New government data reveals hate crimes against Christians in England and Wales have increased by 24.3 percent year-on-year, marking the fastest growth rate among all religious groups. The statistics, recorded for the year ending March 2026, show a sharp rise compared to previous years.
The report also indicates significant increases in hate crimes targeting other faiths: people whose religion is unknown (up 21.8 percent), Hindus (15.4 percent), Muslims (14.6 percent), Jews (10 percent), and Sikhs (3.1 percent).
While offenses against Jews and Muslims constitute a larger share of reported hate crimes overall, the data demonstrates that Christian hate crimes are growing at the highest rate among religious groups in the United Kingdom. The number of such incidents rose by 122 over the past year, climbing from 502 to 624.
The article notes that anti-Christian discrimination, though officially illegal, has become normalized in contemporary Britain. Recent examples include:
– In 2025, Christian pro-life activist Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was investigated after silently praying within an abortion clinic “buffer zone” in Birmingham.
– In October 2024, Luke Salmons, a Police Community Support Officer in North Yorkshire, was suspended and faced disciplinary action after raising questions about Islamism during a diversity training session.
– In June 2019, Reverend Dr. Bernard Randall, a school chaplain, was suspended and dismissed following a sermon on traditional Christian views of marriage and sex.
These incidents represent a trend where legal processes have been used to punish Christians for expressing their faith.
