Research and analysis

Public polling on community safety

Published 27 March 2023

Applies to England and Wales

Key findings

Whilst the majority of the public feel safe in their local area, most expressed concern about:

• crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB)
• NHS/GP services
• the cost of living

The public mainly see community safety as related to crime and ASB, with limited reference to other issues.

There are low levels of confidence in how community safety issues are being dealt with both at a local level and across England and Wales.

The majority think the police or local council are responsible for dealing with community safety, and far fewer are aware of the role of other agencies.

Low numbers are currently engaged with local community safety, though there is appetite to be consulted on some level on how these issues are tackled locally.

The public are keen to be kept informed on how community safety issues are being dealt with locally, with the majority currently accessing information online.

1. Background and research methods

1.1 Research background

The Home Office commissioned Ipsos UK to conduct research with the general public to understand:

• their views on issues related to community safety
• whether they feel these community safety issues are being addressed locally and the role of local agencies
• whether the public are currently engaged on issues related to community safety and, if so, how
• the level of engagement or consultation they would like on this topic going forward

The results from this work will form part of the evidence base for the upcoming Community Safety Partnership Review and will help inform any potential recommendations the review may make. Community Safety Partnerships have an important role in protecting the public from crime and ASB, which is why the government are seeking to improve the effectiveness of this landscape through a review.

1.2 Methodology and sample

Ipsos UK conducted an online survey using their ‘UK KnowledgePanel’, a random-probability online panel. Fieldwork ran from 21 July to 27 July 2022. The ‘UK KnowledgePanel’ achieved a nationally representative sample of 2,014 adults, aged 16 years and over, and living in England and Wales. Ipsos UK stratified the invited sample by country and applied minor weights to the final data to ensure a nationally representative sample across England and Wales.

1.3 How to interpret findings

Given the range of differing terminology in the community safety landscape, Ipsos UK gave participants the following definition of ‘community safety’ to think of when answering survey questions:

“For the purposes of this research, ‘community safety’ is defined as the ways in which local agencies ensure the safety of local communities and provide a range of support services.”

Data may not sum to 100% due to computer rounding, and combinations may not match the sum of constituent percentages. For example, the percentage of those who ‘agree’ overall may not match the percentage who ‘strongly agree’ and ‘somewhat agree’.

Statistically significant differences are made between subgroups using a hypothesis-led approach that draws consistent patterns throughout the data. All subgroup differences reported are statistically significant.

Reference is made to the indices of multiple deprivation (IMD). This is the official measure of relative deprivation in England and Wales, and broadly defines deprivation based on an individual’s living conditions. IMD segments range from IMD1 (most deprived) to IMD5 (least deprived) and are based on each nation’s official IMD definition.^{[footnote 1]}

2. Perceptions of the local area

2.1 Perceptions of safety in the local area

Whilst the majority of the public feel safe in their local area, around one in ten report feeling unsafe.

Figure 2.1: Q3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: ‘Overall, I feel safe in the area where I live’?

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

More than three-quarters of people (78%) feel safe in the area where they live (net: somewhat agree and strongly agree), compared with 11% who do not (net: somewhat disagree and strongly disagree).

A range of factors influence how safe the public feel in their local area, with evident differences among subgroups.

Figure 2.2: Q3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: ‘Overall, I feel safe in the area where I live.’ (Net: agree vs net: disagree amongst subgroups)

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

In particular, people from ethnic minority backgrounds and those living in the most deprived areas (IMD1) were significantly less likely to feel safe in the area where they live.

Accordingly, 63% of people from ethnic minority backgrounds agreed they felt safe in their local area compared with 80% of those identifying as white. In addition, 62% of people living in the most deprived areas (IMD1) agreed they felt safe in their local area compared with 89% of those living in the least deprived areas (IMD5).

Feelings of safety and satisfaction with the local area correlated, with the majority of those who feel safe in their local area also feeling satisfied with where they live.

Figure 2.3: Q4. Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your local area as a place to live?

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

More than three-quarters of people (78%) are satisfied with their local area as a place to live. This is compared with 12% who are dissatisfied, and 9% who are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.

Figure 2.4: Q4. Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your local area as a place to live? (Those who feel safe/unsafe in their local area)

Base: All who feel safe in their local area (1,591); all who feel unsafe in their local area (218)

Amongst those who felt safe in their local area, 91% also felt satisfied with their local area as a place to live compared with 4% who felt dissatisfied with it. In contrast, among those who felt unsafe in their local area, only 28% felt satisfied with their local area as a place to live, compared with 56% who felt dissatisfied with it.

2.2 Issues of concern in the local area

Crime and ASB, NHS/GP services and cost of living were top of mind as issues causing greatest concern when participants were asked to choose from a list of options.

Figure 2.5: Q2. And which of the following issues are you most concerned about in the area where you live? Please select up to three issues.

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

Nearly half of people (48%) said crime and ASB were of concern in the area where they live, followed by 40% who said NHS/GP services and 38% who said the cost of living.

Concern about crime and ASB was highest among groups who were most likely to feel unsafe in their local area. Those in London, those from the most deprived areas (IMD1) and those from ethnic minority backgrounds were significantly more likely to be concerned than their counterparts.

Figure 2.6: Q2. And which of the following issues are you most concerned about in the area where you live? (All selecting ‘crime and anti-social behaviour’)

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

More than three-fifths of those living in London (62%) were concerned about crime and ASB in their local area, compared with 46% from other English regions. Similarly, 58% of those living in the most deprived areas (IMD1) were concerned about ASB, compared with 33% living in the least deprived areas (IMD5). In addition, 57% of those from ethnic minority backgrounds were concerned about it compared with 46% of those identifying as white.

However, level of concern does not always correlate to crime levels locally, indicating a difference between perception of crime and actual crime rates.

Figure 2.7: Q2. And which of the following issues are you most concerned about in the area where you live? (All selecting ‘crime and anti-social behaviour’)

Telephone-operated Crime Survey for England and Wales (TCSEW) base: All adults aged 18 years and over in England and Wales (31,204); Survey base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

For example, 62% of people in London were concerned about crime and ASB in their local area. However, the TCSEW found that, in the year ending 31 March 2022, only 25% of adults had been a victim of crime in London. Similarly, 53% of those in the North East were concerned about crime and ASB, whilst the TCSEW shows that only 16% had been a victim of crime.^{[footnote 2]}

However, it should be noted that TCSEW data showing the percentage of adults who were victims of ASB by region was unavailable. Therefore, these comparisons draw on the percentage of adults who were victims of crime only by region, whereas the current survey data reflects the percentage of people who were concerned about both crime and ASB by region.

Both those in the least deprived areas (IMD5) and in the oldest age group (aged 55 and over) were significantly more likely to be concerned about NHS/GP services, compared with those living in most deprived areas (IMD1) and younger age groups. However, the opposite was true for concern about the cost of living.

Figure 2.8: Q2. And which of the following issues are you most concerned about in the area where you live? (All selecting ‘NHS/GP services’)

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

Figure 2.9: Q2. And which of the following issues are you most concerned about in the area where you live? (All selecting ‘cost of living’)

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

Participants identifying as white were significantly more likely to worry about NHS/GP services (42%) than those from ethnic minority backgrounds (28%). Concern about the NHS/GP services was also higher among those aged 55 and over (51%) compared with 37% of those aged 35 to 54 and 28% of those aged 16 to 34. In contrast, concern about the cost of living was significantly higher among those in the younger age groups - 46% of those aged 35 to 54 and 42% of those aged 16 to 34 reported concern, compared with 27% of those aged 55 and over.

Concern about NHS/GP services was significantly higher among those living in the least deprived areas (IMD5, 45%), compared with those in the most deprived areas (IMD1, 34%). In contrast, those in the most deprived areas (IMD1) were more likely to worry about the cost of living (43%) than those in the least deprived areas (IMD5, 34%).

Within the crime category, the majority of people were concerned about ASB and burglary/theft/stealing, with levels of concern varying by age and also locality.

Figure 2.10: Q13. Which of the following types of crime are you most concerned about in the area where you live? Please select up to three issues.

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

When asked about the types of crime people are concerned about in the area where they live, the most commonly chosen were ASB (60%) and burglary/theft/stealing (59%).

Those from urban areas were significantly more likely to be concerned about ASB than those from rural areas (62% and 50% respectively). In addition, those from more deprived areas (IMD1) were also significantly more likely to be concerned about it (65%) compared with those from the least deprived areas (IMD5, 52%).

In contrast, those from the least deprived areas (IMD5) were significantly more likely to be concerned about burglary/theft/stealing (64%) compared with those from more deprived areas (IMD1, 49%).

Drug offences (such as possession or supply) were the third highest crime type people worried about in the area where they lived. Those from older age groups were significantly more likely to be concerned about drug offences (38% of those aged 35 to 54 and 37% of those aged 55 and over) compared with their younger counterparts (27% of those aged 16 to 34).

Those who feel unsafe in their local area tend to report stronger concern about more violent, in-person crimes.

Participants who do not feel safe in their local area were significantly more likely to be concerned about ASB, violent crime and rape/other sexual offences, compared with those who do feel safe.

Figure 2.11: Q13. Which of the following types of crime are you most concerned about in the area where you live? Please select up to three issues.

Base: All who feel safe in their local area (1,591); all who do not feel safe in their local area (218)

Nearly three-quarters of people (74%) who do not feel safe in their local area were concerned about ASB, compared with 59% of people who do feel safe in their local area.

Similarly, a third of people (33%) who do not feel safe in their local area worry about violent crime/crime against the person, compared with 16% of people who do feel safe.

Nearly one in five people who do not feel safe in their local area (18%) worry about rape and other sexual offences, compared with 9% of people who feel safe in their local area.

3. Local responses to community safety issues

3.1 Defining community safety

Participants defined ‘community safety’ as issues related to crime, anti-social behaviour and the police, with limited reference to the other community safety issues that local partnerships might address.

Q1. In your own words, please describe the types of issues that come to mind when you think of the term ‘community safety’.

“Protection of ethnic groups; speed limit in residential area; police visibility; neighbourhood watch.” Man, 45 to 54 years old, Wales

“Road safety, pedestrian, and cycle safety. Air pollution, healthcare, sexual health, poverty. Everything in public health.” Woman, 16 to 24 years old, North East

“Pro-active policing, for example, having a friendly and approachable local community police presence ‘on the beat’, proper mental health support, placing importance on youth clubs and activities for younger people to encourage positive behaviour within communities.” Man, 45 to 54 years old, South West

“Being able to walk the streets in safety, looking out for neighbours and their property.” Woman, 55 to 64 years old, North West

3.2 Confidence in how community safety issues are addressed

Around half of the public expressed confidence about how community safety issues are being dealt with locally, whilst only one in three are confident in how these issues are handled across England and Wales.

Figure 3.1: Q5. Overall, how confident are you about the way community safety is dealt with in the area where you live / in England and Wales?

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

More than half of people (56%) feel confident in how community safety is dealt with where they live, compared with only 35% who do not feel confident, and 8% who do not know.

However, when considering community safety on a wider scale, only 32% of people feel confident in how it is dealt with in England and Wales, compared with 59% who do not feel confident, and 9% who do not know.

There were regional variations in the extent to which people felt confident about the way community safety is dealt with in their local area. Those living in the East and South West of England, and in the least deprived areas (IMD5), were significantly the most likely to feel confident.

Figure 3.2: Q5. Overall, how confident are you about the way community safety is dealt with in the area where you live? (Net: confident)

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

Confidence in how community safety is dealt with locally was reported by 66% of those living in the East and 65% of those in the South West of England. In contrast, only 44% of those living in London reported this confidence, which was significantly lower than both the average (56%) and in other regions mentioned.

Similarly, only 42% of those living in the most deprived areas (IMD1) reported feeling confident in how community safety is dealt with in the area in which they live, which was significantly lower than both the average (56%) and in the least deprived areas (IMD5, 68%).

There were also variations in levels of confidence based on perceptions of the local area. For example, those who reported feeling safe in the local area were more likely to feel confident in how community safety is dealt with locally (66%) than those who do not feel safe (23%). Similarly, those who reported feeling well-informed about how community safety is dealt with in the local area were more likely to feel confident in how it was dealt with (80%) than those who did not (45%).

The findings indicate a positive relationship between attitudes towards community safety (such as feeling safe or well-informed about local community safety) and confidence in how these issues are being handled.

3.3 Perceptions of responsibility for community safety

The majority of people think that local police (86%) and local councils (81%) are responsible for local community safety.

Figure 3.3: Q6. Who do you think is responsible for dealing with community safety issues in your local area? Please select all that apply.

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

There is much less awareness of the role of other agencies in community safety, such as local health authorities (49%), local fire and rescue services (40%), local housing associations (28%) or probation services (23%).

However, findings differed by age. Particularly, older groups were significantly more likely than average (86%) to see community safety as the responsibility of the police (reported by 90% of those aged 45 to 54 and 89% of those aged 65 to 74). Older groups were also significantly more likely than younger groups to see this as the responsibility of the local council (86% of those aged 55 and over, compared with 72% of those aged 16 to 34). Furthermore, more than one in ten (12%) of those aged 16 to 24 were unsure where this responsibility fell, compared with only 3% on average. This points to a potential knowledge gap.

Those who do not feel well-informed on how community safety issues are dealt with were also significantly more likely than average to see community safety as the responsibility of the police (90%, compared with 86% on average) and local council (86%, compared with 81% on average).

There are varying perceptions towards local agencies’ response to community safety issues, with confidence highest in local fire and rescue services.

Figure 3.4: Q7. How confident do you feel that the following agency is sufficiently addressing community safety in the area where you live? (Answered only by those who think each agency is responsible for dealing with community safety)

Base: All who think the following local agencies are responsible for dealing with community safety when asked at Q6: police (1,751), council (1,687), fire and rescue (865), health authorities (1,041), probation services (508), housing associations (559)

Almost nine in ten (88%) of those who thought local fire and rescue services were responsible for community safety issues were confident in their response to them. In contrast, of those who thought each agency was responsible for community safety, fewer than half were confident in responses from the local police (49%), local health authorities (46%) and local council (40%).

Those who do not feel safe in their local area are significantly less likely to feel confident that local agencies are sufficiently addressing community safety issues.

Figure 3.5: Q7. How confident do you feel that the following agency is sufficiently addressing community safety in the area where you live? (Net: confident; answered only by those who think each agency is responsible for dealing with community safety)

Base: All who think each agency is responsible for dealing with community safety and feel safe / do not feel safe in their local area: police (1,390, 190), council (1,354, 181), fire and rescue (709, 81), health authorities (836, 106), housing associations (439, 71)

This gap is greatest in relation to confidence in local police and local councils. Accordingly, 55% of those who feel safe in their local area and see the police as responsible for addressing community safety issues, feel confident that they are addressing them. This compares with 25% of those who see the police as responsible but do not feel safe in their local area. Similarly, 47% of those who feel safe in their local area and see the local council as responsible for addressing issues, feel confident that they are doing so. This compares with only 14% of those who see the local council as responsible and do not feel safe.

Those who feel well-informed on how community safety issues are dealt with in their local area are significantly more likely to hold higher levels of confidence towards each agency, than those who do not feel well-informed.

Figure 3.6: Q7. How confident do you feel that the following agency is sufficiently addressing community safety in the area where you live? (Net: confident; answered only by those who think each agency is responsible for dealing with community safety)

Base: Adults who think each agency is responsible for dealing with community safety and do / do not feel well-informed on community safety: police (331, 774), council (330, 738), fire and rescue (207, 447), health authorities (207, 447), housing associations (103, 252)

This is particularly the case for the local police and council. Four-fifths (80%) of those who feel well-informed on how community safety issues are dealt with and think the police are responsible for them reported confidence in the local police, compared with 32% who do not feel well-informed. Similarly, 70% of those who feel well-informed and think the local council is responsible for community safety have confidence in them, compared with only 26% of those who do not.

The majority of the public agree that a multi-agency approach should be taken to tackle community safety issues.

Figure 3.7: Q8. To what extent do you agree or disagree that local agencies should work together to tackle community safety issues in your local area?

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

More than four-fifths (85%) of the public agree that local agencies should work together to tackle community safety issues in their local area. In contrast, less than one in ten (8%) neither agree nor disagree, and 5% disagree.

Some population groups were significantly more or less likely to agree that local agencies should work together to tackle community safety issues in their local area. Notably, those more likely to agree that a multi-agency approach is needed included those aged 55 and over (91%, compared with 71% of those aged 16 to 24), and participants identifying as white (87%, compared with 73% of those from ethnic minority backgrounds).

Those living in the East and South East of England were also significantly more likely to agree with this approach (93% and 90% respectively, compared with 76% living in the West Midlands) as were those living in less deprived areas (89% IMD5, compared with 78% IMD1).

4. Engagement with local services

4.1 Staying informed on community safety issues

Only a minority of people feel well-informed about how community safety issues are dealt with, though slightly more feel well-informed about how these are handled locally than across England and Wales.

Figure 4.1: Q9. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? (Net: agree)

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

Slightly fewer than one in five (19%) agreed that they feel well-informed about how community safety is being dealt with in their local area. This is slightly higher than the 12% who felt well-informed about how community safety issues are dealt with in England and Wales more broadly.

Those who feel confident in how community safety is dealt with in their local area were significantly more likely to feel well-informed (27%, compared with 9% of those who do not), as were those living in the East of England (24%, compared with 13% of those in the North West), and women (22%, compared with 16% of men).

In addition, those who feel satisfied with their local area were significantly more likely to feel well-informed (21%, compared with 13% of those who feel dissatisfied), as were those who feel safe in their local area (21%, compared with 10% of those feel unsafe).

Those who are concerned about community safety, or do not feel safe in their local area, are most likely to take an active interest in keeping updated on how these issues are being dealt with.

As with feeling well-informed, slightly fewer than one in five (19%) agreed that they actively search for information to keep them updated on how community safety is dealt with in their local area.

Subgroups who were significantly more likely to actively search for information included those who do not feel safe in their local area (31%, compared with 18% who do feel safe) and those who are concerned about local community safety (29%, compared with 13% of those who are not concerned). Those who do not feel confident in how community safety is dealt with locally were also significantly more likely to actively search (23%, compared with 19% who do feel confident).

Around one in five (18%) feel they have opportunities to share their views on how community safety should be dealt with in their local area.

People who are already engaged with issues of community safety, or take some form of interest in these decisions, are significantly more likely than the average (18%) to feel there are opportunities to share their concerns and preferences. This includes those who feel well-informed about local community safety (52%) and who take an active interest in keeping updated on these issues (35%).

Furthermore, those who are confident in how community safety is dealt with at a national level (28%, compared with 14% who are not confident) and a local level (26%, compared with 8% who are not confident) were more likely to feel they had opportunities to share their views. This was also true of those who feel safe in their local area (21%, compared with 9% who do not feel safe), and who are not concerned about community safety in their local area (20%, compared with 16% who are not concerned).

Geographical differences were also seen, with 24% of those living in the East Midlands agreeing that there are opportunities to share their views, compared with 14% in both London and the West Midlands.

4.2 Engagement on community safety issues

There is widespread support amongst the public for being engaged on how community safety is addressed and handled in their local area.

Figure 4.2: Q11. Which of these statements best reflects how engaged you would like to be in the way local agencies tackle community safety issues in your local area?

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

Overall, more than four-fifths (82%) would like some form of engagement in how community safety issues are tackled in their local area. Half (51%) would like to be kept updated on how local agencies are responding to community safety, but with no further involvement. Around one in three (30%) would like to be actively consulted on future community safety decisions, and 15% are not interested in any form of engagement.

Perceptions and concern about local safety influence the level of involvement the public would like in community safety decisions and updates. Those who feel less safe, or say they are concerned about community safety in their local area, expressed wanting more direct consultation in how these issues are addressed.

More than half of those who feel safe in their local area (54%), and those who are not concerned about local community safety issues (55%), expressed wanting to be kept updated in local community safety issues, but with no further involvement. Those who live in the South East of England (60%), women (58%), those aged 65 and over (58%) and those aged 35 to 54 (55%) also wanted to be updated but not involved further. All these groups were significantly more likely to want to be involved, but not further engaged than the average (51%).

In direct contrast, those who do not feel safe in their local area (42%), those who are concerned about local community safety (40%), and those who are not confident in how this is dealt with locally (38%), were significantly more likely than average (30%) to want more direct consultation in how these issues are addressed, or to be involved in such decisions. Also more likely to express this were those aged 55 to 64 (34%) and those living in the West Midlands (36%).

Most people would like some form of involvement, either through being kept informed or through active engagement, in being consulted on how local agencies respond to community safety issues, with the majority selecting online methods and less opting for in-person consultations.

Figure 4.3: Q12. You said you would like to know about, would like to have some involvement in, or are actively involved in how local agencies respond to community safety. How would you like to be consulted on these issues in the future?

Base: All who would like some type of engagement in how local agencies respond to community safety (1,735). Nets: Online = online/postal newsletters; online/postal feedback surveys; social media discussion groups; designated apps. Active involvement = online/postal feedback surveys; social media discussion groups; designated safety apps; in-person consultations. In-person consultations = in-person community consultations; door-to-door canvassing.

The majority of people who wanted to be engaged or informed about community safety issues (92%) would prefer to be engaged online, primarily via online/postal newsletters (56%) and online/postal feedback surveys (48%). Fewer would like to be engaged via social media discussion groups (32%) or designated community apps (23%).

Fewer than one-third (30%) would like to be consulted on community safety issues in person. Specifically, 22% would like to be engaged via in-person community consultations, and 13% via door-to-door canvassing.

5. Information sources and means of engagement

5.1 Information on local issues

Most people hear about issues that are happening in their local area online, as well as through family, friends or neighbours. Very few hear about issues though agencies, such as the police.

Figure 5.1: Q9 New. What are the main ways, if any, that you hear about community safety issues that are happening in your local areas?

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014). Nets: Online = social media; online apps such as ‘Nextdoor’. Local radio or newspapers = local newspapers/newsletters; local radio stations. Local public agencies = information from local council; communications from local police; information from the town hall.

More than half of people (54%) hear about community safety issues that are happening in their local area through various forms of online communication. Overall, social media (such as Facebook or Twitter) was the most common way of hearing about local community safety issues (46%). This was followed by through friends, family or neighbours (45%).

More than two-fifths of people (43%) heard about local community safety issues through local radio or newspapers and one-third (33%) heard about them through local public agencies.

More than one in ten people (11%) said they are not kept up to date on community safety issues that are happening in their local area.

Those who are confident in how community safety is dealt with locally are significantly more likely to hear about issues happening in their local area through public agencies (36%) than those who are not confident (28%).

There were also further subgroup differences in how people hear about community safety issues in their area. Younger age groups (those aged 16 to 34) were significantly more likely to hear about local community safety issues online (59%) than those from older age groups (45% of those aged 55 and over). In addition, those from white backgrounds were significantly more likely to hear about local community safety issues online compared with those from ethnic minority backgrounds (56% and 43% respectively).

In contrast, participants significantly more likely to hear about local community safety issues from local radio or newspapers were those in older age groups (47% of those aged 55 and over, compared with 35% of those aged 16 to 34), and those in England (44%, compared with 21% of those in Wales).

Older age groups were also significantly more likely to hear about local community safety issues from local public agencies than their younger counterparts (39% of those aged 55 and over compared with 27% of those aged 16 to 34).

5.2 Information on how local issues are being dealt with

In being updated on how community safety issues are being dealt with in their local area, the most common sources of information are online and local media.

Figure 5.2: Q10 New. What are the main ways, if any, that keep you updated on how community safety issues are being dealt with in your local community?

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014). Nets: Online = social media; online apps such as ‘Nextdoor’. Local radio or newspapers = local newspapers/newsletters; local radio stations. Local public agencies = information from local council; communications from local police; information from the town hall.

Through friends, family or neighbours was the most common way people keep updated on how community safety issues are being dealt with in their local community (38%), followed by through social media (such as Facebook or Twitter) at 37%.

When taking figures together, online means were the most popular way people stayed updated on how community safety issues are being dealt with in their local community (45%). This was followed by local radio or newspapers (34%), with fewer keeping updated via local public agencies (28%).

Nearly one-fifth of people (17%) are not kept up to date on how community safety issues are being dealt with in their local community.

As with hearing about the existence of community safety issues in their local area, older age groups were more likely to be kept updated on how community safety is being addressed via local news outlets or public agencies.

The participants significantly more likely to keep updated online were women (48%, compared with 41% of men) and those working full time (49%, compared with 42% of those not working full time).

Older age groups were significantly more likely to be kept updated on how local community safety issues are being dealt with through local radio or newspapers (43% of those aged 55 and over) than their younger counterparts (22% of those aged 16 to 34).

Those not working full time were also significantly more likely to keep updated on how community safety issues were being dealt with via local radio or newspapers compared with those working full time (37% and 31% respectively), as were those in England compared with those living in Wales (35% and 17% respectively).

Older age groups were significantly more likely to keep updated about how community safety issues are being dealt with through local public agencies compared with younger age groups (36% of those aged 55 and over, compared with 18% of those aged 16 to 34).

Those who are confident in how community safety issues are being dealt with in their local community are more likely to stay updated via local public agencies, radio or newspapers, than those who are not confident.

Figure 5.3: Q10 New. And what are the main ways, if any, that keep you updated in how community safety issues are being dealt with in your local community?

Base: All adults aged 16 years and over in England and Wales (2,014)

More than one-third of those who have confidence in how community safety is dealt with locally keep up to date on how issues are dealt with via local radio and newspapers (38%) and local public agencies (33%). This is significantly higher than those who are not confident in how community safety issues are dealt with (32% via local radio or newspapers, 24% via local public agencies).

In contrast, nearly half of people who are concerned about community safety in their local area get information on how community safety issues are being dealt with in their local community via online means (49%). This is significantly higher than those who are not concerned about community safety (43%).

1. For more details, see national IMD statistics for England and Wales. ↩

2. The Crime Survey for England and Wales is conducted by the Office for National Statistics and is an important monitor of the extent of crime in England and Wales. The telephone-operated survey provided important estimates during the pandemic when face-to-face fieldwork was not possible. Updated figures have since been published. ↩