Victim satisfaction with police response has been declining since peaking at 75% in 2013/14, with notably lower satisfaction among younger victims aged 16 to 24 (32%) compared to over 60s (around 60%), and the lowest satisfaction for theft from the person (26%) and bicycle theft (41%).

The government plans to recruit 13,000 additional neighborhood policing officers by 2029, with 3,000 recruited by spring 2025, and has assigned a dedicated officer to every community to enhance police visibility and response.

Police visibility, measured by officers seen on foot patrol once a week, has fallen to 11%, its lowest level since 2006/07, down from a peak of 39% in 2009/10 and 2010/11, while overall local police ratings have declined to 49% from 62% in 2014/15, reflecting a long-term downward trend in public perception.

Urban residents report higher police visibility (13%) than rural residents (4%), with older adults aged 65 and above experiencing the lowest levels of police visibility.

Victims are significantly more satisfied when offenders are charged (95%) and when they are kept informed by police (77%), compared to when no action is taken (36%) or victims are not kept informed (19%).

A recent survey indicates that victim satisfaction with police handling crimes in England and Wales has fallen to a historic low of 51% in the year ending March 2025, down from 55% the previous year.

Public confidence in the criminal justice system has decreased to 48% in 2025, the lowest since 2012/13, with higher confidence among those born outside the UK (65%) and younger people aged 16-24 (61%).

Overall, confidence in the effectiveness of the criminal justice system is declining, with only 48% expressing confidence, reflecting a long-term downward trend.