Surrey Hate Crime and Community Cohesion Needs Assessment 2025
Surrey Hate Crime and Community Cohesion Needs Assessment 2025
Executive Summary
Hate crime is a serious and persistent issue that affects individuals and communities across the UK. These offences are driven by prejudice or hostility towards a person’s actual or perceived identity. The impacts are far-reaching, and victims often experience trauma, isolation and fear, while communities, particularly those already marginalised, may feel unsafe, unwelcome, and disconnected.
Between 2020 and 2024, over 11,800 hate crimes were recorded by Surrey Police – an average of nearly 2,400 per year. While racially motivated hate crime remains the most prevalent, incidents targeting sexual orientation, disability, religion or faith, and transgender identity are also rising. Harassment is the most common offence type, and hate crimes are increasingly linked to other risk factors such as online abuse and gender-based violence.
Despite rising numbers, hate crime remains significantly underreported. While tackling hate crime is essential, this assessment takes a broader, preventative approach shifting the focus from enforcement alone to the social conditions that build inclusion, trust, and resilience.
Undertaken between October 2024 and June 2025 in collaboration with the Surrey Office of Data Analytics (SODA), this needs assessment was initiated in response to growing concerns about the prevalence and impact of hate crime across Surrey’s communities. The assessment takes a whole-system approach, drawing on police data, national research, and community insight to understand the scale, impact, and complexity of hate crime in Surrey. It also highlights the role of community cohesion, through shared values, visibility, and belonging in preventing hate. The findings aim to inform future planning, partnership work, and service commissioning to support victims and reduce harm.
It calls for a coordinated response, one that balances safety with inclusion, and enforcement with empathy, to ensure all Surrey residents feel safe, valued, and empowered to thrive. For more information or to discuss the findings in detail, please contact the Safer Communities team at: [email protected]
You can download and access the report here:
Hate-Crime-and-Community-Cohesion-Needs-Assessment-2025
About this Report
The Safer Communities Strategic Lead for Hate Crime and Community Cohesion sit within the Safer Communities Team at Surrey County Council and works in partnership with the Surrey Community Safety and Prevention Board (CSPB). This role also collaborates with The Surrey Office of Data Analytics (SODA) – a multi-agency partnership comprising public, academic, and voluntary sector organisations across Surrey.
SODA supports the CSPB and Safer Communities in its priority focus areas by providing data driven insights and analytical support to inform strategic decision-making and community safety initiatives.
For more information about the Safer Communities Team please contact: [email protected]
For more information about the SODA team, please contact: [email protected]
Co-Produced by: The Safer Communities Strategic Lead for Hate Crime and Community Cohesion and The Surrey Office for Data and Analytics (SODA)
Contributions from the following organisations: Surrey County Council, Surrey Police, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum, Surrey Coalition of Disabled People, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), NHS Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board, Surrey Public Health, Elmbridge Borough Council, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, Guildford Borough Council, Mole Valley District Council, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, Runnymede Borough Council, Spelthorne Borough Council, Surrey Heath Borough Council, Tandridge District Council, Waverley Borough Council, Woking Borough Council, Activate Learning, Accent Housing.