Sadiq Khan Reveals His Programme to Stop Knife Crime in London and Explains How It Is Currently Helping to Reduce Violence and Crime Across the Capital

The number of young people taken to hospital after knife attacks in London has fallen by 55 per cent since Mayor Sadiq Khan introduced a special programme to tackle violence across the capital.

New figures released by City Hall show that hospital admissions involving young victims of knife attacks have dropped by more than half. The figures also suggest that London has seen a bigger reduction than other parts of England.

The improvement comes seven years after Sadiq Khan launched London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) in 2019. The programme was created to stop young people from becoming involved in crime and violence by offering them support, guidance and better opportunities.

According to City Hall, there have been nearly 12,500 fewer victims of violence resulting in injuries since the programme began.

However, knife crime remains a serious problem in London despite the improvement. Figures from the Metropolitan Police show that almost 14,000 crimes involving knives were recorded in the 12 months ending in March 2026. Around one in four of those incidents resulted in someone being injured.

Speaking on Friday, Sadiq Khan announced that the Violence Reduction Unit had reached an important milestone, with one million people across London benefiting from its work.

He explained that he established the programme because he believed arresting criminals alone would not solve the problem of violence.

According to the Mayor, preventing young people from becoming involved in crime is just as important as taking action against those who break the law.

He said violence should not be seen as something that cannot be stopped. Instead, he believes the right support, education and opportunities can help prevent young people from getting involved in dangerous activities.

Khan pointed to the fall in hospital admissions, fewer victims of violent attacks and a reduction in gun crime as signs that the programme is making progress.

However, he admitted that more work is still needed to make London safer and protect young people from violence and criminal exploitation.

He also explained that the money invested in the programme has helped provide training and support for thousands of youth workers, teachers, mentors and other professionals who work closely with young people.

City Hall also reported that there have been around 2,500 fewer victims of knife crime over the past three years. Knife-related offences have fallen by another 10 per cent in the latest 12-month period.

Since launching the Violence Reduction Unit, the Mayor has invested more than £140 million in programmes aimed at preventing violence and helping young people make better decisions about their future.

Rather than focusing only on punishment, the programme works with schools, families, local communities and organisations to identify young people who may be at risk of becoming involved in crime.

It provides mentoring, educational opportunities, personal guidance and other forms of support to help young people avoid dangerous situations.

The programme has so far supported approximately 750,000 young people across London.

Another 250,000 parents, carers, youth workers and other professionals have also received training or support through the scheme.

Health experts have welcomed the reduction in knife-related injuries but warned that every attack remains a serious concern.

Martin Griffiths, a consultant trauma surgeon at Barts Health NHS Trust and Clinical Director of the Violence Reduction Network for the NHS in London, described the 55 per cent fall in hospital admissions as encouraging news.

He explained that behind the figures are young people who may have avoided serious injuries and families who have been spared the pain of seeing their loved ones become victims of knife violence.

However, he stressed that every person injured in a knife attack represents a tragedy, meaning there is still an urgent need to prevent further incidents.

Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, also welcomed the progress and praised the organisations and professionals working together to reduce violence.

She said reaching one million Londoners shows what can be achieved when different groups work towards the same goal of making communities safer.

According to Peck, the programme focuses on identifying young people who are facing difficulties or are at risk of becoming involved in violence.

Once those young people are identified, they are offered support and opportunities that can help them move away from crime and build safer futures.

She said the latest figures suggest that prevention programmes are making a difference, with fewer young people being admitted to hospital and knife crime showing signs of decline.

However, Peck warned against reducing funding for services that help prevent violence.

She explained that previous experience has shown the damage that can happen when important youth services lose financial support.

For this reason, she believes the authorities must continue investing in young people and maintaining the progress already achieved.

Although the latest figures show a major improvement, the thousands of knife-related crimes still being recorded across London highlight the challenges facing police, families and local communities.

The Mayor and his team believe that continued investment in education, youth services and early intervention will help reduce violence further.

For many families across London, the hope is that fewer young people will become victims of knife attacks and that more children will have the opportunity to grow up in safer communities.

The latest announcement also puts renewed attention on Sadiq Khan’s approach to tackling crime, particularly his belief that preventing violence before it happens is an important part of keeping London’s streets safe.