UK Domestic Abuse Statistics
Live UK domestic abuse counter 2026. Approximately 1.5 million domestic abuse cases are recorded in England and Wales each year according to ONS and Home Office data.
About These Statistics
Approximately 1.5 million domestic abuse-related crimes are recorded by police in England and Wales each year, according to Home Office statistics. The ONS Crime Survey estimates the true prevalence is significantly higher, with approximately 2.1 million adults — 1.4 million women and 700,000 men — experiencing domestic abuse annually.
Domestic abuse encompasses a range of controlling or coercive behaviours, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members. This includes physical, psychological, sexual, financial and emotional abuse.
Women are disproportionately affected by domestic abuse. Approximately 72% of domestic homicide victims are female, according to the Femicide Census and Home Office Homicide Index. On average, two women are killed by a current or former partner every week in England and Wales.
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 introduced new protections including Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs), strengthened the definition of domestic abuse to include economic abuse, and introduced new offences including non-fatal strangulation. The Act also established the office of Domestic Abuse Commissioner.
The economic cost of domestic abuse to the UK is estimated at approximately £56 billion per year, according to Home Office analysis. This includes costs to public services, lost economic output and the human and emotional costs to victims and their families.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on official UK government data
How many domestic abuse cases are there in the UK per year?
Approximately 1.5 million domestic abuse-related crimes are recorded by police in England and Wales each year. The ONS Crime Survey estimates the true figure including unreported abuse is around 2.1 million adults affected annually — approximately 1.4 million women and 700,000 men. Many cases go unreported due to fear, shame or financial dependence on the abuser.
How many people are killed by domestic abuse in the UK each year?
On average, two women are killed by a current or former partner every week in England and Wales, according to the Femicide Census and Home Office Homicide Index. Women account for approximately 72% of all domestic homicide victims. In total, approximately 150-180 people are killed in domestic homicides each year in England and Wales.
What is the economic cost of domestic abuse in the UK?
The economic cost of domestic abuse to the UK is estimated at approximately £56 billion per year, according to Home Office analysis. This includes costs to the criminal justice system, health services, social services and housing, as well as lost economic output and the estimated human and emotional costs to the approximately 2.1 million adults who experience abuse each year.