Is London Safe? Here is What the Media Isn’t Telling You

A discussion about the most violent areas of London, from Tower Hamlets to Barking and Dagenham

You can read more about how safe London is here.

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A friend once asked me about safety in Sao Paulo, the massive Brazilian city I used to call home.

I explained (and this became one of my most-watched videos) that crime in Sao Paulo is concentrated in specific areas. Some neighborhoods are as safe as those in Europe, while others can be dangerous.

Unlike cities like Warsaw, where I currently live, Sao Paulo has districts with shockingly high rates of violent crime.

The same is true for London (although not in the same proportion).

In recent years, London has experienced a noticeable trend: safe neighborhoods have become even safer, while more dangerous areas have seen crime rates increase.

Let’s explore some data behind this phenomenon and then discuss the situation within the city.

The numbers we will use in this article are from the following sources:

• Metropolitan Police Service
• Global MapAid
• CrimeRate UK, and others.

Is London Safe or Dangerous?

London’s safety depends on your point of comparison. Compared to cities like Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, or Cape Town, London has a relatively low rate of violent crime. However, within Europe, London’s violent crime rate is significantly higher.

Violent Crime Rates in European Capitals (per 1,000 people):

• Budapest: 3.1
• Warsaw: 3.3
• Vienna: 3.4
• Paris: 3.7
• Bucharest: 3.5
• Rome: 5.2
• Madrid: 5.3
• Berlin: 5.5
• London: 17.6

Global Comparison:

For further perspective, here’s how London’s rate compares to cities known for high crime rates:

• Detroit: 20.7
• Rio de Janeiro: 34.8
• Cape Town: 63.4

Important Note: Definitions of “violent crime” can differ between countries, making direct comparisons somewhat imprecise. Also, crime rates don’t encompass all types of crime that might worry a visitor.

You Will Likely Never Get Shot in London, But…

While gun violence is far less common in London compared to many cities in Latin America, London still experiences its challenges. Knife crime remains a significant issue, and overall, London does experience higher rates of violence than some other major European cities.

Visitors and residents should be aware of street crime risks and take precautions, even though the risk of being a victim is relatively low.

The Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in London

Tower Hamlets

Police recorded violent & sexual crimes per 1000 residents: 35.07 per year.

Tower Hamlets is a borough in East London that is famous for the Brick Lane market. It is also a borough with an extraordinary number of cases of domestic violence, and almost 70% of all victims are female.

There are also issues with street violence, with at least 8 gangs active in the area.

While there is no single explanation for this trend, there are several factors that may contribute to the higher rate of violent crime in this area:

• Demographic makeup. Tower Hamlets has a relatively young population, with a high proportion of people aged 25–34. The borough has one of the lowest proportions of residents above 65 years old in the entire country: only 5.6%.
• There have been reports of tension and conflict between different ethnic and religious groups in the borough, particularly involving Somali communities. Tower Hamlets is one of the most diverse boroughs in England, and 60.8% of all residents are considered part of minority groups.

Here is how a former resident of Tower Hamlets described the place:

I lived in Tower Hamlets all my life. I used to live in Bromley by Bow (an area of Tower Hamlets), but there were gang wars and stabbings going on literally every day. I saw kids selling drugs and riding on mopeds, creating noise almost 24/7. Even when I used to go shopping, I used to see boys chasing people with very big knives. Now I live in Canning Town, which is a very quiet place.

Greenwich

Police recorded violent & sexual crimes per 1000 residents: 36.49 per year.

Greenwich is one of the nightlife hotspots of London and has some infamous parts that get quite rough during the night.

Reasons that contribute to high violence rates in this region are:

• Gang activity: There are reports of gang activity in some parts of the borough, which may engage in drug trafficking, robbery, and other forms of violence. The borough even resorted to offering money for kids so they are not recruited by gangs.
• Nightlife and entertainment: Greenwich is a popular area for nightlife and entertainment, particularly around the O2 Arena. Large crowds of people often lead to different degrees of violence.
• Proximity to other high-crime areas: Greenwich is located near other areas of London that have higher levels of crime and violence, such as Lewisham and Deptford. This proximity can make it easier for criminal activity to spread into Greenwich.

Read also: Stay vigilant — Unmasking the sophisticated scam tactics prevalent in Brazil

Barking & Dagenham

Police recorded violent & sexual crimes per 1000 residents: 37 per year.

The violence rate in Barking & Dagenham skyrocketed in recent years. From 2016 to 2022, violent crimes increased almost 30%.

Some of the reasons that turned this northeast London borough into one of the most violent in the metropolitan area are:

• Ethnic tensions. Together with the previously mentioned borough of Tower Hamlets, Barking & Dagenham is one of the most diverse districts in London, and 69% of the population has a non-British background.
• Gangs. Organized criminal groups of young males are partially responsible for rampant crime according to many of the residents. In only 3 years, gangs committed over 200 crimes, from kidnappings to murders.

Levi Borba is the founder of expatriateconsultancy.com, creator of the channel The Expat, and best-selling author. You can find him on X here.