Knives: Import Controls

We are currently strengthening the legislation around the online sale of knives with measures in the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament. This includes:

• introducing a two-stage age verification system at the point of online purchase.
• age and identity checks upon delivery of knives.
• increasing the penalties for the sale of knives to minors.
• increasing the penalties for possessing offensive weapons in private.
• introducing a duty on online sellers to report bulk sales of knives.
• providing the police with the power to require technology companies responsible for social media sites, marketplaces, and search services to take down illegal knife and offensive weapon content.
• Introducing a new offence in respect of possession of a knife likely to be used in unlawful violence.
• giving the police a new power to seize knives they believe will likely be used for unlawful violence.

We have also taken action to ban zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes from 24 September 2024; and to ban ninja swords from 1 August 2025.

The Home Secretary also commissionedCommander Stephen Clayman, the National Police Lead on knife crime, to undertake t a review into the online sale and delivery of knives. The review was completed and its report published on 19 February 2025. The Government acted on the review’s recommendations immediately concerning better age verification checks at point of sale and delivery and requiring online sellers to report bulk purchases of knives. We will also be consulting later this year on a registration scheme for sellers of knives, as recommended by Commander Clayman in his review, and we are exploring the review’s other recommendations including changes in respect of importation of knives.