Ealing Council Announces New Hate Crime Strategy
Borough responding to a double digit increase in reports
Cllr Jasbir Anand, Cabinet Member for Tackling Crime and Antisocial Behaviour set out the measures at a recent Cabinet meeting. Picture: Ealing Council
October 9, 2026
Ealing Council has announced its new hate crime strategy following an 11 per cent increase of reports in the borough.
Racist and religious hate crime was by far the largest, accounting for 87.3 per cent of all recorded hate crimes in the borough. Racist hostility was present in 77.5 per cent of cases.
Ealing Broadway recorded the highest number of offences with 124 over two years, followed by Norwood Green with 118, South Acton with 113, and North Acton with 110 offences.
Asian residents represent the largest ethnic group among victims of a hate crime at 35.5 per cent, followed by Black victims at 28.3 per cent and White victims at 25.9 per cent.
Racist and religious crime saw the largest volume rise, adding 43 offences year on year (between June 2024 and May 2026), followed by homophobic hate crime which saw an increase of 31 offences year on year. Disability hate crime experienced the steepest relative surge, nearly doubling with a 90.9 per cent increase from 11 to 21 offences.
Transgender hate crime saw the second relative rise at 85.7 per cent – from seven to 13 offences – however police data explicitly highlights that ableist and transphobic incidents remain heavily underreported overall.
The new strategy sets out four strategic priorities. The first priority is prevention and awareness.
The council will utilise local forums and annual campaigns to deliver targeted awareness across the borough. It will also embed anti-hate crime resources and “respect focused learning” directly into school curriculums via the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) network.
The second priority focuses on reporting and trust by conducting direct outreach to underrepresented groups and bringing together different minorities to discuss safety and emerging tensions. The local authority will expand non-police, community based reporting mechanisms, alongside providing translated reporting guides and disability-inclusive reporting options.
Priority three aims to improve support for victims and witnesses by ensuring support services treat victims with empathy and dignity. It will provide practical and emotional assistance regardless of whether an incident meets the formal legal threshold for prosecution.
The final priority relates to taking action against offenders by strengthening intelligence sharing and taking legal action where criminal thresholds are met. The council will also explore victim-supported restorative, educational and community-based interventions to tackle the root causes and prevent reoffending.
Speaking at Cabinet on Wednesday, Cllr Jasbir Anand, Cabinet Member for Tackling Crime and Antisocial Behaviour said: “This… really sets out our commitment to making our borough a place where everyone feels safe, respected and valued.
“We know that enforcement alone is not enough. Reducing hate crime requires us to build trust, improve confidence in reporting, support victims and witnesses, challenge prejudice and work with communities to prevent harm before it occurs. Together, we can make sure that hate has no place in Ealing.”
Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter
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