Full Breakdown
Record Rise in Hate Crimes Across England and Wales
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Police recorded 146,825 hate crimes in the 12 months to March 2026, a 7 % increase on the previous year. Religious-motivated offences rose 13 % to 11,419, with anti-Muslim incidents climbing 15 % to 5,132 – the largest rise among faith-based crimes. Antisemitic offences increased 10 % to 3,162. The Home Office figures exclude the Metropolitan Police because of a change in its recording system.
Two spikes were noted: one in September 2025, coinciding with far-right protests, and another in March 2026, linked to the outbreak of war between the United States and Iran.
The British Muslim Trust (BMT) documented 78 verified attacks on 64 mosques between 21 July 2025 and 30 July 2026, averaging one incident every five days. The share of attacks classified as “serious” rose from 22.2 % to 62.7 % by late-2025.
Background & Context
Since 2024 the Home Office has excluded Metropolitan Police data, limiting year-on-year comparability but still showing record-high totals for England and Wales. Prior peaks followed the 7 October 2024 Hamas attacks and the Southport murders in July 2024, which fueled anti-Muslim sentiment. The latest surge occurs amid heightened political rhetoric on immigration and ongoing international conflicts.
Data & Statistics
- Total hate crimes: 146,825 (up 7 %).
- Religious hate crimes: 11,419 (up 13 %).
- Anti-Muslim offences: 5,132 (15 % rise, 46 % of religious hate crimes).
- Antisemitic offences: 3,162 (10 % rise).
- Public-order offences: 53 % of all hate crimes; violence against the person: 40 %.
- Per-capita rates (per 10,000): 13 anti-Muslim, 117 antisemitic.
- BMT severity shift: serious incidents rose from 22.2 % to 62.7 %.
Official Statements & Responses
The Community Security Trust warned that antisemitic hate crime remains at an “unacceptably high level.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Police-recorded anti-Muslim incidents total 5,132, yet the Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates that 0.8 % of Muslim adults experience religious hate crime annually, compared with 0.4 % of Jewish adults. The survey suggests under-reporting and definition differences may mask the true scale. The Home Office cautioned that recording improvements and methodological changes could also influence the statistics.
Why It Matters / Impact
The surge strains policing resources, heightens fear within Muslim and Jewish communities, and threatens social cohesion. Increased severity of mosque attacks raises concerns about the adequacy of the £40 million “protective security for mosques” scheme, which has left many institutions awaiting funding. Persistent spikes linked to international events indicate that external conflicts can quickly translate into domestic hostility.
What's Next
The government has pledged additional funding for the protection of places of worship and introduced a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility to improve recognition of bias. Ongoing monitoring by the British Muslim Trust and community organisations will continue to inform policy adjustments.
Verbatim Quotes
“This government will not tolerate people being targeted by threats and violence simply for being who they are.” — Sarah Jones, action policing minister