The newly released Official Statistics for Hate Crime appear to show an overall decrease in anti-LGBT+ hate crime in England and Wales in 2024 - 2025. This decrease does not reflect the reality of hate experienced by our community, as the majority of anti-LGBT+ hate crime goes unreported.  

The Government’s 2017 National LGBT+ Survey showed that 91% of respondents did not report their most serious incident of anti-LGBT+ hate crime to the police. The Home Office has stated itself that “Figures from the police” should “not be seen as a good measure of prevalence” since not all hate crime is reported to them. 

In addition to underreporting, this year’s figures exclude data from the UK’s largest police force, the Metropolitan Police based in London - the city with the biggest LGBT+ community.  

This misrepresentation matters because these statistics carry implications for policing, policy, and general perceptions of the current state of hate-motivated crimes.  

Galop has long called for the Government to make improvements to the monitoring and recording of hate crime statistics in England and Wales. 

Galop’s frontline work reveals the deep, lasting, and wide-reaching harm caused by hate crime. Every day, we work with victims and survivors who feel that it’s becoming less safe to be openly LGBT+, particularly following April’s Supreme Court Ruling. 

We also call on the Government to fulfil its commitment to equalise hate crime legislation and make anti-LGBT+ hate crime an aggravated offence. Ensuring hate crime parity would be a meaningful step toward rebuilding trust with the LGBT+ community, demonstrating that the UK is willing to stand firm against all forms of hate. 

The levels of hate towards the LGBT+, and particularly the trans+ community, are unacceptable. Anti-LGBT+ hate cannot be allowed to continue in this way. We deserve to be safe and supported, and to live as our full selves, free from abuse and violence.