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The significance
This article will examine the relationship between socio-economic deprivation and increasing knife-based violence in Britain, with a focus on child crime and poverty. I will use existing research to explain how financial cuts in low-income communities raise crime rates and impact the community. Throughout my research, I found there was a consistent relationship between deprivation and violent crime. `
The links between poverty and knife crime
It is widely acknowledged that deprivation is increasing in the UK. Research by the YMCA8 shows that funding by local authorities for youth services has been cut by 73% since 2010 - a reduction of £1.2 billion. In 2024, a report by the Social Metrics Commission9 found that the rate of poverty in the UK was higher than at any point in the 21st century. These cuts weren’t solely felt in community youth clubs; they were mirrored in early intervention services. Programmes such as Sure Start, which supported disadvantaged families with children aged 0–5, have seen around 800 centres close since 2010 due to reduced funding10. Between 2021 and 2024 child poverty increased by 20%11 This statistic holds relevance as children are most susceptible to becoming involved in knife-based crimes due to poverty. The trend in knife crime since 2010 has been more complex: between 2013 and 2019 incidents increased, fell in 202012 (highly suspected to be due to COVID-19 restrictions) and has risen steadily since.
Throughout recent years, links have been made between poverty and knife-based violence. A study published in 202213 detailed an investigation that took place between December 2016 and March 2022 in a paediatric centre in the East Midlands. The findings demonstrated that the patients admitted for knife-based injuries often came from areas with worse deciles of socioeconomic status. It is important to note that the patients in this study were age17 or younger. So, what links child poverty and knife crime? Children living in impoverished areas will often grow up with lower community resources, including youth clubs, this leads to a lack of structure in their social lives. Without funding for positive, structured activities, children are at increased risk from exploitation and involvement with organised crime groups, this often leads to violence14.
County lines activity is another risk factor. Areas with the most imports related to county lines have seen an increase in violence and weapons-related crimes15. It’s estimated that there were 14,500 children involved in county lines between 2023-2024.16 This includes children as young as 13. Between July 2024 and June 2025 there was 605 knives/sharp weapons seized from county lines stings17.
Economic vulnerability is one of the biggest risk factors which causes children to be exploited and end up in county lines or violent gangs. The Children’s Society18. has published a significant amount of research on the effects of childhood poverty. In the years 2017-18, 3.7 million children were living in ‘absolute poverty’ this means that their families could not afford basic needs like food and clothing. Many children feel the need to take on the financial issues of their families, and this leaves them open to exploitation by criminals.
Why “spend to save” works
Early intervention is imperative when aiming to reduce violence committed by young people. It can take different forms, from home visits that help parents or school-based programmes and mentoring schemes that are often geared towards children who may be more vulnerable to criminal activity. It’s argued that intervention schemes are most effective when offered during the child’s early stages of life however there is evidence to suggest that it can be effective at any point during childhood and adolescence19. To understand why early intervention is so important we must also look at what happens without it. With no access to early intervention children are more likely to become involved in violent crimes, especially gang/knife-based crimes. With this comes extreme costs, not only societally but financially. The estimated cost of a stab wound treated by the NHS in the UK in 2008 was £7196 per victim20, with current inflation that could be up to £12,000 today. It costs taxpayers around £40,000 per year per prisoner21 who is incarcerated for knife-based crimes. There can also be indirect economic impacts such as decreased footfall for local businesses in high crime areas.
As referred to earlier in this article, public resources such as youth groups and social clubs have faced significant cuts in funding, and many have closed. Spend to save allocates appropriate amounts of funding back into these early intervention schemes and aims to stop knife crime before it arises. This means that ultimately money is saved in other areas, such as the NHS and the judicial system.
As well as financial benefits, this model has a positive effect socially, less people being treated for knife trauma and less pressure on the NHS which as of September 2025 has a waiting list, for consultant led care, of 7.39 million people22. It would also reduce pressure on the prison system, which operated at 99.7% occupancy between October 2022 and August 2024, despite HMPPS stating that efficiency cannot be maintained above 95% occupancy23.
It is therefore clear that spend to save is the most efficient model to help reduce knife crime as well as reduce long-term public spending and increase positive societal interaction and state service benefits.
Alternative explanations for rising violence
Poverty is not the only factor that puts young people at risk of committing knife crimes. Factors such as mental health, social media, and adverse childhood experiences can all increase the risk of children becoming involved in knife crime. As of August 2025, areas that were often seen as high risk for incidents of stabbing have seen a 6% decrease in offences24. Lower ranking socio-economic areas are not the only areas affected by these crimes which is important to understand. However, it’s equally as important to understand that even though poverty may not be the only factor putting young people at risk, the positive impact of adequate financial support cannot be underestimated, for example more funding put into mental health services or child protective services all act as early prevention schemes and adhere to the spend to save model.
Confronting the cost of inaction
The core argument of this article was to highlight the challenges children in poverty face when they are failed by the system, a system which no longer provides them with social clubs and youth work to help them develop. This is made evident by the 73% funding cuts by local governing bodies to their youth centres, the increased burden on the NHS and the rising poverty rates. Whilst it is important to understand that poverty is never the sole factor of children becoming involved in knife crime and county lines, it is extremely important to realise how much influence it has. There are also broader implications to acknowledge, such as the strain put on public services and rising long-term costs. The importance of early intervention cannot be stressed enough, not only does it benefit the economy, but it can save young lives making it morally and economically positive for society. Ultimately, the evidence shows that reducing prevention and cutting corners does not have a net positive effect, it simply shifts the cost to later down the line.
As of the 10th of December 2025, the Labour Government has released a policy paper presenting their National Youth Strategy. This policy paper mentions local authorities working with young people to design youth programmes, funding places, and activities tailored towards engagement, as well as inviting young people to make decisions on their communities. It also mentions helping families in poverty and includes strategies to help children have a better start in life. These changes show a promising start to the reform of Government policies for refocussing on early intervention work.
Further Reading
[8] Hallissey A, “Beyond The Brink?” <https://ymca.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ymca-youth-services-beyond-the-brink.pdf?utm_source=> accessed December 10, 2025
[9] Oakley M, “Social Metrics Commission - 2024 Report” (Social Metrics Commission, November 18, 2024) <https://socialmetricscommission.org.uk/social-metrics-commission-2024-report/?utm_source=> accessed December 10, 2025
[10] Unison, “Sure Start, Uncertain Future ” (Unison.org 2024) <https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2024/06/Childrens-centres-report-final.pdf> accessed December 10, 2025
[11] “Child Poverty in the UK: 2024 Facts & Figures” (UNICEF UK, November 29, 2024) <https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/our-uk-work/child-poverty-uk/> accessed December 10, 2025
[12] Allen G and Wong H, “Knife Crime Statistics: England and Wales” (House of Commons Library, October 24, 2025) <https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN04304/SN04304.pdf> accessed December 10, 2025
[13] Reilly J-J and others, “Injury by Knife Crime amongst Children Is Associated with Socioeconomic Deprivation: An Observational Study” (2022) 39 Paediatric Surgery International
[14] News B, “Child Criminal Exploitation: Poverty ‘shame’ Driving Kids to Gangs - Expert” (BBC News, February 6, 2024) <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-68097981> accessed December 10, 2025
[15] National Crime Agency. (n.d.). County lines [Drug trafficking threat]. NCA. County Lines - National Crime Agency
[16] Office H, “County Lines Programme Data” (GOV.UK, March 14, 2023) <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-offices-county-lines-programme-data/county-lines-programme-data> accessed December 10, 2025
[17] Office H, “County Lines Programme Data” (GOV.UK, March 14, 2023) <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-offices-county-lines-programme-data/county-lines-programme-data> accessed December 10, 2025
[18] The Childrens Society, “Effects Of Child Poverty” (The Children’s Society, 2025) <https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/ending-child-poverty/effects-of-living-in-poverty> accessed December 10, 2025
[19] the challenging behaviour foundation and others, “Investing in Early Intervention” (2022) <https://www.mencap.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-05/EARLY%20INTERVENTION%20REPORT%20A4%20FINAL.pdf>
[20] University of Manchester, “Study Reveals Cost of Stabbings to NHS” University of Manchester (August 1, 2008) <https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/study-reveals-cost-of-stabbings-to-nhs/> accessed December 10, 2025
[21] Melike, “The Economics Of Knife Crime: Cost To Society • Knives For Lives” (Pageviews, December 3, 2024) <https://knives4lives.co.uk/the-economics-of-knife-crime-cost-to-society/> accessed December 10, 2025
[22] BMA, “NHS Backlog Data Analysis” (BMA.org, November 13, 2025) <https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/nhs-backlog-data-analysis>
[23] “Prisons Crisis: As Justice System Faces Total Gridlock in 2026, PAC Calls for Rapid Action - Committees” (UK Parliament) <https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/127/public-accounts- committee/news/205761/prisons-crisis-as-justice-system-faces-total- gridlock-in-2026-pac-calls-for-rapid-action /> accessed December 10, 2025
[24] James R, “Knife-Related Robberies in High-Risk Areas Have Reduced, Data Shows” The Independent (July 31, 2025) <https://www.independent.co.uk/news /uk/crime/knife-crime-robberies-reduced-b2799896.html> accessed December 10, 2025
