Crimestoppers: how to report a crime anonymously in the UK

Posted on by Safety App UK team

Crimestoppers is an independent charity that lets you pass on information about a crime anonymously, anywhere in the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Call 0800 555 111 any time, day or night, or use the online form at crimestoppers-uk.org. You will not be asked your name, calls are not traced and online IP addresses are masked. It is not for emergencies or for reporting a crime that happened to you.

Updated 2 October 2026 · Sources: Crimestoppers, GOV.UK, Report Fraud, Victim Support · Next review: January 2027

In danger now? Call 999

Crimestoppers is not an emergency service. If a crime is happening now or someone is in danger, call 999. If you can\'t speak, see how to make a silent 999 call.

What is Crimestoppers?

Crimestoppers is an independent UK charity, set up in 1988, that takes information about crime from people who don\'t want to be identified. It is separate from the police. You give what you know by phone or online, Crimestoppers removes anything that could identify you, and passes the information on to the police or another trusted partner organisation to act on.

How do I report a crime anonymously in the UK?

Call Crimestoppers free on 0800 555 111, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, or fill in the anonymous online form. Say what happened, where, when and who was involved. You won\'t be asked for your name or contact details. Start here: Crimestoppers: give information.

Three ways to give information

1. Call 0800 555 111

Free, any time, day or night. Calls are not recorded, there is no caller display or 1471, and calls have never been traced.

2. Online form

Fill in the anonymous form on crimestoppers-uk.org. Crimestoppers says IP addresses are overwritten and masked, so the form can\'t be traced back to you.

3. Fearless (ages 11–18)

Fearless is the Crimestoppers youth service. Young people can give information 100% anonymously through the form at fearless.org or on 0800 555 111.

Do most people report to Crimestoppers online or by phone?

Most use the online form. In April 2024 to March 2025, 82% of the people who contacted Crimestoppers did so online and 18% by phone, according to the charity\'s 2025 impact report. Over the same year Crimestoppers sent 227,326 anonymous reports to police forces, and 1,457 offenders were arrested and charged.

How people contacted Crimestoppers (%)

Key: share of contacts by method, April 2024 to March 2025 (Crimestoppers Impact Report 2025).

Is Crimestoppers really anonymous?

Yes, by design. Crimestoppers says you won\'t be asked for your name or personal details, calls are not recorded, it has no caller display or 1471 facility and has never traced a call. Online, IP addresses are masked. It passes information on without revealing who you are, and says no one has ever been identified after giving information.

What happens after I contact Crimestoppers?

  1. A Crimestoppers call handler or the online form takes down what you know.
  2. Any detail that could identify you is left out.
  3. The information is passed to the police or another trusted partner organisation, such as a council or regulator, that can act on it.
  4. They decide whether to investigate. You won\'t get updates, because no one knows who you are.

You are not asked to give a witness statement or go to court. If you want updates or support, report to the police instead (see 999 or 101: how to report a crime).

What can\'t I report to Crimestoppers?

Crimestoppers can\'t take emergencies, reports from victims of crime, scams and fraud, benefit fraud, noise, dumped vehicles, untaxed vehicles or minor driving offences. If something happened to you, report it to the police so you can get updates and support. Use this table to find the right route.

Scams have their own route: see how to report fraud to Report Fraud. Not sure which number fits? Check which number should I call?

Does Crimestoppers work in Scotland and Northern Ireland?

Yes. Crimestoppers works across the whole UK, and the same number, 0800 555 111, and online form cover England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. What changes by nation is the police route for reporting directly: police.uk for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Police Scotland online or 101 in Scotland.

Can I get a reward from Crimestoppers?

Sometimes. Crimestoppers offers rewards of up to £1,000 when information leads to one or more people being arrested and charged; the amount is decided case by case. You get a code instead of giving your name, and collect any cash at an agreed bank branch without showing ID. It takes at least 16 weeks. Details: Crimestoppers rewards.

Crimestoppers myths and facts

Myth: “Crimestoppers is the police”

Fact: it is an independent charity. It passes your information to the police or partners without saying who you are.

Myth: “They can see my number”

Fact: Crimestoppers says it has no caller display or 1471 facility, does not record calls and has never traced one.

Myth: “I\'ll have to go to court”

Fact: you are not asked for a witness statement or to give evidence. Police build the case from other evidence.

Myth: “I can use it if I\'m the victim”

Fact: victims should report to the police (101, police.uk or 999) so they get a crime reference number, updates and support.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. 0800 555 111 is a free number, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also use the online form at crimestoppers-uk.org at any time.

Yes. Information about drug dealing in your area is the kind of crime information Crimestoppers takes. Call 0800 555 111 or use the online form. If someone is in danger right now, call 999.

No. Because Crimestoppers does not know who you are, it cannot update you. If you want updates, report directly to the police on 101 or online and keep your crime reference number.

Yes. Fearless, the Crimestoppers youth service for 11 to 18-year-olds, lets young people give information 100% anonymously through fearless.org or on 0800 555 111.

Sources

General information for the UK, not legal advice. Services and rules change: check GOV.UK, Crimestoppers or a solicitor for your situation. In an emergency, always call 999.

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