Robbery Sentencing in the UK: Guidelines, Ranges and What to Expect

Last reviewed: July 2026

Quick answer: Robbery carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under section 8 of the Theft Act 1968. In practice, sentences follow the Sentencing Council’s robbery guideline: street robberies commonly result in sentences from around one year up to twelve years’ custody depending on harm and culpability, while professionally planned commercial robberies and robberies in the home attract considerably more. Weapons, injury and previous convictions push sentences up sharply.

Robbery is theft carried out with force or the threat of force, and the courts treat it far more seriously than theft alone. It is triable only in the Crown Court, and custody is the normal outcome — the guideline makes clear that even lower-level robberies usually cross the custody threshold. This guide explains how judges reach a figure, what the realistic ranges look like, and how release works once a sentence is imposed.

How judges work out the sentence

Judges follow the Sentencing Council’s definitive guideline, which splits robbery into three types: street and less sophisticated commercial robbery; professionally planned commercial robbery; and robbery in a dwelling. Within each type, the judge assesses culpability (A, B or C — driven by weapon use, planning, violence and role) and harm (1 to 3 — physical or psychological injury and loss caused). That grid produces a starting point and category range, which is then adjusted for aggravating and mitigating factors, credit for a guilty plea (up to one-third), and dangerousness provisions in the most serious cases.

Illustrative ranges — street and less sophisticated commercial robbery

Category	Example	Starting point	Range
1A (high harm, high culpability)	Serious injury caused; bladed weapon used to threaten or hurt	8 years	7–12 years
2B (medium harm, medium culpability)	Some injury or significant loss; weapon produced but not a knife or gun, or threat of force only	4 years	3–6 years
3C (lower harm, lesser culpability)	Minimal injury or loss; minimal force, lesser role	1 year	High-level community order–3 years

These are illustrations, not a calculator — the full grids are on the Sentencing Council website. Professionally planned commercial robbery (banks, cash-in-transit, commercial premises with significant planning) has starting points reaching sixteen years for the top category, and robbery in a dwelling — targeting someone in their own home — is treated with particular severity because of the invasion of the victim’s safe space.

What makes a robbery sentence longer or shorter

Aggravating factors include previous convictions (robbery is commonly a repeat offence in the eyes of the courts), offending in a group, targeting vulnerable victims, night-time offences, offences on public transport, and wearing disguises. Mitigation includes genuine remorse, youth or immaturity, a minor role under pressure from others, mental disorder, and steps toward rehabilitation. A guilty plea at the first opportunity earns up to a third off. For young defendants sentenced in the youth courts or as juveniles in the Crown Court, the approach differs substantially and outcomes are typically much shorter.

Release: how much of the sentence is served?

Most people convicted of robbery receive a standard determinate sentence. Under the earned progression model introduced by the Sentencing Act 2026, which came into force on 22 March 2026, prisoners on standard determinate sentences can be released at around one-third of the sentence if they comply and earn it, with release pushed later for poor behaviour — see our full guide to the 2026 early release rules. More serious robbery sentences can fall outside this: offenders found “dangerous” may receive an extended determinate sentence (released at two-thirds at the earliest, at the Parole Board’s discretion), and a life sentence for robbery — rare but possible — means release only on Parole Board direction after the minimum term.

Common mistakes and misunderstandings: Confusing robbery with burglary or theft — robbery requires force or the threat of force against a person. Assuming a first offence means no custody — the guideline expects custody for most robbery, even for first-time offenders. Believing the “half-way release” rule still applies — since March 2026, standard determinate release works on earned progression from one-third, not an automatic half. Assuming an unarmed robbery cannot be category A — threatening with an imitation firearm or targeting the very vulnerable can raise culpability without any real weapon. Forgetting plea credit shrinks after the first hearing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum sentence for robbery?

There is no statutory minimum. The guideline’s lowest category contemplates a high-level community order for the least serious cases, but custody is the usual outcome.

Can you get life for robbery?

Yes — the statutory maximum is life imprisonment, though life sentences are reserved for the most serious and dangerous offenders, often with significant records of violence.

What sentence for armed robbery?

Producing a knife or firearm places the offence in the highest culpability bracket. Serious armed robberies of commercial premises regularly attract double-figure sentences, and separate firearms charges carry their own five-year minimums for adults.

Do robbery sentences differ for under-18s?

Yes. Sentencing for children follows separate principles focused on rehabilitation, and custody is a last resort — outcomes are typically far shorter than adult equivalents.