High Streets UK warns that, without urgent reform, current systems cannot deliver on  Government ambitions to tackle high street crime.

• The group has published a four-point policy proposal, including ringfenced policing for  flagship destinations; criminal justice reform; a coordinated crackdown on international  organised crime; and national framework for business crime reporting.

• High Streets UK is a pro-growth, nationwide partnership of flagship high streets,  representing 5,000+ businesses, contributing £50 billion in GVA annually.

• The Safer High Streets Forum is the second quarterly meeting since the group’s launch,  building on its work to shape government policy and unlock growth

London, 5th June 2025 –Following this week’s Safer High Streets Forum in London, High Streets  UK has set out a four-point policy proposal to urgently tackle prolific offending, business crime,  anti-social behaviour, and organised criminal activity taking place on the UK’s flagship high  streets.

Recent Government commitments on retail crime – including reprioritising shoplifting and  making assaulting a retail worker a standalone offence – are welcome acknowledgements of  unprecedented levels of loss from customer theft, which have soared to £2 billion,1 and  escalating violence against shop staff.

However, High Streets UK warns that criminal justice infrastructure, police funding and strategic  prioritisation of other crime categories must be urgently reviewed if the crime plaguing our high  streets is to be meaningfully and holistically tackled.

The group’s key recommendations include: 

1. Ringfenced policing uplift in and around flagship high streets; 

2. Developing a clear plan for criminal justice system reform, including strengthened  provisions around Criminal Behaviour Orders;

3. A coordinated, nationwide multi-agency approach to tackling organised crime; 4. Pilot a standardised, nationwide framework for businesses to report crime.

Shaun Holland is Director of Operations at Liverpool BID Company 

“I am delighted that so many partners from across the country have shown an interest and recognised the importance of this issue. Liverpool is leading the way in raising the profile of an issue that impacts every business and every high street.

Business crime costs in excess of two billion each year and it is vital we work together alongside our partners to tackle it. Liverpool is one of the safest cities in the country, however we are not complacent and this is recognised through our work in Partnership with the statutory and voluntary sectors and is recognised by over twenty years of continuous accreditation with Purple Flag status. 

This conference will bring different stakeholders together to create a plan and a strategy to reduce business crime. It’s not something business should have to deal with alone”.

Dee Corsi, Chair of High Streets UK and Chief Executive of founding member, New West  End Company, said: “Flagship high streets are engines of the local and national economy,  drivers of tourism, and anchors for communities. But without urgent national action on crime,  they are at serious risk.

“We have welcomed the Government’s renewed focus on retail crime in particular. But we  must go further and faster to tackle all types of crime affecting high streets, having a devastating  effect on businesses and communities, tarnishing the UK’s global reputation, and jeopardising tourism and investment.

“At our Safer High Streets Forum, we shared our frontline experience of the international 

criminal gangs, business crime, prolific offenders and anti-social behaviour affecting our high  streets – none of which can be meaningfully tackled with the current systems and resources in  place.

“Together, we have set out a clear, practical blueprint for change. It’s now time to focus on  delivery.”

The second High Streets UK Forum builds on the group’s previous work to shape government  policy on business rates reform, with calls for urgent reform to protect physical high street  locations from disproportionate tax burdens. It also forms part of High Streets UK’s broader  mission to unlock the growth potential of flagship high streets and ensure they are socially  inclusive, welcoming and resilient.