Statistics: Firearm and shotgun certificates, April 2024 to March 2025

[Dragonfly Ordnance]

Firearm and shotgun certificate statistics.

New figures here.

 

[bulric]

3% decrease in general on license holders, that's not a non-negligible drop over a single year...

 

[Liveonce]

do wish they would not use the word, weapons.

then

Lowest number of certificate holders since comparable records began​

High numbers of firearm and shotgun certificates refused​

Highest numbers of firearm certificates revoked since comparable records began​

 

[timbrayford]

Is this a reflection of an obstructive attitude of FLDs towards customer service?

 

[finnbear270]

Funny how they can use the word firearm / s when it suits.

 

[weblyish]

This is an awful chart, poorly laid out and misleading in many ways but highlights an interesting stat
there are approx 12,500 14-17 year old Cert holders (possibly as many is 18,000 due to rounding) across E&W which is more than I'd have expected and fair play to them

a random person is half as likely to be a cert holder if they are 18-34 relative to across the population as a whole and almost twice as average as likely if they are over 50 - seems to tally with what I've seen except if anything I'm surprised it is as high in the under 35s


also noticed the number of cert (either type) holders is almost exactly 1% of the E&W population so if you have a cert you are one in a hundred

 

[Elshad]

Next year’s statistics will likely show a big drop in “firearms” once moderators are taken off ticket - although this will make for much more comparable figures as most other countries don’t count them

 

[nf-fuse]

Next year’s statistics will likely show a big drop in “firearms” once moderators are taken off ticket - although this will make for much more comparable figures as most other countries don’t count them

They won't be taken off next year.

 

[long_range_rob]

Next year’s statistics will likely show a big drop in “firearms” once moderators are taken off ticket - although this will make for much more comparable figures as most other countries don’t count them

Seems like an optimistic timescale, nice if it happens

 

[Pedro]

Verrry interesting.

The trends these figures show is, I suspect what most people think is happening. Which is basically a reduction of certificate holders, but not a catastrophic one and a higher level of refusals and revocations being maintained.

 

[Sinistral]

Next year’s statistics will likely show a big drop in “firearms” once moderators are taken off ticket - although this will make for much more comparable figures as most other countries don’t count them

I'm afraid this is guesswork as it's wrong. It comes up every year TBF. The raw data in the attached table is what the Home Office work with (files downloadable from the link as a punishment). I think the phrase 'data accessible in Open Format' is a wry joke from the mandarins.

Moderators aren't classed as Firearms in the 'weapons' figures. They've been excluded from them since NFLMS began 10 years ago.

Firearm and shotgun certificates, April 2024 to March 2025

Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates issued by police forces in England and Wales under the Firearms Acts 1968 to 1997.

www.gov.uk

 

[Conor O'Gorman]

BASC comment:

BASC warns that these figures reflect more than just demographic change; they are a direct consequence of a fractured and inefficient licensing system that is deterring lawful participation and putting livelihoods at risk.

BASC is calling for a single, efficient, cost-effective, and robust system of firearms licensing which protects public safety while delivering high-quality service to the shooting community. This must include statutory obligations for all parties in the licensing process, including GPs, whose participation is voluntary, and the creation of a dedicated national licensing body to replace the disparate processes currently administered by 43 separate police forces.

More reaction below:

Home Office firearms licensing statistics highlight need for urgent reform

BASC has responded to the latest Home Office figures on published on the number of firearm and shotgun certificate holders.

basc.org.uk

 

[Elshad]

Figures for Scotland also released: https://www.scotland.police.uk/spa-...ensing-statistical-publication-2024-2025.docx