Mapped - check if your area is a hotbed for racist crime

Is racist crime a problem in your area? New figures show racist and religiously motivated hate crimes have increased in the last year - and a new map shows the areas with the highest rates.

It comes as several charities have warned about the recent rise in antisemitism and islamophobia in the wake of the Hamas terror attack on Israel last October and the subsequent bombing campaign by the Israeli government in Gaza.

Last year police in England and Wales recorded just under 77,000 crimes that were racially or religiously aggravated. These offences included assault, causing criminal damage, harassment, and causing public fear, alarm, or distress, motivated by hatred of the victim’s perceived race or religion.

That was a slight increase on 2022, when there were just under 76,000 crimes of this nature. But racially or religiously motivated hate crime has now remained at historically high levels for the past three years - which police believe is down to greater confidence in reporting. There were 67,000 racist and religious hate crimes in 2020, but that rocketed to 77,000 in 2021 and has remained stable ever since.

You can see the number of incidents and rate of hate crime where you live using our interactive map below:

Now a new map has pinpointed the parts of the country with the worst issues with racially or religiously motivated hate crime. Last year more of these crimes were committed in Birmingham than anywhere else, a total of 3,370 offences, an 11% rise since 2022. That included 213 racist or religiously motivated assaults that caused an injury to the victim.

Birmingham was followed by Manchester (1,896) and then Leeds (1,828). But when compared to the size of the population, people were more likely to fall victim to a racially or religiously aggravated hate crime in Westminster than anywhere else.

Last year there were 1,251 hate crimes committed in Westminster. Compared to the population size that equates to 592 crimes per 100,000 people. That was the highest crime rate of more than 300 community safety partnership areas - which are broadly similar to council areas - in England and Wales.

Manchester was next with a rate of 333 crimes per 100,000 population, and then Camden (304) and Middlesbrough (303). The National Police Chiefs’ Council believes the rise in racist crime over the last few years is down to “more victims coming forward and improved recording by the police”. A spokesperson added: “But it is still concerning to see that people are being targeted for who they are.

“Over recent years police have worked hard to improve our response to these crime types, including better recording of offences and more training for officers. “Everyone has the right to live their lives without fear of being attacked, either physically or verbally. Police take all reports of threats and abuse seriously and we will work to bring perpetrators to justice. We encourage all victims to report to the police by calling 101 or online True Vision at www.report-it.org.uk.”

Bill Howe, No Hate Speech manager at Stop Hate, said: “It is important to remind ourselves, when looking at these statistics, that each of these numbers represents an individual, each with their own unique story and experience, whose day-to-day life had been severely impacted, who may be living in fear, whose mental health and general well-being is eroded by the behaviours of others; behaviours shaped, influenced and motivated by opinions, attitudes and beliefs which themselves have a toxic, cumulative and corrosive impact upon the individuals and communities targeted.”