Hate Crimes Against Muslims and Jews Reach Record Highs in England and Wales
Home Office data reveals significant year-on-year increases in religiously motivated offences.
Police-recorded hate crimes across England and Wales have reached unprecedented levels, with significant rises in offences motivated by religion and race. The total number of recorded hate crimes reached 146,825 in the year to March 2026, an increase of 7% compared to the previous year, according to Home Office data reported by the Standard.
Religiously motivated hate crimes saw a 13% increase, climbing from 10,067 to 11,419 offences. Race hate crimes, which constitute the majority of recorded incidents, rose by 9% to 107,926 offences. These figures represent record highs for both categories.
Specific Increases in Religious Hate Crimes
Hate crimes specifically targeting Muslims saw a sharp 15% increase, rising from 4,479 to 5,132 offences. Crimes against Jewish people also rose by 10%, from 2,874 to 3,162 offences. The Home Office noted that spikes in offences against Muslims coincided with periods of protests and public disorder in September 2025, and again in March following international conflict.
When data from the Metropolitan Police Service is excluded due to a change in their recording system, the figures for race and religious hate crimes are also at record highs. Excluding the Met, religious hate crime offences reached 8,214, the highest annual total since records began in the year ending March 2012. Similarly, race hate crime offences, excluding the Met, reached 90,378, also a record high.
Excluding Metropolitan Police data, hate crimes against Muslims reached 3,660, their highest annual level since this data was first collected in the year to March 2018. For Jewish people, excluding the Met, offences stood at 2,003, the second highest level on record, just below the previous year's peak.
The Home Office stated that hate crimes against Jewish people spiked in October 2025 following antisemitic incidents after the Heaton Park Synagogue terror attack and have remained elevated since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict. This period saw a series of antisemitic attacks, including the torching of four Jewish community ambulances in Golders Green, north London, in March.
In contrast, hate crimes based on sexual orientation fell by 1%, disability hate crimes by 5%, and transgender hate crimes by 4%.
Calls for Societal Response
“The rising tide of hatred in this country requires a whole society response. Politicians and those with the loudest voices need to take greater care in what they say, social media platforms have to do more to tackle hate, the authorities must act quickly and decisively, and the rest of us must rebuild the social norms that make clear any form of hatred and prejudice is not acceptable and it is not British.”
The British Muslim Trust reported tracking 78 attacks and incidents at Muslim places of worship in the 12 months to July, averaging one incident every five days. These included vandalism and intimidation. The Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism, described the current figures as showing that antisemitic hate crime remains at an unacceptably high level and called for a reduction in incitement connected to overseas conflicts.
Both organisations stressed the need for broader societal action to address the rising levels of hate and prejudice.
Questions this report answers
01What are the overall figures for recorded hate crimes in England and Wales?
In the year to March 2026, police recorded a total of 146,825 hate crimes across England and Wales. This represents a 7% increase compared to the previous year, highlighting a significant rise in recorded incidents.
02How have religiously motivated hate crimes changed?
Religiously motivated hate crimes increased by 13% year-on-year, reaching 11,419 offences. This category includes specific rises in crimes targeting Muslims, which increased by 15%, and crimes against Jewish people, which rose by 10%.
03What impact has the Metropolitan Police's data recording change had on the figures?
When Metropolitan Police data is excluded, both race and religious hate crimes reach record highs. Excluding the Met, religious hate crime offences totalled 8,214, the highest since records began in 2012, and race hate crime offences reached 90,378.
04What has been the response to these rising hate crime figures?
Organisations like the British Muslim Trust and the Community Security Trust have called for a comprehensive societal response. They emphasise the need for politicians and social media platforms to act responsibly and for authorities to respond decisively to combat hatred and prejudice.
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