- Month long surrender scheme starts today as part of Plan for Change
- 37 new surrender bins installed across London, West Midlands and Manchester
- Faron Paul Amnesty Van begins tour supporting young people to hand in weapons anonymously
- Ninja swords to be banned from 1 August
Young people across the country are being urged to surrender bladed weapons including ninja swords to help prevent further loss of young lives to knife crime, as government launches most ambitious weapon surrender scheme yet.
With the support of Words4Weapons and FazAmnesty, young people will be able to anonymously hand in any weapons to surrender bins or a purpose-built and fully secure van, across London, Greater Manchester and West Midlands – the three highest areas for knife crime in England.
Part of the government’s Plan for Change, the 37 new amnesty bins and the locations of the mobile surrender van will be strategically placed in these high-risk areas throughout July, in partnership with local councils to provide young people with an accessible, alternative way to hand in weapons without needing to go to a police station.
Throughout the month the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime and other grassroot organisations will be using their platform as trusted voices in communities to encourage young people to hand in their weapons via these routes, while signposting them to local support services.
From 1 August 2025, deadly Ninja swords will be banned in full – illegal to possess in public or private – and so in addition to the surrender arrangements across the three hotspot areas, people will also be able to hand in ninja swords to designated police stations across the country.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said:
“The launch of today’s scheme is a result of months of collaborative working with the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime and I’m optimistic about what we can achieve together over the next month and then the years to come as part of our Plan for Change.
“This scheme is just one part of addressing knife crime. We will not stop listening to those who are directly working with those impacted by this crime.”
The scheme has been designed to provide people with a range of ways to hand in weapons outside of police stations. Words4Weapons and FazAmnesty, both members of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, have a proven track record in supporting young people to surrender dangerous weapons and directing them towards local support.
Faron Paul, Founder of FazAmnesty said:
“I’m proud to support the extended surrender scheme and the launch of the mobile amnesty van, which gives people a safe and easy way to hand in weapons, knives, and other dangerous items. By taking this service directly into communities, I hope we can reach more individuals, encourage positive decisions, and help reduce the number of harmful items on our streets.
“This initiative is an important step towards preventing violence, building trust, and supporting our ongoing efforts to create safer, stronger communities for everyone.”
The ninja sword surrender and compensation scheme will also be running in tandem throughout July in Police stations across England and Wales. The ban on ninja swords is a result of the tireless campaigning of the Kanda family, who tragically lost their son Ronan in 2022 when he was killed with one of these deadly weapons. The ban on ninja swords is part of Ronan’s Law which was introduced to Parliament this year and includes measures to stop the illegal sale of knives online. Ronan’s Law will be included in the Crime and Policing Bill.
Members of the public wishing to surrender a ninja sword in exchange for compensation should take them to their local police station. Ninja swords can also be surrendered in any available surrender bin, however this will not result in any compensation. Full details about how to claim compensation for ninja swords can be found on gov.uk or via local police.
Pooja Kanda, Knife Crime Campaigner and mother to Ronan said:
“It has been three years since Ronan’s life was tragically taken as a result of the wounds inflicted by a ninja sword. Since then, we have relentlessly campaigned for ninja swords to be taken off the streets as they have no place in society.
“The government has now introduced a much-needed ban on ninja swords, and we encourage those in possession to surrender them to make the community a safer place where children can walk home without fear.”
Exact locations of the surrender bins and mobile van can be found here: Extended knife surrender arrangements 2025 – GOV.UK