As in previous years, the majority of hate crimes were racially motivated, accounting for over two-thirds (71.12%) of all offences. Religious hate crime increased by 3% from last year, leading to the highest annual total of these offences recorded. Amongst that there was a19% increase in hate crimes targeted at Muslims, with a clear spike in incidents following the Southport murders and subsequent disorder.
In Scotland the total number of charges reported containing at least one element of hate crime were marginally less, down by 1.2%, in 2024-25 compared to the previous year, standing at 6,019. Racist hate crimes continue to make up the majority of incidents in Scotland (56%).
In Northern Ireland, 3,297 hate incidents and crimes were reported in the 12 months to March 2025. There were more race and faith/religion hate incidents when compared with the previous twelve months. The number of both race incidents (1,807) and race crimes (1,188) are the highest levels recorded since the data series began in 2004/05. August 2024 saw 349 race incidents recorded - the single highest monthly level ever recorded.
This is important to note, as Northern Ireland figures were the first figures from the UK to reveal a spike in racist hate crime as a result of the far right riots in August 2024. Spikes in hate crime often occur around specific events such as the EU referendum, political events, the Coronavirus pandemic and now most recently, the rise in far right extremism.
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