Further knife/bladed item sales measures
Phase 2 should consider further measures relating to knives/bladed items sales, including:
1. Restrictions on sharp‑tipped knives.
2. Prohibiting some online sales (such as machetes).
3. Strengthening online age‑verification and age verified delivery standards.
4. Mandatory reporting and information‑sharing about suspicious behaviour.
5. The risks surrounding importation of bladed items.
6. The risks surrounding multiple sub-contractors in a supply chain delivering bladed articles.
- A Home Office consultation proposed a licensing scheme for online knife sellers including age verification and a prohibition on the online sale of certain items such as mystery boxes (Licensing for knife sales, Home Office, consultation December 2025 to February 2026).
- The government agreed with the recommendation and noted the Chair identified it for further consideration in Phase 2 of the Inquiry (Government Response to Phase 1 of the Southport Inquiry, CP 1623, Home Office, July 2026).
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedThe government agrees with all 67 recommendations made by the Chair. The government recognises these five fundamental failings. These failings are unacceptable. The Chair has made 10 recommendations for issues to be considered further by the Inquiry in Phase 2. This response refers to these recommendations where they are relevant to or driving current work. (Government Response to Phase 1 of the Southport Inquiry, CP 1623, 2 July 2026.)
Progress Timeline
Government response published 2 July 2026 (CP 1623). The government agreed with this recommendation, which the Chair referred for further consideration in Phase 2 of the Inquiry.
Awaiting government response. Phase 1 report published 13 April 2026.