Residents with a postcode starting SO23 are far more likely to be burgled than anyone else in and around Winchester.

This is according to a recent investigation which analysed 7 million home insurance quotes to find the UK postcodes with the highest and lowest rates of burglary claims since 2020.

Certain areas of Winchester have raised concern in the study, carried out by insurance firm MoneySuperMarket.

Winchester's 'burglary hotspots' which fall under the SO23 postcode include City Centre, Abbotts Barton, Bar End, Highcliffe, Hyde, St Cross (E) and Winnall

In the SO23 postcode, an average of 19.88 insurance claims in every 1,000 are related to burglary.

This makes it the 356th postcode most likely to be burgled in the UK.

In the SO21 postcode, which covers Compton, Colden Common, Hursley, Micheldever, Owslebury, Shawford, South Wonston, Sutton Scotney, Sparsholt and Twyford, an average of 15.01 home insurance claims in every 1,000 are related to burglary.

This places it at 623rd on the list of postcodes most likely to be burgled in the UK.

In contrast, residents in the SO24 postcode which covers New Alresford, Old Alresford, Cheriton and Tichborne, can sleep easier knowing that 6.12 of every home insurance claim is burglary-related.

This makes it the 1,562nd postcode most likely to be burgled in the UK.

Full list of Winchester postcodes:

  • SO23- 19.88 burglary-related insurance claims per 1,000
  • SO21 - 15.01 burglary-related insurance claims per 1,000
  • SO22 - 14.34 burglary-related insurance claims per 1,000
  • SO24 - 6.12 burglary-related insurance claims per 1,000

Elsewhere:

On a national scale, Birmingham has been named the UK’s number one burglary hotspot, with an average of 58 claims per 1,000 quotes in the B94 postcode district.

Postcode areas with the lowest amount of burglaries include PE15 in Cambridgeshire and SY23 in Aberystwyth, Wales.

“While it’s not a surprise to see the list of burglary hotspots dominated by large cities like Birmingham, it is interesting to learn that a large proportion of people in rural areas aren’t protecting their homes with a burglar alarm,” said David McDermottre, home insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket.

“Unfortunately, the extra time spent away from our homes since people have gone back to work post-Covid has provided burglars with more opportunities.

“In fact, our research found that burglary claims last year were 106% higher than those recorded in 2020, rising from 7.79 to 16.01 per 1,000 quotes,” he added.

The home insurance expert has advised that no matter how much of a burglary hotspot your postcode is, it is always a good idea to take preventative measures.

“This can be things like installing an alarm, investing in decent locks for windows and doors and keeping valuables such as laptops and keys out of sight,” Mr McDermottre explained.

“It will not only make homes less attractive to burglars, but it will be harder for them to break in.”

You can check exactly how your postcode ranks using MoneySuperMarket’s interactive search feature here.