Home Office data show hate crimes rise 7% to 146,825 in year to March 2026
National figures reveal record numbers of anti‑Muslim and antisemitic offences, prompting calls for community action across Barnet and the wider region
Trust 74Craft 87Hype 28How this was reported ▾
Uses named person, Home Office data, specific figures and dates.
How well corroborated and evidenced the reporting is. Higher is better.
Provides context, quotes, specific data, but lacks future actions.
Context, balance and separation of fact from comment. Higher is better.
Headline factual; body mildly emphatic but not sensational.
How far presentation runs ahead of substance. Lower is better.
1 source assessed · methodology
The Home Office said police recorded 146,825 hate‑crime offences in England and Wales for the year ending March 2026, up 7% from the previous year. When figures for the Metropolitan Police Service are removed, the total falls to 123,957, still a 7% increase on 116,000 the year before.
Overall hate‑crime picture
Hendon set to switch to Conservatives in new poll, More in Common shows
The latest MRP model predicts Labour will keep 52 of 59 London seats while the Conservatives gain five, including Hendon, which would move from Labour to Tory control.
Home Office data break the total into religious and race‑based offences. Religious hate crime rose 13% to 11,419 incidents, while race‑related offences reached 107,926, a 9% increase. The rise occurs despite small declines in hate crimes linked to sexual orientation, disability and transgender status.
Anti‑Muslim offences surge
Blue Planet 3: Sir David Attenborough returns for new BBC series
The BBC unveiled a first look at the upcoming nature documentary narrated by the centenarian presenter.
The Standard reported that anti‑Muslim hate crimes climbed 15% from 4,479 to 5,132 offences in the same period. Excluding the Metropolitan Police Service, the figure stands at 3,660, the highest level since records began in 2018. The British Muslim Trust said it logged 78 attacks and incidents at Muslim places of worship in the 12 months to July, averaging one attack every five days.
“The rising tide of hatred in this country requires a whole society response.”
Akeela Ahmed, chief executive, British Muslim Trust
Akeela Ahmed told the Standard that politicians, social‑media platforms and authorities must act quickly and decisively to curb the trend. She added that community norms need reinforcement to make clear that any form of hatred is unacceptable.
Antisemitic hate crime remains high
The Community Security Trust said the latest Home Office figures show antisemitic hate crime stays at an unacceptably high level. Excluding the Met, 2,003 offences were recorded, just below the 2,093 peak in the year ending March 2024. CST warned that incitement linked to overseas conflicts continues to fuel domestic attacks.
What this means for Barnet residents
Barnet Council has reminded residents that the borough’s hate‑crime reporting line remains open 24 hours a day. The council’s community safety team will share the national data with local partners to target prevention programmes in areas such as Finchley, Golders Green and East Barnet, where recent antisemitic incidents have been reported. Residents are encouraged to log any suspicious behaviour through the council’s online portal or by calling 101.
Questions this report answers
+How many hate crimes were recorded in England and Wales in the year to March 2026?
The Home Office said police recorded 146,825 hate‑crime offences in England and Wales for the year ending March 2026, representing a 7% increase on the previous year. This total includes both religious and race‑based incidents.
+What increase was seen in hate crimes targeting Muslims?
The Standard reported that anti‑Muslim hate crimes rose 15% from 4,479 to 5,132 offences in the year to March 2026. Excluding the Metropolitan Police Service, the figure was 3,660, the highest level since records began in 2018.
+What did the Community Security Trust say about antisemitic hate crime levels?
The Community Security Trust said antisemitic hate crime remains at an unacceptably high level, with 2,003 offences recorded outside the Metropolitan Police Service in the year to March 2026. The trust warned that overseas conflict incitement continues to drive domestic attacks.
Barnet Press News Desk
This article was written at the Barnet Press news desk from the reporting of the outlets listed below it. Drafting is done by a language model under human editorial supervision — there is no reporter behind this byline, and we would rather say so than invent one.
How stories are produced and scoredWho runs Barnet PressCorrections
Barnet conditions
Loading live conditions…
More Coverage in World
Hendon set to switch to Conservatives in new poll, More in Common shows
Blue Planet 3: Sir David Attenborough returns for new BBC series
