It is estimated that just 29,000 serial criminals are responsible for a £5billion a year bill through repeat shoplifting, theft and violence, a new study has revealed.
The first research of its kind has found that at least 29,000 repeat offenders were behind more than 130,000 crimes a year.
Researchers attempted to quantify the impact on public services, such as the NHS, councils and social services, as well as the cost to businesses from stolen goods and violence to staff.
The study found it cost the public purse £5bn a year, equivalent to £172,000 per offender.
It is the same amount that Labour were hoping to save from the welfare budget.
Police recorded 530,643 shoplifting offences in England and Wales in the year to March 2025 – the highest figure since records began and up from 444,022 in the previous year.
The study, by the research consultancy Newton Europe and charity Revolving Doors, targeted a cohort of prolific offenders convicted of eight or more crimes.
Prolific offenders are described as the ‘revolving door’ group, as they are regularly in and out of prison for lower-level offences.
The first research of its kind has found that at least 29,000 repeat offenders were behind more than 130,000 crimes a year, costing the public purse £5bn a year
Director at Newton Europe, Ben Harris told The Telegraph: ‘This persistent, low-level crime has a really pernicious effect on society more generally and a really significant effect on our public services.’
The study found that six in 10 offenders were found to have ‘unmet needs’, suffering from problems such as drug or drink addiction, mental ill health, school exclusion, family difficulties and longstanding behaviour issues.
‘That has a really worrying, very traceable correlation with the likelihood of reoffending in the long-term,’ Mr Harris added.
Mr Harris presented the findings at a fringe meeting at the Labour conference attended by Lord Timpson, the prisons minister, with a full report due to be published on October 20.
In a bid to tackle the overcrowding crisis besetting Britain’s prisons, the Government is proposing that a custodial sentence should not be the norm when handing out a sentence of 12 months or less.
The review, chaired by former Tory justice secretary David Gauke, instead suggests that magistrates and judges consider suspended or deferred sentences – as well as community punishments.
Lord Timpson said that it would play a key role in diverting prolific offenders away from crime.
He said: ‘It’s really effective in working with these offenders to help them turn their lives around and overcome their addiction and mental health problems.’
Under the plans, offenders will have to commit to treatment plans to address their underlying alcohol or drug issues and do a set amount of community service.
If criminals reoffend or violate the terms of their sentence, then they would be sent to prison.
Mr Gauke proposed a similar idea as justice secretary in a bid to get to grips with the level of reoffending among short-term prisoners.
The scheme, already in its trial stage, is aimed at rehabilitating low-level offenders who have to commit to two-year orders and seek treatment for drink, drugs or mental health issues.
Those on the scheme can be jailed for 28 days for major violations of their license and are cut from the scheme after three strikes.
Nevertheless, the move is likely to spark accusations of ‘soft justice’ from the Tories.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said he believes ending sentences of under a year would ‘unleash a crime wave’.
‘Letting thousands of criminals off with just a tag or community payback is a recipe for carnage on our streets. They need to be locked up for much longer so they can’t keep reoffending,’ he added.
They can be, at the discretion of the judge, sent to jail for 28 days for serious breaches.
Under a three strikes and out rule, they are kicked off the scheme for a third breach.
