"Excluding terror attacks in London and Manchester and crimes recorded as a result of events at Hillsborough, homicides have increased over the last three years","" "England and Wales, year ending March 2003 to year ending December 2017","" "","" "Notes","1. Police recorded crime data are not designated as National Statistics. 2. Data on homicide offences given in these police recorded crime data will differ from data from the Home Office Homicide Index, which are published annually by ONS, last released as part of [Homicide in England and Wales: year ending March 2017](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/homicideinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2017). Police recorded crime data on homicide represent the recording decision of the police based on the available information at the time the offence comes to their attention. Homicide Index data take account of the charging decision and court outcome in cases that have gone to trial. It is not uncommon for offences initially recorded as murder by the police to be charged or convicted as manslaughter at court." "Unit","Number of offences" "","" "Offence","Homicide","Homicide (inc Hillsborough and London and Manchester terror attacks)","Homicide (exc Hillsborough and London and Manchester terror attacks)" "2003","1047","","" "2004","904","","" "2005","868","","" "2006","764","","" "2007","758","","" "2008","775","","" "2009","664","","" "2010","620","","" "2011","639","","" "2012","553","","" "2013","558","","" "2014","533","","" "2015","539","","" "YE Dec 2016","","695","599" "YE Dec 2017","","688","653"