Milton, Southend-on-Sea: Safety
Safety
Crime rates in Milton are higher than the UK and regional averages, but there's been real progress. The monthly average has dropped from around 292 in 2024 to 201 so far in 2026, which is a meaningful shift.
In 2024, Milton recorded 299 crimes per 1,000 people compared to a UK average of 91.6. That gap stayed wide in 2025 at 289.3 per 1,000. The encouraging part is the recent downward trend. Violent crime is the largest category here, as it is across most urban neighbourhoods, though anti-social behaviour sits below the national rate proportionally. Just over in neighbouring Chalkwell, crime rates are lower overall, which shows conditions vary noticeably across this part of Southend.
Source: police-recorded crime for Milton ward (Essex Police, data.police.uk), Jan 2024–Aug 2026; residents from Census 2021. This summary may predate the latest data release; the table below has the current figures.
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Crime rate comparison
Crimes per 1,000 residents, Jan–Dec 2025. Milton ward: Essex Police data via data.police.uk; residents from Census 2021. Averages are for all wards in the area over the same months. Planna's safety index uses the latest 12 months instead, so it can differ.
2024
2025
Jan–Aug 2026
Milton ward
Crimes/1,000 residents
289.3
Higher than
UK average (England, Wales & N. Ireland)
98.8
Higher than
East of England region average
81.9
Neighbouring wards
Higher than
Kursaal
220.6
Higher than
Chalkwell
150
Similar to
Victoria
266.2
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Types of Crime
Share of police-recorded crimes in Milton ward and the East of England region average, Jan–Dec 2025.
This ward
Regional average
- Violent offences39%38%
- Shoplifting11%8%
- Anti-social behaviour11%14%
- Public order7%6%
- Drugs6%3%
- Other theft6%7%
- Criminal damage and arson6%8%
- Vehicle crime3%5%
- Burglary2%3%
- Robbery2%1%
- Theft from the person2%1%
- Bicycle theft2%1%
- Other crime2%2%
- Possession of weapons1%1%
