We've a knife crime epidemic with too many people carrying knives in public; As a serving police officer I tackled many offenders carrying a knife & once almost lost my life when stabbed in chest arresting a burglar; too many parents are planning funerals instead of bright futures for their children
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We want the GOVT to introduce minimum sentences in order to act as a deterrent for carrying knives & blades in public; Knife homicides far outnumber gun homicides; yet carry a gun there is a 5 year Minimum sentence but carrying a Knife its often a community sentence. We believe communities live in fear of Knife crime & it has become a scourge on society and needs to be dealt with as a serious Health issue and a National Emergency as it is affecting the fabric of society & too often involving children.
Monday 16th February 2026
The Government is not planning to introduce minimum sentences for carrying a knife. The law already provides for minimum custodial sentences for repeat knife possession and threatening with a weapon.
Knife crime has destroyed far too many lives. That is why, as part of the Safer Streets mission, this Government is working to halve knife crime within a decade. We have a comprehensive, data-led and Government-wide approach to this goal.
The Government is not planning to introduce minimum sentences of 5 years for adults and 3 years for young people aged under 18, for carrying a knife.
Minimum sentences are rare in England and Wales. It is the function of the court to decide the sentence in each case subject to the maximum that Parliament has provided, and any relevant sentencing guidelines published by the Sentencing Council. Sentencing must also be proportionate to the offence committed, taking into account all the circumstances of each case.
The maximum penalty for carrying a knife is 4 years imprisonment. In recognition of the seriousness of offences related to knives, the law already provides for minimum custodial sentences for repeat knife possession and offences that involve threatening with a weapon. Adults face a minimum of 6 months imprisonment whilst young people aged 16 or 17 face a four-month Detention and Training Order.
Where someone is actually harmed by a knife or offensive weapon, there are a range of offences that they may be charged with, such as causing grievous bodily harm. These can result in lengthy sentences, up to life imprisonment. Murder is a very serious crime which carries a mandatory life sentence. This is the same for any murder, including those involving knives or guns.
In recognition of the importance of tackling knife crime, the Government’s manifesto committed to ensuring that every young person caught in possession of a knife would be referred to a Youth Justice Service and receive a mandatory plan to prevent reoffending. We are taking a significant step towards delivering this manifesto commitment and will shortly be publishing tough new guidance that sets out our expectations on how the police and Youth Justice Services should respond to knife possession offences committed by children.
On 24 September 2024, we implemented a ban on zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes, and it is now illegal to sell, manufacture or possess these weapons. We also introduced new legislation to ban ninja swords, and since 1 August 2025, it has been illegal to sell or own these weapons.
In October 2024, the then Home Secretary commissioned Commander Stephen Clayman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for knife crime, to conduct a review into the online sale and delivery of knives. The Independent End-To-End Review of Online Knife Sales was published on 19 February 2025. We are taking forward the most pressing recommendations and have announced “Ronan’s Law,” a range of measures which will include stricter rules for online sellers of knives. These include strengthening age verification controls and checks through a two-stage age verification system at the point of purchase and on delivery.
With measures in the Crime and Policing Bill, currently going through Parliament, we are increasing the penalties for illegal sales of knives, creating a new offence of possessing a knife with the intention to commit unlawful violence, creating a duty on sellers to report bulk sales, and giving the police new power to seize knives when they believe they are likely to be used in connection with unlawful violence.
In February 2025, the Government committed to consult on plans to introduce a comprehensive licensing scheme for those who sell knives or other bladed articles, including importers, retailers and private sellers, making them subject to strict regulations and conditions. A public consultation was launched on 16 December 2025 to gather views on these proposals and consider impacts before making any legislative changes that would be required to introduce such licensing. The consultation is open until 24 February 2026 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/licensing-for-knife-sales
We have also introduced new legislation to provide the police with the power to require social media, marketplace, and search services to take down illegal knife and offensive weapon content. Failure to remove this material could result in significant penalties for both the company and a designated senior executive. This meets the Government’s manifesto commitment to hold the senior executives of online companies accountable for flouting rules around online knife sales.
Ministry of Justice