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Newry · Northern Ireland

Bessbrook: your area

Bessbrook ward · Newry, Mourne and Down. Every figure carries its own date.

Boundary: May 2026. Census and crime records have different dates and purposes.

What makes this ward different?

Homes rented from a council or housing association: 18% here, compared with 11% across Newry, Mourne and Down (7.7 percentage points higher).

The share of social housing describes the homes already here. It does not show the current waiting list or whether enough suitable homes are available.

21 March 2021 · ward and council use the same source, measure and date.

Why this comparison is valid

The difference is in percentage points. The wider figure is the published council total, not the average of its wards. Differences describe groups, not every resident.

Source →
A proposed response →

People aged 16+ with no qualifications: 28.3% here, compared with 23.1% across Newry, Mourne and Down (5.1 percentage points higher).

Formal qualifications are only one part of someone's skills. Training decisions also need current vacancies, employment and residents' experience.

21 March 2021 · ward and council use the same source, measure and date.

Why this comparison is valid

The difference is in percentage points. The wider figure is the published council total, not the average of its wards. Differences describe groups, not every resident.

Source →
A proposed response →

People aged 65 or over: 12.7% here, compared with 16.7% across Newry, Mourne and Down (4 percentage points lower).

Age helps locate demand for accessible homes, transport and support. Being older does not itself mean someone needs care.

21 March 2021 · ward and council use the same source, measure and date.

Why this comparison is valid

The difference is in percentage points. The wider figure is the published council total, not the average of its wards. Differences describe groups, not every resident.

Source →
A proposed response →

The people and homes here

People aged 65 or over

12.7%

21 March 2021 · Bessbrook ward

Show the workings

First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-a02.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.

All usual residents

703 out of 5,534.

Source and method →

People reporting bad or very bad health

8.7%

21 March 2021 · Bessbrook ward

Show the workings

First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-d01.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.

All usual residents; self-reported, not age-standardised

484 out of 5,535.

Source and method →

People counted in the census

5,535

21 March 2021 · Bessbrook ward

Show the workings

First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-a01.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.

All usual residents

5,535 out of 5,535.

Source and method →

People aged 16+ with a degree or equivalent

29%

21 March 2021 · Bessbrook ward

Show the workings

First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-g01.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.

All usual residents aged 16 and over

1,215 out of 4,191.

Source and method →

People aged 16+ with no qualifications

28.3%

21 March 2021 · Bessbrook ward

Show the workings

First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-g01.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.

All usual residents aged 16 and over

1,185 out of 4,191.

Source and method →

Homes rented privately

19%

21 March 2021 · Bessbrook ward

Show the workings

First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-e15.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.

All households

420 out of 2,157.

Source and method →

Homes rented from a council or housing association

18%

21 March 2021 · Bessbrook ward

Show the workings

First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-e15.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.

All households

398 out of 2,157.

Source and method →

Crime and safety

Police-recorded locations for Bessbrook ward. Locations are approximate; these are not all crimes or a measure of personal risk.

218 mapped crimes

September 2025 to August 2026. Compared with 193 in the previous 12 months. Anti-social behaviour is counted separately.

Mapped crime over time

September 2024 to August 2026

Bessbrook ward · mapped crimes

Monthly crime and anti-social behaviour
Recorded locations by month · Bessbrook
MonthMapped crimeAnti-social behaviour
September 20242311
October 20241315
November 2024148
December 2024154
January 2025103
February 2025165
March 20251611
April 20251510
May 2025179
June 2025812
July 2025238
August 20252314
September 20251713
October 20252717
November 20252613
December 2025228
January 20262411
February 20261813
March 20261613
April 2026182
May 2026208
June 20261010
July 2026115
August 202695
Crime categories in the latest complete year
September 2025 to August 2026 · Bessbrook
CategoryMapped crimes
violent crime86
criminal damage arson59
drugs16
burglary11
other crime11
other theft10
shoplifting9
public order6
possession of weapons5
vehicle crime5
What these numbers include

Approximate published locations, not every crime or personal risk.

Anti-social behaviour is separate. Transport police and records without usable locations are excluded.

Do not compare directly with Scottish council-level recorded crime totals.

These are retrieved mapped records, not a guarantee of complete crime reporting. Approximate locations and unmapped incidents limit comparisons.

Publication history: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime data not provided for September 2024. The force will provide a data refresh as soon as possible. Later update: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime Data refreshed from January - May 2025, January to December 2024 and August to December 2023.

Publication history: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime data not provided for March 2025. The force will provide a data refresh as soon as possible. Later update: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime Data refreshed from January - May 2025, January to December 2024 and August to December 2023.

Publication history: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime data not provided for April 2025. The force will provide a data refresh as soon as possible. Later update: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime Data refreshed from January - May 2025, January to December 2024 and August to December 2023.

Publication history: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime data not provided for May 2025. The force will provide a data refresh as soon as possible. Later update: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime Data refreshed from January - May 2025, January to December 2024 and August to December 2023.

Missing ward-months invalidate totals and changes. Busy centres attract visitors, so residential population is not a measure of the number of people exposed.

Police data and method →

What could improve local safety →

Plans affecting this area

No project footprint has been verified for this ward. See the wider local plans; a nearby site does not automatically mean the whole ward benefits.

The proposed local response →