Hate crimes in England and Wales have reached record levels over the past year, with offences motivated by race and religion showing significant increases, according to recent government data. The Home Office reported that police recorded 146,825 hate crimes in the year ending March 2026, marking a 7% rise from the previous year.
Among these, racially motivated hate crimes accounted for the majority, rising 9% from 98,890 the previous year to 107,926 offences. Religious hate crimes also increased, climbing 13% from 10,067 to 11,419 incidents, the highest annual total since records began.
Notably, hate crimes targeting Muslims saw one of the most substantial rises. According to Home Office figures, offences against Muslims increased by 15%, from 4,479 to 5,132, including a record 3,660 anti-Muslim hate crimes in the year to March 2026. This represents the highest recorded number since data on anti-Muslim hate crimes began to be collected in 2018. Antisemitic hate crimes also rose by 10%, from 2,874 to 3,162 incidents during the same period.
The data excludes figures from the Metropolitan Police due to changes in their crime recording system. However, the overall trend reflects growing hostility in communities across the two nations.
The British Muslim Trust (BMT), appointed by the government in mid-2025 to monitor anti-Muslim hostility, highlighted a disturbing shift in recent months. Their report, covering incidents from July 2025 to July 2026, found 78 attacks involving 64 mosques in the UK and the Channel Islands, averaging approximately one incident every five days. The report described a transition from hate directed primarily at mosque buildings to targeted abuse of Muslims inside them.
Severity of attacks has also intensified. Since November 2025, nearly 63% of incidents have involved threats, sustained harassment, presence of weapons, arson, violence, or alleged mass-casualty plots, compared to just over 22% during an earlier period between July and October 2025.
Akeela Ahmed, CEO of BMT, called for a comprehensive social response to rising hatred, expressing concern over increased security needs and the fear permeating Muslim communities. She warned against political rhetoric that, even when framed as policy critique on immigration or integration, can fuel hostility against British Muslims.
Ammer Amin, trustee of Masjid Al-Ummah in Watford—one mosque repeatedly targeted with vandalism including crucifix graffiti and thrown pig models—linked the increasing boldness of attackers to political discourse. He pointed to a broad political environment where multiple parties contribute to an atmosphere emboldening acts of hostility.
From a policing perspective, Commander Claire Smart, the hate crime lead at the National Police Chiefs’ Council, emphasized the importance of understanding the underlying causes, early identification of tensions, and partnership work with communities to prevent escalation.
The data also highlighted spikes in anti-Muslim hate crimes coinciding with major political events, including protests and public disturbances in September 2025, and following the outbreak of conflict between the United States and Iran in March 2026. These developments illustrate the complex social and geopolitical factors influencing domestic hate crime trends.