New Home Office figures reveal that police recorded 6,157 hate crimes across Wales during 2025–26.
The figures include 4,098 offences involving racial hostility, 1,107 involving sexual orientation, 648 involving disability, 325 involving religion and 242 involving transgender identity. Individual offences can fall into multiple categories.
Across England and Wales, recorded hate crime increased by 7%.
Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams has urged victims and witnesses to report incidents and highlighted the availability of specialist support.
Why it matters: The figures raise questions about community safety, policing, public confidence and the effectiveness of measures to prevent hate crime. Police-recorded figures do not capture every incident, and changes in reporting and recording practices can affect trends.
