The King's College London survey finds 34% of UK adults believe parts of London are "no-go" zones dominated by sharia law, while 36% reject the claim and about 20% are unsure. The poll shows the public significantly overestimates crime (average perceived annual victim rate 30% vs actual 12.2%) and the Muslim share of the population (35% perceived vs ~15% actual). Political supporters differ sharply: Reform UK and Conservative backers give higher estimates, while Labour and Green voters are less likely to recognise some crime rises. Experts and the mayor blame online misinformation for distorted perceptions.
One-Third Of Britons Believe London Has 'No-Go' Areas, Study Finds — But Data Tell A Different Story
US President Trump speaks to the crowd during scenes at the Dallas 2026 Mid-Term Convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. (is associated with: «Survey: 33% in UK share Trump's belief that London has no-go areas») Bob Daemmrich/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
A YouGov survey of more than 2,000 UK adults conducted in March for King’s College London (KCL) finds that roughly one-third of Britons say parts of London are "no-go" areas — a perception at odds with official crime figures and demographic data.
Survey Results
The KCL study "London has fallen? Misperceptions of crime, race, religion and life in the UK capital" reports that 34% of respondents believe there are areas in London where sharia law predominates and non-Muslims cannot enter. A slightly larger share (36%) rejected that claim and around one in five said they did not know.
Perceptions Versus Reality
Respondents generally overestimate crime and the size of London's Muslim population. On average the public estimated that 30% of Londoners experienced a crime in a single year; London residents themselves estimated 25%. Both figures are substantially higher than the reality cited by KCL researchers: 12.2%.
The public also overestimated the Muslim share of London’s population, guessing on average 35% compared with an actual figure near 15%.
Political Differences
Perceptions vary sharply by political affiliation. Supporters of Reform UK give the highest crime estimate for London (about 40%) and most greatly overstate the Muslim population (around 50%). Conservative supporters also tend to overestimate the Muslim share (about 40%). By contrast, Labour and Green supporters were less likely to recognise increases in violence and sexual offences even though those categories have seen rises.
Public Figures Respond
The topic gained renewed attention after comments by former US President Donald Trump, who said in an interview:
"You have areas in Paris and London where the police don't want to even go in them, there's no law and order. They're afraid to go in them. Either they're afraid or they just don't, you know, they don't want to lose their life."
Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at KCL, warned that "people are working from different facts" about London and that many perceptions are far more negative than the evidence suggests. London Mayor Sadiq Khan described a "dark blizzard of disinformation" online and pointed to Office for National Statistics data showing a lower likelihood of being a victim of violent crime in London than elsewhere in England and Wales.
What This Means
The study highlights a stark gap between perception and reality on crime and demographics in London. Researchers and city leaders say misinformation and media narratives are shaping public views, which in turn influence political debate and public sentiment about the capital.
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