Racial and religious hate crime in England and Wales reaches a record high
Sky News, the Guardian and the BBC reported record levels of racial and religious hate crime in England and Wales in the latest data. The BBC said the rise came from more offences motivated by religion and race. A summary of the Home Office figures put recorded hate crimes at 146,825 for the year to March 2026, of which 107,926 were racial, up 9%. It said religious hate crimes excluding the Metropolitan Police area reached a record 8,214. That summary is secondary, and the Home Office tables should be checked.
Recorded crime reflects both offending and willingness to report. A record high puts pressure on police and ministers.
Report hate crime to the police or True Vision.
Look at both the number and the charge rate.
DailyDrop U.K. edition No. 4 · Morning · THU., OCT. 8, 2026