Hate crimes in England and Wales have risen over the past year, with significant increases in incidents targeting both Jewish and Muslim communities, according to recent government data. The Home Office reported a seven percent rise in hate crime incidents overall for the year ending March 2026, with both race and religiously motivated crimes reaching record levels, excluding data from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) due to recent changes in their crime recording system.
Recorded hate crimes against Muslim victims increased by 15 percent during this period, rising from 4,479 to 5,132 incidents. The figures for hate crimes against Jewish individuals also grew by 10 percent, from 2,874 to 3,162. The rise in religious hate crimes targeting Muslims was particularly notable in September 2025, coinciding with a far-right anti-immigration rally in London organized by Tommy Robinson, which attracted over 100,000 participants and was accompanied by protests and public disorder.
Another surge in hate crimes occurred following the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict in February 2026, with hate crimes against Muslims reaching their highest level since data collection began in 2018, reaching 3,660 incidents outside of the Metropolitan Police jurisdiction. In the Jewish community, incidents spiked in October 2025 after a terror attack at Heaton Park Synagogue, with figures remaining elevated amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Excluding Metropolitan Police data, hate crimes against Jewish people were recorded at 2,003 offenses, marking the second highest annual level after the peak of 2,093 offenses in the year ending March 2024. London accounted for the majority of race-related hate crimes, with 20,753 cases reported, followed by Manchester (9,754), the West Midlands (7,972), and West Yorkshire (6,483).
Community organizations have highlighted the ongoing impact of these trends. The British Muslim Trust (BMT) reported 78 attacks or incidents against Muslim places of worship in the 12 months to July 2026, averaging roughly one attack every five days across the UK and Channel Islands. These incidents included vandalism and intimidation. BMT chief executive Akeela Ahmed called for a comprehensive societal response to address the "rising tide of hatred" in the country.
Advocates including Amnesty International UK have emphasized the seriousness of the situation. Ilyas Nagdee, racial justice lead at the charity, described the rise in hate crimes as a “genuine emergency,” pointing to the impact on individuals and communities who face fear and intimidation in daily life. He urged the UK government to increase resources for investigating hate crimes, improve accountability for perpetrators, and send a clear message against racism and all forms of hate.
The data underscores ongoing challenges for law enforcement and policymakers in addressing religious and racial hatred amid broader social and geopolitical tensions.