Is domestic violence on the rise in Blackpool?

Reports of domestic violence in Blackpool more than doubled during the last year, a report has found.

Rather than believing there to have been such a steep rise in offending, though, the increase has largely been attributed by Blackpool Council to its staff being better at spotting the early signs of abuse.

The figures show that between 2024/25 and 2025/26 there had been a 107% increase, to 127, in the number of reports in which domestic abuse had been identified.

Blackpool Council said although the increase was slightly higher than regional and national averages, it was "confident" in the abilities of adult social care staff members to "identify and address safeguarding issues of any kind".

"While we have a seen a rise in safeguarding concerns received where domestic abuse was identified as an issue, this doesn't automatically point to a rise in domestic abuse cases," a council spokesperson said.

"Instead, it is that we have got better at identifying domestic abuse as a potential factor in safeguarding referrals.

"Work is increasing and improving both to raise awareness with the public around domestic abuse as a social issue, and with our own staff as a consideration within our safeguarding approach.

"We're recording things more comprehensively to better spot the links between different types of incidents or abuse."

The spokesperson added that the local authority had produced an Adult Social Care Safeguarding Handbook to offer guidance on identifying domestic abuse.

"Most of the concerns raised were by police and social care staff themselves, but we are also seeing healthcare staff and other services flag concerns too."

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