Recent hate crime statistics reveal a troubling rise in religiously-motivated offences, with overall hate crimes increasing by 2% to 115,990 in the year ending March 2025, and religious hate crimes reaching a record high of 7,164 incidents.

Hate crimes targeting Muslims increased by nearly 20%, with 3,199 offences recorded, while hate crimes against Jewish people decreased by 18%, totaling 1,715 offences, though the Metropolitan Police recorded 40% of all Jewish-targeted hate crimes.

The highest rate of religious hate crimes was against Jewish communities, with 106 incidents per 10,000 population, followed by Muslims with 12 per 10,000, reflecting a significant rise especially after the Hamas attacks of October 2023.

This surge in hate crimes coincides with recent violent incidents, including the Manchester synagogue attack and the Southport murders, which have been linked to spikes in religiously-motivated offences.

Community organizations reported continued high levels of antisemitism and anti-Muslim incidents, with 1,521 antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2025 and 913 anti-Muslim reports between June and September, often following political rallies and events.

Anti-Muslim hate reports from organizations like Tell Mama indicated ongoing targeting, especially after political rallies such as Tommy Robinson’s 'Unite the Kingdom,' with 157 reports in a week after the event.

The British Muslim Trust described the rise in anti-Muslim hate as deeply concerning, emphasizing the normalization of hate and the need for community solidarity and government action.

Similarly, the CST highlighted the importance of addressing antisemitism, noting that hate crimes often go underreported due to victims' silence and insensitive police responses.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned the rise in hate crimes, announcing increased police patrols at synagogues and mosques, and emphasizing the need to protect communities from violence and prejudice.

She stressed that the levels of hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim communities are unacceptable and often violent, calling for urgent action to combat this trend.

The latest figures do not yet include recent unrest related to protests outside asylum hotels and anti-immigration rallies, suggesting the actual situation may be more severe than current data indicates.

Overall hate crime figures, including data from the Metropolitan Police, reached 137,550, but changes in recording practices mean these numbers are not directly comparable with previous years.