Burglary hotspots in the UK

After the festive season, homes are full of shiny new tech, jewellery and gifts – but most people haven’t updated their contents insurance to cover them. So, which postcodes are burglars targeting most? And where in the UK has the lowest burglary rates?

The UK’s burglary hotspots

Homes in B15 in Birmingham – covering Edgbaston and nearby areas – recorded 57.7 burglary-related insurance claims for every 1,000 home insurance quotes between 2021 and 2024.

It’s no surprise: Edgbaston is home to some of the city’s most expensive properties, making it a prime target for thieves. The area also hosts the University of Birmingham and Birmingham City University, and student accommodation can be appealing to burglars thanks to high-value tech and less-than-perfect security habits.

The second-worst postcode was B94 in Solihull, with 39.2 claims per 1,000 quotes. In third place, TW12 – covering Hampton in Greater London – saw 38.1 claims per 1,000. With average house prices topping £700,000, Hampton’s affluent homes are an obvious draw.

Greater London dominated the rankings, accounting for six of the top ten burglary hotspots. SW13 in Barnes and M12 in Greater Manchester shared fourth place with 37.5 claims per 1,000. Mortlake and East Sheen also featured, as did E9 – spanning Hackney Wick and Homerton – and SE21, covering Dulwich and its leafy surrounds, were close behind. Even Thames Ditton in Surrey made the list, proving that high-value homes remain a consistent lure.

Regionally, London had the highest burglary claim rate overall at 20.4 per 1,000, followed by Yorkshire and The Humber at 13.3, and the West Midlands at 13.1.

Rank	Postcode District	UK Region	County/Council Area	Towns/Areas	Burglaries Per 1,000
1	B15	West Midlands	West Midlands	Edgbaston, Lee Bank	57.7
2	B94	West Midlands	Warwickshire	Olton, Solihull	39.2
3	TW12	London	Greater London	Hampton	38.1
4	SW13	London	Greater London	Barnes, Castelnau	37.5
5	M12	North West	Greater Manchester	Ardwick, Longsight, and Chorlton-on-Medlock	37.5
6	E9	London	Greater London	Homerton, Hackney Wick, South Hackney, Hackney Marshes, Victoria Park	37.1
7	SW14	London	Greater London	Mortlake, East Sheen	36.0
8	B13	West Midlands	West Midlands	Moseley, Billesley	35.9
9	SE21	London	Greater London	Dulwich, Dulwich Village, West Dulwich, Tulse Hill, Sydenham Hill	35.6
10	E5	London	Greater London	Upper Clapton, Lower Clapton, Leyton, Stoke Newington	35.1
11	S17	Yorkshire and The Humber	Derbyshire	Dore, Totley, Bradway	33.7
12	KT7	South East	Greater London	Thames Ditton, Weston Green	33.7
13	IG4	London	Greater London	Redbridge	32.9
14	SE24	London	Greater London	Herne Hill, Tulse Hill	32.5
15	N21	London	Greater London	Winchmore Hill, Bush Hill, Grange Park	32.0
16	E8	London	Greater London	Hackney Central, Dalston, London Fields	31.8
17	N6	London	Greater London	Highgate, Hampstead Heath	31.6
18	N10	London	Greater London	Muswell Hill	31.2
19	N20	London	Greater London	Whetstone, Totteridge, Oakleigh Park	31.1
20	LS20	Yorkshire and The Humber	West Yorkshire	Guiseley	31.0

Where are you less likely to be burgled?

At the other end of the scale, Northern Ireland comes out on top for peace of mind. The BT23 postcode – covering Newtownards, Ballygowan, Comber, Conlig, Killinchy and Moneyrea – recorded just 1.1 burglary-related claims per 1,000 home insurance quotes over the four-year period.

Scotland’s safest spot was AB51 in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, while in England, residents of the CA7 postcode in Cumbria had the lowest burglary risk.

In Wales, CH39 – spanning Porth, Llwyncelyn, Cymmer, Glynfach, Trebanog, Ynyshir, Wattstown, Dinas, Tonyrefail, Coed Ely, Thomastown, Gilfach Goch and Evanstown – saw only 2.3 claims per 1,000 quotes, making it the safest Welsh postcode and fifteenth lowest in the UK overall.

Looking at the bigger picture, Northern Ireland had the lowest regional burglary claim rate at 3.7 per 1,000, followed by Wales at 6.7 and Scotland at 7.1.

Rank	Postcode District	UK Region	County/Council Area	Towns/Areas	Burglaries Per 1,000
1	BT23	Northern Ireland	County Down	Newtownards, Ballygowan, Comber, Conlig, Killinchy, Moneyrea	1.1
2	BT67	Northern Ireland	County Armagh	Aghagallon, Aghalee, Gawley’s Gate, Lurgan, Magheralin, Moira	1.3
3	BT48	Northern Ireland	County Londonderry	Derry, Cityside, Ballynagard, Coshquin, Rosemount, The Collon, Culmore	1.4
4	BT34	Northern Ireland	County Down	Newry, Annalong, Ballymartin, Cabra, Hilltown, Kilcoo, Kilkeel, Mayobridge, Poyntzpass, Rathfriland, Rostrevor, Warrenpoint	1.5
5	CA7	North West	Cumbria	Wigton, Silloth, Aspatria, Caldbeck, Hesket Newmarket	1.6
6	AB51	Scotland	Aberdeenshire	Inverurie	1.6
7	TQ13	South West	Devon	Ashburton, Bovey Tracey, Chudleigh, Moretonhampstead, Widecombe in the Moor	1.8
8	BT19	Northern Ireland	County Down	Bangor, Crawfordsburn, Groomsport, Helens Bay	1.9
9	BT62	Northern Ireland	County Armagh	Craigavon, Portadown, Tandragee, Clare, Scotch Street	2.1
10	BT28	Northern Ireland	County Antrim	Lisburn	2.2
11	BT45	Northern Ireland	County Londonderry	Magherafelt, Ballyronan, Bellaghy, Castledawson, Desertmartin, Draperstown, Knockloughrim, Moneymore, Tobermore, Fallalea, Fallaghloon	2.2
12	BT5	Northern Ireland	County Antrim	Belfast, Castlereagh, Crossnacreevy, Gilnahirk, Knock	2.2
13	IV2	Scotland	Highland	Inverness east, Culloden, Balloch, Ardersier	2.3
14	EX39	South West	Devon	Bideford, Lundy Island	2.3
15	CF39	Wales	Rhondda Cynon Taf	Porth, Llwyncelyn, Cymmer, Glynfach, Trebanog, Ynyshir, Wattstown, Dinas, Tonyrefail, Coed Ely, Thomastown, Gilfach Goch, Evanstown	2.3
16	CA14	North West	Cumbria	Workington, Distington, Seaton	2.3
17	AB39	Scotland	Aberdeenshire	Stonehaven, Newtonhill	2.3
18	CA2	North West	Cumbria	Carlisle South West	2.3
19	FK10	Scotland	Falkirk	Alloa, Clackmannan, Sauchie, Tullibody	2.3
20	BT25	Northern Ireland	County Down	Dromore, Dromara, Finnis, Waringsford	2.4

How to protect your home from burglars

Long, dark evenings, shiny new Christmas gifts, and homes left empty over the holidays make this season a hotspot for break-ins. Here’s some handy tips for protecting your home:

1. Invest in security – cameras, alarms, even smart doorbells can all help deter thieves, and come in handy should the worst happen.
2. Store items in a safe – for valuables and heirlooms that you want to stay hidden, but also cash, wallets and keys.
3. Always lock your windows and doors – it’s easy to get distracted, but always do a sweep of your home to check everything’s locked before heading out, even if it’s a short trip.
4. Don’t forget about outside – garages, sheds and outbuildings can all store expensive items like bikes, golf clubs or gardening tools. Make sure these are securely locked too.
5. Be careful what you signal about your home – the post-Christmas bin day collection can reveal clues about what flashy items you’ve got inside. And so can your social media posts about when you’re away, or what presents Santa brought. Consider what you post online, and take care to dispose of packaging discreetly.

Your next phase of protection is your insurance. This time of year often comes with an increase in valuables, but how often do you update your cover to reflect this? Your home insurance usually comes in three forms, with each designed to shield you from costly surprises:

• Contents insurance – covers what’s inside your home
• Buildings insurance – covers the structure itself
• Combined cover – protects both

If your cover doesn’t reflect the true cost of repairs and replacements, you could end up paying thousands out of pocket. Around 80% of people undervalue their possessions and even their home’s structure – leaving them exposed when the unexpected happens.

The best way to make sure you’re properly protected? Speak to a broker, such as Howden. They’ll walk you through your options, answer your questions, and give you clarity and peace of mind.

Search Howden insurance to find your nearest branch and speak to your local team.

Sources: MoneySuperMarket, ThisIsMoney.co.uk

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This is a marketing blog by Howden.