3% of the area’s 826,257 residents have been a victim of, or affected by, ASB in the last year alone.
A quintessential slice of English greenery and countryside in the rolling hills of Southern England, Kent is what many imagine when they think of Britain’s wilds. Chocolate box villages dot the landscape which gives way to the county’s larger cities, and self-sufficient economies in their own right. That quaint exterior hides a dark secret in its antisocial behaviour figures, however.
Kent is statistically one of the most dangerous areas for antisocial behaviour in the UK, with 28,564 incidents over the last year. That’s led to widespread public concern, with an estimated 43.4% of all Kent’s residents having directly been affected by antisocial behaviour.
Nestled in southeastern Wales, the ceremonial county of Gwent is no doubt a surprise inclusion at the top of our list of the worst areas for antisocial behaviour in the UK. Home to the budding city of Newport, alongside the typically unspoiled landscapes of the Welsh countryside, Gwent has much to draw in the crowds it does attract.
Beneath the surface, though, lurks a pressing problem with antisocial behaviour. A staggering 46.8% – or just shy of half – of all those living in the Gwent area reported experiencing ASB in some capacity. Plus, with 10,672 instances of antisocial behaviour in what is one of the UK’s smaller counties, it’s only set to grow.
One of England’s newer regions, and an influential part of the culture that makes the North East such an integral part of the UK’s patchwork of culture, Cleveland is fast becoming popular. Much of that is down to the omnipresence of cities like Middlesbrough, but the dales and greenery also draw in an entirely different crowd.
However, with that surging popularity comes the increased risk of criminal activity, and antisocial behaviour (17,100 offences) is no different. That goes a step further, too – around 50% of the region’s 1.1 million residents have experienced ASB in some capacity in just the last 12 months.
While the data we’ve presented above does make for concerning reading, especially if you’re looking to move to one of those particularly affected areas, there is a silver lining. Data from the Home Office and the Office for National Statistics shows that antisocial behaviour has steadily decreased over the last few years.
In fact, when comparing last year’s data with the previous year’s, we find that the total number of antisocial behaviour offences has fallen by 8%, from 1.047 million over 2022/23, to 1.042 million in 2022/23.
We’re also a significant amount lower than the figures we saw at the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021, where there was a dizzying 2.051 million instances of antisocial behaviour over that 12 months period alone.
There’s multiple reasons for that reduction, of course. Better policing, improved classification of ASB incidents, and the gradual phase-out of lockdown and other pandemic-related restrictions have meant there’s less incidents classified as ASB, and great powers of actioning for the police and courts.
Delving deeper, we find that public concern has, on the whole, dipped in a similar fashion. Using the ONS’s data, there’s several key areas that have fallen, alongside a couple of points of concern that have become more focal. These include:
All of this is to say that, while antisocial behaviour is (as we’ve seen) still a hugely prominent issue across the UK, and one that’s got far-reaching implications beyond the victim, the outlook is positive.
Those same statistics from the ONS also show that, alongside ASB seeing a substantial decline, the overall number of criminal offences has also seen a similar, albeit on a smaller scale. When we compare the figures from 2022/23 to those for 2023/24, there’s a 0.6% decrease, going from 5.527 million offences to 5.494 million offences. There are measures you can put into place, though.
As crime figures continue their inexorable and concerning rise, it falls to professional security companies to ensure that businesses, events and individuals stay safe. At Churchill Support Services, that’s something we’ve long been conscious of, especially as one of the UK’s foremost providers of tailormade security.
We understand both the ever-present issues, like criminal damage and antisocial behaviour, as well as the emerging and changing threats your premises faces, and we strive to put solutions into place that adapt alongside the changing landscape of crime.
You’ll find that evidenced across all of the security solutions we provide, from expertly trained security officers through to cutting-edge CCTV and monitoring solutions. All of that is delivered with our signature blend of customisation, affordability, and unparalleled passion for all we do.
Wherever you’re based, and whether you’re concerned about ASB or something else entirely, we’re able to offer that same level of exceptional service. Get in touch today to discuss what we can offer for you and your area, and to receive your free, no obligation quotation.
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