The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, announced plans to discontinue the current practice of recording non-crime hate incidents by police forces in England and Wales. These incidents, which do not meet the threshold of criminal offenses, have been documented to monitor and address lower-level abuse.
Campaigners and researchers warn that stopping the recording and investigation of these incidents could negatively impact disabled people. They argue that such lower-level incidents often escalate into more serious hate crimes and that removing this category may reduce protections for vulnerable groups.
**Why this matters**
Non-crime hate incident records provide valuable data that help law enforcement identify patterns of abuse and intervene early. Discontinuing this practice may limit the ability to track and respond to hate-motivated behavior before it escalates, potentially leaving disabled individuals and other targeted groups more vulnerable to harm.