Urgent action needed to help UK's most deprived areas fight crime, MPs say

Urgent action is required to halt crime in the country’s most deprived areas, MPs say.

A report by the Independent Commission on Neighbourhood (ICON) found left behind places have suffered higher crime rates and lower levels of policing historically. Its new analysis reveals that the most disadvantaged 10% of areas in England receive just £249 spent per head on policing, versus £258 in the 10% least disadvantaged areas.

The government announced a £200 million investment in neighbourhood policing in January this year but the new research says there is a £50 million ‘left behind deficit’ for police funding in poorer places. This is despite crime being highly concentrated in areas of disadvantage, ICON says.

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Crest Advisory, a crime and justice specialist consultancy, highlighted several points in the report for ICON. They include that the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) consistently finds that crime and anti social behaviour rates are disproportionately concentrated in the 20% most deprived areas, and that Home Office analysis has shown that nearly a quarter of all neighbourhood crime was committed in just 5% of local areas.

While data from 2016 identified that half of all violent crime in England and Wales took place in only 2% of street segments. In Cumbria, 18 areas identified as anti social behaviour hot spots accounted for 0.04% of the county but 23% of all anti social behaviour, while a single retail park accounted for 9% of all anti-social behaviour in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Crest Advisory concluded that this is partly driven by disadvantaged neighbourhoods facing “…persistent poverty, underinvestment, and institutional neglect.” Its report cites funding constraints but also “insufficient targeting of the most affected neighbourhoods and a lack of investment in the social connections that sustain resilient communities.”

The report calls for a neighbourhood-based approach to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, grounded in the evidence that strong community relationships - alongside enforcement - are essential to safer, more resilient places.

Baroness Hilary Armstrong, ICON Chair and former Cabinet Minister, said: “Across the country, we hear the same story time and time again. Those living in the most disadvantaged areas are bearing the brunt of crime and anti-social behaviour. The Spending Review’s investment in neighbourhood policing will help to address this, but policing on its own is not the whole answer.

“As this report makes clear, investment in our social infrastructure is also essential. When community ties are stronger, we can start to tackle the root causes of crime in neighbourhoods.”

Jake Richards, Labour Member of Parliament for Rother Valley and Member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: “Week in, week out, I hear complaints on the doorstep about crime and disorder. This blights lives with fear and insecurity, something that should be unacceptable in 21st century Britain. This report shows that this is a matter of social justice.

“Disadvantaged places, including some post-industrial areas and communities that I represent, experience the brunt of crime but haven’t received their fair share of police funding.

“This has to change, and that is why I welcome the investments delivered by the government into neighbourhood policing and social infrastructure. This must be prioritised for the places with the highest need.”

Steve Yemm, Labour Member of Parliament for Mansfield, said: “This timely report highlights how neighbourhood conditions directly shape crime and anti-social behaviour, offering lessons highly relevant to areas like my Mansfield constituency where residents often report concerns about safety, visible disorder, and community decline. By stressing the importance of place-based investment, stronger neighbourhood policing, and building social cohesion, it provides a roadmap for tackling persistent local issues in places like Mansfield and fostering safer, more resilient communities.”

Sureena Brackenridge, Labour Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton North East, said: “Neighbourhood policing is a vital pillar in not just making communities safe, but helping to make them feel safe. This isn’t just about tackling crime, but it is part of rebuilding police as a pillar of the community, bringing back proper relations.

“But policing is only one part of the solution. We need to start materially designing out crime, and investing in an urban environment which supports communities. Hostile architecture and hostile urban realm massively contributes to feelings and senses of unsafety and it is enormously important that we rebalance design in favour of the people who live and breath our neighbourhoods.

“This is long term, and multifaceted, but it is the right thing to do if we want to design out crime, and protect our people."

ICON was launched with the support of Alex Norris MP, Minister for Local Growth, in September 2024. The Commission aims to address the challenges faced in England’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and how tackling them could generate social and economic improvements.

The initiative aims to build on existing research, generate new insights and propose concrete actions that could improve the lives and prospects of people living in these areas.