Health and Wellbeing
Understanding and reporting hate crimes and hate incidents
If you experience or witness hate, you are not alone. Support is available, and you can report what has happened.
You do not need to be certain something is a crime to report it. If something feels wrong or targeted, you can still report it and get help.
What is a hate crime or hate incident?
A hate crime is a criminal offence that is motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person’s identity.
A hate incident is similar, but may not meet the threshold of a criminal offence. This could include verbal abuse, harassment, or other behaviour that feels targeted or hostile.
Both hate crimes and hate incidents are taken seriously. Reporting them helps ensure people receive support and helps build a clearer picture of what is happening in communities.
What counts as hate?
Hate can be based on a person’s actual or perceived characteristics.
This includes:
- Race – such as skin colour, nationality, or ethnic background
- Religion or belief – including lack of religion
- Sexual orientation – for example, lesbian, gay, bisexual or heterosexual
- Disability – including physical, sensory, cognitive or mental health conditions
- Transgender identity – including people whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned at birth
Someone can be targeted for more than one reason, and it is not always obvious at the time. If something feels directed at who you are, it can still be reported.
How to report a hate crime or hate incident
Anyone can report a hate crime or hate incident, whether you experienced it yourself or witnessed it.
You do not need proof, and no incident is too small to report.
In person
- Visit a local police station
- Go to a third-party reporting centre, where staff can support you through the process
By phone
- Call 999 if it is an emergency or someone is in immediate danger
- Call 101 to report a non-emergency to the police
- Some organisations also offer confidential helplines
Online
- Report directly to the police using True Vision: https://www.report-it.org.uk/
- This service allows you to report anonymously if you prefer
If you are unsure what to do, support organisations can guide you through your options before you make a report.
Get support
You can report a hate crime or incident and access support through the following organisations:
General reporting and support
- Crimestoppers UK – Anonymous reporting
https://crimestoppers-uk.org | 0800 555 111 - True Vision – Police reporting, including anonymous reports
https://www.report-it.org.uk/ - Stop Hate UK – Confidential support and reporting
https://www.stophateuk.org
Specialist support
- Galop – Support for LGBT+ people
https://www.galop.org.uk | 0800 999 5428 - Tell MAMA UK – Support for anti-Muslim hate incidents
https://tellmamauk.org | 0800 456 1226 - Community Security Trust (CST) – Support for antisemitic incidents
https://cst.org.uk | 0800 032 3263 - Migrant English Support Hub (MESH) – Support and resources for people learning English in the East Midlands
https://www.meshempower.org
If you are in immediate danger, always call 999.
NHS Talking Therapies
NHS talking therapies services offer:
- help for common mental health problems, like anxiety and depression
- talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), counselling, other therapies, and guided self-help
Accessing the NHS
If you are settling in the UK under the BN(O) visa you will be entitled to access most
NHS services free of charge after you have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge
and your visa has been granted.
You can access the following services free of charge: General Practitioners (GPs), also
known as family doctors, Hospitals, and Maternity services.
More information about accessing healthcare in the UK can be found on Page 27 of the Welcome Pack for arrivals from Hong Kong on the British Nationals (Overseas) visa:
