What it means: murders, manslaughters and infanticides recorded by the police in England and Wales, counted in the year they were recorded, per million people. Single events can cause spikes: the 2016/17 figure includes the 96 victims of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, recorded after the new inquests, and 2017/18 includes the Manchester Arena and London terror attacks. A change of 5% or more in the rate counts.

Source: ONS, homicide in England and Wales, year ending March 2025, appendix table 1 (Home Office Homicide Index).