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Are you feeling pressured to carry a knife?

It may seem that lots of people carry, but the truth is that 99% of under 29s don't carry a knife so it's not normal to take a blade with you when you leave the house.

Rather than protecting you, a knife can actually put you in more danger as it can be used against you. You also risk a criminal record as carrying a knife is a crime, whether there's intention to use it or not.

It's safest to Ditch the Blade.

If you need support to go knife free, take a look at our advice below, you're not on your own.

Knife surrender bank locations

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Advice for young people

What are the consequences?

I’m being pressured to carry a knife. What can I do?

How can I dispose of a knife?

Who can help me?

How do I report knife crime?

Are you a parent, carer or teacher?

We need your help to encourage young people to make the right choice and to Ditch the Blade. Some young people carry because they feel worried so it's really important that we tackle the reasons behind this together, and provide support to reassure our young people that knives are not the answer.

To bring communities together to tackle knife crime, we're supporting the Ditch the Blade campaign in Staffordshire. Through education and prevention work, the campaign aims to encourage community conversations about knife crime to show our young people that carrying a knife isn't ok. By bringing this topic into the spotlight we hope to make our young people aware of the risks and consequences they face if they decide to carry a knife.

The Ditch the Blade campaign supports Operation Sceptre, two national weeks of dedicated activity against knife crime. These weeks are an opportunity for us to highlight everything we're doing as a partnership to tackle knife crime in Staffordshire, but our work continues all year round.

Advice for parent and carers

What are the signs to look out for?

What are the consequences?

How can I dispose of a knife?

How can I help prevent knife crime?

Who can I call for help?

How do I report knife crime?

Lived experience of knife crime – the impact on the whole family

Advice for teachers and other practitioners

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What are the signs to look out for?

What are the consequences?

How can knives be disposed of?

How can I help prevent knife crime?

Who can I call for help?

How do I report knife crime?

Teacher resources and points of contact

Advice for businesses

To make retailers aware of the laws and best practice around knife sales, partners have come together through the Violence Reduction Alliance to create a guide to storing, displaying and selling knives. You can download a copy below.