Rise in Racial and Religious Hate Crime Convictions in England and Wales: 2025 Report Analysis
In 2025, the number of convictions for race or religious hate crimes in England and Wales reached an eight-year high, with 6,163 convictions recorded. This marked a 13% increase from the previous year. The Ministry of Justice reported that this was the highest total since 2017. The data revealed that the majority of these convictions were for public order offences, followed by violence against the person and criminal damage and arson. The most common type of conviction was for racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm, or distress using words or writing, falling under the Public Order Act 1986.
The figures released by the Ministry of Justice did not specify the breakdown of convictions by types of religion. Offences involving words or writing accounted for the majority of convictions in 2025, with nearly two-thirds of the total convictions attributed to this category. The average custodial sentence for individuals convicted of racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm, or distress using words or writing was three months. Additionally, there were 649 convictions for racially or religiously aggravated common assault or beating in 2025, the highest since 2019.
A separate report published by the Home Office in October 2025 highlighted that religious hate crime offences recorded by police in England and Wales had reached a record high. The data indicated that Jewish people experienced the highest rate of religious hate crimes compared to other faith groups. The report also mentioned a significant increase in hate crimes targeted at Muslims, particularly following specific incidents in 2024. The Community Security Trust (CST) recorded the second-highest annual total of anti-Jewish hate incidents in 2025, with a notable increase compared to the previous year.
The CST reported that 2025 saw more than 200 cases of anti-Jewish hate incidents recorded in every calendar month for the first time. The organization noted that there was a surge in antisemitic incidents following the Manchester synagogue attack, where two worshippers were killed. On the other hand, the anti-Muslim hate monitoring organization Tell Mama received numerous reports of anti-Muslim hate incidents, particularly after certain events like Tommy Robinson's rally in London. These reports underscore the ongoing challenges of combating hate crimes and promoting tolerance and understanding in society.