Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime marginally falls in the England and Wales over the last year

Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime in England and Wales has fallen in the last year, according to new figures shared by the Home Office.

The data, which covers the period between March 2023 and March 2024, showed that hate crimes against people because of their sexual orientation fell by 8% compared to the previous year, while transgender hate crime fell by 2%.

Nevertheless, anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime in England and Wales is still higher than it was five years ago. According to the Home Office, between 2020 and 2021 there were 18,596 instances of hate crime because of sexual orientation reported to police. The most recent figures show that between 2023 and 2024, there were 22,839 instances. Still, this figure is 13% lower than the year ending March 2022, when 26,152 offences were recorded.

“We know hate crime has a ripple effect” – Simon Blake, CEO of Stonewall

Elsewhere in the report, the Home Office noted that disability hate crime had fallen by 18%, while racially motivated hate crimes had fallen by 5%.

However, religious hate crimes had increased by 25%, particularly among the Jewish and Muslim communities.

In a statement shared in response to the data, Simon Blake, CEO of Stonewall, said: “While the Home Office official statistics released today reveals a drop in reported hate crime motivated by sexual orientation and gender identity, the huge increase in religious hate crimes in the last year is deeply worrying.

“We stand together with everyone affected by hate crime, whatever community they are part of. We know hate crime has a ripple effect. A rise in hatred towards one marginalised group is harmful to everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community, and has a corrosive effect across society.

“We need to work together to stand hand in hand against hate crime and report it when we see it happen. We know hate crime reported to the police is only part of the picture, so it’s vital all those affected have access to support. The fight against hatred is shared, so we must work together to build a society where everyone is safe and respected and free from harm.”

“Our research shows less than half of LGBTQ+ people feel safe holding their partner’s hand” – Stonewall

Stonewall also noted that while overall there was a downward trend in reported hate crime, more accurate data was required.

“Our research shows less than half of LGBTQ+ people feel safe holding their partner’s hand in public. And according to a survey by Galop, only one in eight people reported their experiences to the police,” a spokesperson said.

“To reflect the true picture of hate crime, reporting needs to be as accurate as possible. There has been a lot of work to improve reporting. But there’s more to do to inform the community about reporting routes and ensure those affected by hate crime can access support.”