Hate Crimes Soar Across England and Wales in 2024/25

According to the latest data from the Home Office, hate crime offenses in England and Wales reached a record high in 2024/25. The figures, which exclude the Metropolitan Police due to changes in how the force records hate crimes, reveal a concerning trend of rising religious and racial hate crimes across the country.

The data shows that the majority of police forces experienced significant increases in hate crime offenses compared to the previous year. Avon & Somerset, for example, saw a 33% jump in total hate crimes, while Bedfordshire and the British Transport Police also recorded notable spikes. Regionally, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands reported the highest number of overall hate crime incidents.

When broken down by motivating factor, the data paints an even more troubling picture. Religious hate crimes reached a new peak, with forces like Avon & Somerset, Cheshire, and South Wales all recording double-digit percentage increases. Racial hate offenses also surged, with Avon & Somerset, Bedfordshire, and Greater Manchester among the hardest hit.

The lack of comparable data from the Metropolitan Police, one of the largest forces in the country, makes it difficult to assess the full scale of the problem. However, the figures from other police authorities across England and Wales suggest that tackling hate crime remains a pressing challenge for authorities.