National statistics

Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates, England and Wales: April 2020 to March 2021

Published 15 July 2021

Applies to England and Wales

Frequency of release: Annual

Forthcoming releases: Home Office statistics release calendar

Home Office responsible statistician: Jenny Bradley

Press enquiries: pressoffice@homeoffice.gov.uk Telephone: 0300 123 3535

Public enquiries: FLPOAU@homeoffice.gov.uk

This release presents statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates issued by police forces in England and Wales under the Firearms Act 1968 (as amended).

1. Summary

As at 31 March 2021, there were:

• 156,033 firearm certificates on issue, a 2% decrease

• 548,521 shotgun certificates on issue, a 3% decrease

• 565,929 people held a firearm and/or a shotgun certificate, a 3% decrease of 20,422 since last year

In the year ending 31 March 2021, there were:

• 4,988 new applications for firearm certificates, of which 98% were granted and 2% were refused

• 10,901 new applications for shotgun certificates, of which 97% were granted and 3% were refused

• 2,566 new coterminous applications, of which 97% were granted and 3% were refused

• 306 firearms certificates were revoked – a decrease of 18% (-65) compared with the previous year and 0.2% of the total firearm certificates on issue

• 982 shotgun certificates were revoked – a decrease of 14% (-159) compared with the previous year and 0.2% of the total shotgun certificates on issue

• Experimental statistics: 365 firearms and shotguns were reported as lost or stolen; of which, 126 were lost and 239 were stolen

2. Introduction

A firearm or shotgun certificate is a type of licence, issued by the police, which allows the holder to possess firearms or shotguns and associated ammunition in Great Britain. Firearm and shotgun certificates are valid for 5 years.

This release covers certificates on issue in England and Wales as at 31 March 2021, as well as historical trend data and police force comparisons. Certificates on issue in Scotland are published by Police Scotland. This release also provides information on certificates granted or refused for new and renewal applications, certificates revoked, registered firearms dealers, visitors’ permits, European Firearms Passes (EFP) and Article 7 Authorities issued. It also includes figures on the number of people that hold a firearm and/or shotgun certificate, by age and gender, breakdowns of firearm and shotgun types, and new Experimental Statistics on lost and stolen firearms and shotguns.

The statistics in this release were extracted from the National Firearms Licensing Management System (NFLMS). The system is continually updated as it is a live operational database, so these statistics are a snapshot of a point in time.

NFLMS: This system is a register of all people who have applied for, or have been granted, a certificate to possess or acquire a firearm or shotgun and includes registered firearms dealers.

2.1 Firearm and shotgun licensing

All persons acquiring, or in possession of, a firearm or shotgun must hold a certificate issued by the chief officer of the police force area in which they reside unless they are otherwise exempt.

To obtain a firearm or shotgun certificate, the chief officer must be satisfied that:

(i) the applicant has good reason for having the firearm
(ii) the applicant is fit to be entrusted with a firearm
(iii) the public safety or peace will not be endangered

Types of firearms: Firearms are categorised as rifles, handguns, muzzle-loading handguns, Section 1 shotguns, sound moderators and other firearm types.

Types of shotguns: Shotguns are categorised as Section 2 shotguns and other shotgun types.

Section 1 shotguns, in general, are weapons that contain a magazine holding more than two rounds. Section 1 shotguns are held on firearm certificates.

Section 2 shotguns, in general, are weapons that may have a magazine restricted to no more than two rounds.

Firearm and shotgun certificates are valid for 5 years from the date they are issued.

The user guide provides additional information on this release. It includes the coverage of the data, a glossary of weapon definitions, terms and information on the conventions used in the statistics, and legislation and regulations.

The accompanying data tables for this statistical release can be found on GOV.UK.

3. Firearm and shotgun certificates on issue

There were 156,033 firearm certificates on issue as at 31 March 2021, a 2% decrease of 3,450 compared with the previous year (159,483).

There were 548,521 shotgun certificates on issue as at 31 March 2021, a 3% decrease of 18,837 compared with the previous year (567,358) and the lowest number of shotgun certificates on issue since comparable records began following the introduction of the NFLMS (549,207 as at 31 March 2008). As shown in Figure 1, the number of shotgun certificates on issue over the past 10 years has shown small fluctuations (between 548,521 and 582,923) whereas the number of firearm certificates has had a small but steady rise followed by a slight decrease.

Figure 1: Firearm and shotgun certificates on issue as at 31 March 2012 to 2021, England and Wales

Source: Home Office, Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates data tables, Tables 1 and 3.

Data on firearm and shotgun certificates on issue by police force area are in Tables 2 and 4.

4. Weapons covered by firearm and shotgun certificates

As at 31 March 2021, an average of 4.0 firearms were held on a firearms certificate, an increase of 0.2 compared with the previous year. The average number of firearms held on a certificate has shown a steady increase over the past 13 years, with the lowest being 3.1 as at March 2009 (since comparable records began following the introduction of the NFLMS).

As at 31 March 2021, an average of 2.5 shotguns were held on a shotgun certificate. This average has remained stable for the past 13 years.

4.1 Types of weapon held on firearm certificates

In total, 617,171 firearms were covered by firearm certificates as at 31 March 2021. The majority (58%) were rifles and 32% were sound moderators. These proportions have remained stable over the last 6 years.

Rifles are typically used for target shooting, the control of vermin or sports shooting.

Sound moderators are an accessory subject to certificate control as “items designed to reduce the noise or flash of a firearm”.

4.2 Types of weapon held on shotgun certificates

In total, 1,379,399 shotguns were covered by shotgun certificates. Almost all (over 99%) were Section 2 shotguns. Other shotgun types and shotguns for which no type had been recorded on the NFLMS both accounted for less than 1% of shotguns (0.3% and 0.07%, respectively).

A Section 2 shotgun may have a magazine restricted to no more than two rounds and is held on a shotgun certificate. The main usage of these types of weapons is vermin control, clay pigeon shooting and sporting purposes.

The user guide provides further definitions for the other firearm and shotgun types held on certificates.

Data on weapons held on firearm and shotgun certificates by police force area are in Tables 2, 4 and 16.

5. Certificate holders

As at 31 March 2021, 565,929 people held a firearm and/or shotgun certificate, a decrease of 3% (-20,422) compared with the previous year and the lowest number since comparable figures have been available (March 2016). This total figure includes those that only hold a firearm certificate, those that only hold a shotgun certificate and those that hold both types of certificate. A person is only counted once if they hold both firearm and shotgun certificates.

Of the 565,929 certificate holders:

• 94% (531,041) were male
• 69% (391,053) were aged 18 to 64
• 0.4% (2,084) were aged 17 years and under
• The youngest shotgun certificate holder as at 31 March 2021 was aged 7

For young people under the age of 14, exemptions apply under the Firearms Acts which allow them to possess a firearm or shotgun in certain circumstances. For example, for sporting purposes, for use at a rifle or pistol club, or cadet corps, or at a miniature rifle range. Appendix 4 in the Home Office Guide on Firearms licensing law provides further detail on the laws and exemptions for young people holding certificates.

Figure 2: Proportion of age group in population in England and Wales and firearm and/or shotgun certificate holders by age group as at 31 March 2021

Source: Home Office, Statistics on firearm and shotgun data tables, Table 14.
Population estimates - Office for National Statistics, Estimates of the population for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland 2019.

Figure 2 shows that 50 to 64 year olds are more likely to hold a firearm and/or shotgun certificate than those in younger age groups. Over a third (36%; 204,901) of firearm and/or shotgun certificate holders were aged 50 to 64. However, this age group accounts for only 19% of the total population of England and Wales.

There has been little variation in the number of people that hold a firearm or a shotgun certificate in previous years, with small decreases in the latest year.

• As at 31 March 2021, 155,974 people held a firearm certificate, a 2% decrease (-3,628) compared with the previous year
• As at 31 March 2021, 548,343 people held a shotgun certificate, a 3% decrease (-19,363) compared with the previous year

The characteristics of those that hold a firearm certificate and those that hold a shotgun certificate are very similar, as displayed in Table 1.

Table 1: People who held a firearm and/or shotgun certificate as at 31 March 2021, by age and gender, in England and Wales

	People who held a firearm certificate	People who held a shotgun certificate
Male	97% (150,662)	94% (515,076)
13 and under	N/A	0.03% (156)
14 to 17 years	0.1% (190)	0.3% (1,898)
18 to 64 years	72% (112,244)	69% (380,402)
65 years and over	28% (43,540)	30% (165,887)

Source: Home Office, Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates data tables, Tables 14 and 15.
Notes: People aged 13 and under cannot lawfully hold a firearm certificate.

5.1 Firearms and shotguns held on certificates by police force area

As shown in Figure 3, the areas with the highest number of firearms (held on certificates) per 100,000 people are the rural areas of North Yorkshire (2,931), Dyfed-Powys (2,703) and Cumbria (2,545).

These areas are consistently the police force areas with the highest number of firearms and/or shotguns per 100,000 people. The population in police force areas that cover rural areas is often lower than police force areas that cover cities, and firearms and/or shotguns owned here are likely to be used for employment purposes (for example game keeping and farming) and leisure activities (for example target shooting and game shooting).

Police force areas with the lowest number of firearms (held on certificates) per 100,000 people tend to be in large metropolitan areas in England; the lowest are the Metropolitan Police (203), West Midlands (312) and Merseyside (340).

The police force areas correspond to the certificate holder’s primary address. Therefore, it should be noted that the weapon may be stored and used in another police force area.

Figure 3: Firearms per 100,000 people by police force area as at 31 March 2021, England and Wales

Source: Home Office, Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates data tables, Table 2.
Population estimates - Office for National Statistics, Estimates of the population for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland 2019.
Shape file source: ONS Geo-portal.
Notes: City of London is not included as its mid-2019 population estimate is less than 100,000.

Similar to the geographical patterns seen in Figure 3, the areas with the highest number of shotguns (held on certificates) per 100,000 people as at 31 March 2021 (Figure 4) are also rural areas, with the highest numbers in Dyfed-Powys (6,676), Norfolk (6,567) and Suffolk (5,827).

This is also true for the police force areas with the lowest number of shotguns (held on certificates) per 100,000 people. These are Merseyside (542), the Metropolitan Police (550) and Greater Manchester (590).

Figure 4: Shotguns per 100,000 people by police force area as at 31 March 2021, England and Wales

Source: Home Office, Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates data tables, Table 4.
Population estimates - Office for National Statistics, Estimates of the population for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland 2019.
Shape file source: ONS Geo-portal.
Notes: City of London is not included as its mid-2019 population estimate is less than 100,000.

Data covering the certificate type, gender and age of the certificate holders by police force area can be found in Tables 13, 14 and 15.

6. New applications, renewals and revocations

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. The number of new applications for firearm and shotgun certificates are likely to have been affected by this. In the year ending 31 March 2021, there were:

• 4,988 new applications for firearm certificates compared with 7,962 in the previous year; this is a decrease of 2,974 or 37%
  • of these new applications, 2% (106) were refused; a lower proportion than the previous year (3%)
• 10,901 new applications for shotgun certificates compared with 18,857 in the previous year; this is a decrease of 7,956 or 42%
  • of these new applications, 3% (289) were refused; the same proportion as the previous year (3%)
• 2,566 new coterminous applications compared with 4,110 in the previous year; this is a decrease of 1,544 or 38%
  • a coterminous application allows the holder of a firearms certificate to have the date of their shotgun certificate changed to expire on the same day; more information is included in the user guide
• 32,084 firearm certificate renewal applications, of which almost all (32,012), were granted and just 0.2% (72) were refused; an increase of 11,298 or 54% compared with the previous year
• 82,746 shotgun certificate renewal applications, of which almost all (82,575), were granted and just 0.2% (171) were refused; an increase of 30,111 or 57% compared with the previous year
• 29,262 applications for coterminous renewal, compared with 19,843 in the previous year; this is an increase of 9,419 or 47%
• 306 firearm certificates were revoked, an 18% decrease of 65 from 371 in the previous year
• 982 shotgun certificates were revoked, a 14% decrease of 159 from 1,141 in the previous year

Refusals: An application may be refused if the chief officer of police is not satisfied that the applicant can fulfil the criteria for the grant or renewal of a certificate. Any reason to refuse an application must be clearly justified and explained.

Firearm and shotgun certificates can be revoked by the chief officer of police for the force concerned if they have reason to believe that the holder:

• can no longer be entrusted with a firearm and/or shotgun in accordance with the Firearms Act 1968
• is of unsound mind or is otherwise unfit to be entrusted with a firearm and/or shotgun
• can no longer be permitted to have the firearm and/or shotgun or ammunition to which the certificate relates in their possession without danger to the public safety or to the peace
• no longer has a good reason for having in their possession, or for purchasing or acquiring, the firearm or ammunition which they are authorised

Data on new applications, renewals and revocations by police force area are in Table 2 and Table 4.

7. Additional statistics

7.1 Registered Firearms Dealers

There were 3,007 registered firearms dealers in England and Wales as at 31 March 2021. This represents a decrease of 9% (-310) compared with the previous year. In the year ending March 2021, there were 571 renewal applications from dealers, a 49% decrease compared to the previous year but a similar level to the year ending March 2018 (577). This fall is expected and follows the 3-year renewal cycle where dealers must renew their licence.

A firearms dealer wishing to carry on business, including exhibiting at game fairs, arms fairs and other temporary events, in their own or another police force area, must be registered by the chief officer of police as a firearms dealer for that police force area. Therefore, within the total figure of registered firearms dealers, the same dealer may appear more than once if registered in more than one police force area.

Data on registered firearm dealers by police force area are in Tables 6 and 7.

7.2 Visitor’s permits

In the year ending 31 March 2021, 575 people were covered by individual or group visitors’ permits for firearms, representing a 69% decrease of 1,256 compared with the previous year. In the same period, there were 2,084 people covered by individual or group visitors’ permits for shotguns representing a 70% decrease of 4,807 compared with the previous year. It is likely that visitor’s permits were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data on visitors’ permits by police force area are in Table 8, Table 9 and Table 10.

7.3 European Firearms Pass (EFP) and Article 7 Authority

The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020. After the implementation period ended on 31 December 2020, GB certificate holders lost the facility to obtain an EFP from police forces and they are no longer able to use one to travel to the EU with their firearm or shotgun. More information is available in the user guide.

Similarly, Article 7 authorities permit the holder to purchase certain firearms and ammunition in Europe, and they only apply to EU residents buying or acquiring certain firearms in another EU state.

Data on EFPs and Article 7 Authorities are in Tables 11 and 12.

7.4 Lost and stolen firearms and shotguns

The following statistics are included in Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates for the first time, following feedback received from users.

These new statistics are classed as ‘experimental’. Experimental statistics are new official statistics undergoing evaluation. More information about experimental statistics can be found on the UK Statistics Authority website. Home Office statisticians aim to improve the quality of the data in future releases by working with police forces to develop quality assurance procedures.

In the year ending March 2021, 365 firearms and shotguns were reported as lost or stolen, of which 126 were lost and 239 were stolen. This equates to 0.02% of the weapons held on certificates over the same period.

Of the 126 lost firearms and shotguns, the majority were shotguns (77) and sound moderators (23). Of the 239 stolen firearms and shotguns, the majority were shotguns (187) and rifles (29).