Religious Discrimination and Hate Crime
Here at Stop Hate UK, we are committed to supporting all people affected by faith based Hate Crime and discrimination.
We Support People Affected by Religious Discrimination and Hate
Everyone has the right to hold religious beliefs, change their beliefs or have no religious belief at all. No one should face discrimination, harassment, abuse or violence because of their religion, beliefs or no belief.
Stop Hate UK supports people affected by religious discrimination and hate crime. We provide information, emotional support and assistance to help people understand their options and decide how they wish to respond.
Religious discrimination and hate can affect people of any faith, as well as atheists, agnostics and people who do not identify with a religion. People may be targeted because of what they believe, what others assume they believe, their religious clothing or practices, or their association with a religious community.
We are committed to challenging prejudice, supporting people affected by hate and promoting a society in which everyone is treated with dignity, fairness and respect.
What Is Religious Discrimination?
Religious discrimination involves unfair treatment because of a person’s religion or belief, or lack of religion or belief, in circumstances covered by equality law.
It can take different forms, including:
Direct discrimination
Treating someone less favourably because of their religion or belief. For example, refusing someone a job because they are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Sikh, Hindu or belong to another religion.
Harassment
Unwanted conduct related to religion or belief that has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment in circumstances covered by the law.
Indirect discrimination
A rule, policy or practice that applies to everyone but puts people who share a particular religion or belief at a particular disadvantage, unless it can be objectively justified under the law.
Religious hate crime
Criminal offences involving hostility or prejudice towards someone because of their actual or perceived religion or belief/no belief. These may include assault, threats, harassment, criminal damage and certain public order offences.
Anti-religious prejudice
Stereotypes, hostility or assumptions about people based on their religion or lack of belief. This can include portraying an entire religious community as dangerous, inferior or responsible for the actions of particular individuals.
Religious discrimination can occur in employment, education, housing, public services and other areas of everyday life. It can restrict people’s opportunities, affect their wellbeing and undermine their sense of safety and belonging.
Religious Hate Crime in England and Wales
The Home Office’s hate crime figures, for the year ending 2026, recorded 11,419 religious hate crimes in England and Wales.
This represented a 13% increase compared with the 10,067 offences recorded in the previous year.
The latest figures also recorded increases in offences targeting particular religious communities:
Muslim communities: 5,132 recorded offences, an increase of 15% from 4,479 in the previous year.
Jewish communities: 3,162 recorded offences, an increase of 10% from 2,874 in the previous year.
Of the religious hate crime offences for which the targeted religion was recorded, 46% targeted Muslims and 28% targeted Jewish people. The figures also included offences targeting Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, people of other religions and people with no religion.
These figures demonstrate the serious and continuing impact of religious hostility. They are based on offences recorded by the police and do not capture every incident experienced by individuals and communities.
Not all religious hate is reported to the police. Police recording practices and the availability of information can also affect the figures. The statistics should therefore not be treated as a complete measure of religious discrimination or hate in England and Wales.
Source: Home Office — Hate crime, England and Wales, year ending March 2026.
Supporting people affected by Religious or faith-based Hate Crimes when they need it most through our 24hr support line
A huge part of our work is to deal directly with victims of hate crime and to help them cope with the incident, and navigate their options.
Stop Hate UK’s 24 hr helpline service provides 100% confidentiality and independent support when people need it most. We provide advocacy, support and independent advice.
Our callers have the autonomy to choose their way to deal with their experience. We provide our callers a safe space to tell us about their experiences and help explain the options available and provide independent advice. We can be just on hand to listen, or we can provide ongoing support if the caller decides to report and pursue the incident.
Stories from callers
A caller contacted Stop Hate UK after her neighbour repeatedly verbally abused her and her family in conversations with other neighbours, using threatening language and antisemitic slurs.
Stop Hate UK referred the incident to the local authority so that the situation could be addressed, the family’s safety considered and appropriate liaison with the police supported.
The case illustrates the importance of taking antisemitic hostility seriously and helping people access appropriate local support.
One of our callers experienced ongoing harassment from a neighbour who repeatedly questioned who her husband was, her religious identity, and if he was part of a terrorist group. She believes it was motivated by the fact she wears a hijab. The caller did not feel comfortable to approach and confront the neighbour by herself or go to the police alone.
Stop Hate UK listened and helped to effectively log the details of the incidents and supported her by doing exactly what she wanted with the report; a referral to the police. The team liaised with police to ensure they understood our callers needs and the situation fully. The caller was given key support and received all the information they needed.
The caller commented that they were thankful Stop Hate UK was there for them when they were extremely distressed.
The Impact of Religious Hate
Religious discrimination can affect people’s opportunities, relationships, wellbeing and ability to participate fully in society.
People targeted because of their religion or beliefs may experience fear, humiliation, isolation, anxiety or a loss of trust in their community or in public institutions.
The impact can extend beyond the immediate victim. Attacks on places of worship, religious symbols or community members can make others feel threatened because they share the same identity.
Religious hate can also deepen divisions between communities, reinforce harmful stereotypes and discourage people from expressing their beliefs or participating openly in public life.
Antisemitism and Islamophobia, for example, can expose Jewish and Muslim people to hostility based on assumptions, conspiracy theories or collective blame. Similar prejudice can affect people from other religious communities and people with no religious belief.
No one should have to hide their identity, abandon their beliefs or live in fear of abuse to feel safe in their community.
Challenging religious discrimination means supporting those affected, confronting harmful stereotypes, promoting understanding and ensuring that people are treated fairly and with dignity.
Why Support Us
Everyone has the right to believe in any faith or no faith without fear. This right should be protected from Hate and discrimination.
We need your help in any way you can so that we can encourage more people to report and we can invest in our training and 24hr helpline to fight against religious or faith-based Hate and discrimination.
Please consider supporting our mission and helping us get one step closer to creating a world free from hate and discrimination.