On 2 November, the Home Office launched ‘No Place for Knives’, a knife crime campaign piloted in parts of Westminster and Croydon, and in Birmingham city centre. The announcement doesn’t mention private security. But its funding covers visible patrols in busy night-time economy areas, which is where many door teams work. Here’s what’s been announced, what the numbers show, and what it means at the door.
What The Campaign Involves
According to the Home Office announcement:
- The campaign: adverts at tube stations, bus stops and on social media, plus a mural at Boxpark Croydon. It targets people most at risk of committing knife crime.
- The police activity it raises awareness of: smarter metal detection, rapid-response e-bikes, extra foot patrols and live facial recognition.
- The areas: parts of Westminster and Croydon, and Birmingham city centre. The release doesn’t map the zones, say which measures apply where, or announce a wider rollout.
The Funding
Westminster, Croydon and 16 other Greater London boroughs have received more than £8.1 million through the Knife Crime Concentrations Fund. The Home Office says it covers enforcement and prevention, including youth outreach and “visible local safety patrols in busy night-time economy areas”. The figure doesn’t include Birmingham.
The Numbers
The Home Office says that since the General Election:
- Nationally: knife crime is down 11%, knife-related homicides 25% and knife-enabled robbery 18%.
- In London: knife crime is down 14%, homicides 34% and knife-enabled robbery 19%.
The Met’s Commander Pete Stevens adds that knife-enabled crime in London fell 14.9% in the last financial year, and that hospitalisations from sharp-weapon attacks have fallen 29% over five years. For a different measure, the ONS reports police-recorded knife-enabled crime in England and Wales down 8% in the year to March 2026. Our blog on knife crime in the UK has the wider picture.
What It Means At The Door
- Your powers and duties haven’t changed. The campaign doesn’t alter the law or SIA rules.
- The area around you may. If you work in or near a pilot area, you may see more patrols. Ask your employer or venue manager what’s planned locally.
- Your own procedures matter most. Keep your search policy written down and applied consistently, and get familiar with the search criteria for door supervisors and what a door supervisor can and can’t do to understand where your powers sit. Our free Security Officer’s Manual is also a handy resource to have on shift.
- If you find a blade, follow your venue’s knife incident protocol for logging it, handing it to police and keeping the CCTV.
- Anonymous reporting exists. According to the press release, you can use Crimestoppers to pass on information about knife carrying completely anonymously.
The Bottom Line
‘No Place for Knives’ is a pilot in three areas, and the Home Office hasn’t announced a wider rollout. For door teams, the job is the same: search by policy, call the police early and log what happens.
And, finally, make sure your licence is valid. If the expiry date is coming up, book your Door Supervisor refresher now to ensure you keep working legally in UK private security.
