Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Crime, justice and the law
  3. Crimes

Hate crime

Hate crime is a crime against a person because of their race, religious belief, sexual orientation, political opinion, gender identity or disability. Hate crime has many forms from bullying and name calling, damage to property, violent attacks and even hate mail or hate email.

Types of hate crime

There are different types of hate crime recognised in Northern Ireland:

  • racist hate crime - you can be a victim of racist hate crime because of the colour of your skin, but also because of what country you come from or what language you speak
  • homophobic hate crime - this mean a crime against someone because they are gay, lesbian or bisexual
  • religious hate crime - is attacking someone because of their religion or even for a lack of religious belief
  • sectarian hate crime - is where you can be attacked because of your community background, for example: Catholic or Protestant or because of your political opinions, for example nationalist or loyalist
  • transgender hate crime - is a crime against someone whose gender identity is different from their birth sex
  • disability hate crime - is a crime against someone because of a physical or mental disability they have or appear to have

Every crime is a sign of hate. But crimes committed against a person because of skin colour, religion or sexuality is an attack against the victim's identity, others of the same group and society as whole.

Reporting a hate crime

If you are a victim or witness to a hate crime of any type or feel threatened, report it to the police:

  • calling 999 in an emergency
  • contacting your local police on 101
  • calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

The police can get interpreters 24 hours a day for non-English speakers.

You can also report a non-emergency crime online.

  • Hate crime reporting

Support for victims of hate crime

As a victim of a hate crime or incident you may find it helpful to speak to someone about your experience. There are support services available that can help you deal with the impact of the crime.

  • Victim Support Northern Ireland
  • Help and support for victims of crime

The Regional Advocacy Service for Victims of Hate Crime can help support you during the police investigation. They can also help you to contact the police if you’re feeling vulnerable or unsure.

The PSNI also has Neighbourhood Policing Officers who can advise and support victims of hate crime. 

  • Hate crime

If you or your home has been attacked

If you have been the victim of a hate incident or crime at or near your home, or your home has been attacked, you may be eligible for help from the Hate Incident Practical Action Scheme.

The scheme supports victims of hate incidents by helping them with personal and home protection measures. It is available to owner occupiers and tenants in privately rented or Housing Executive properties.

You must report the hate incident or incidents to the police to be eligible for support.

When an incident is confirmed by the police, minimum repairs may be carried out to secure the property. If requested, there will be a follow up visit by a local police officer who can recommend work to be carried out by the Housing Executive to repair the property and improve existing security.

The scheme is available 24 hours each day to provide support and reassurance to victims of hate incidents.

  • Housing Executive

Hate crime guides for use in the workplace

Guides are available to help employers deal with hate incidents and hate crimes which happen in the workplace.

The guides from the Department of Justice and Labour Relations Agency are for all employers, managers and employees and will help employers support staff who experience any form of hate crime.

The guides set out what a hate crime is, how to report incidents and the support available.

  • Hate Crime Guides for use in the workplace

More useful links

  • Crimestoppers Northern Ireland
  • Victim Support
  • Hate Crime Reporting
  • Unite Against Hate Campaign
  • Fearless
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Crimes

  • Antisocial behaviour
  • Domestic abuse
  • Drugs and crime
  • Female genital mutilation
  • Film and music piracy
  • Gang crime
  • Gun crime
  • Hate crime
  • Knife crime and other offensive weapons
  • Modern slavery and human trafficking
  • Organised crime
  • Paying for sexual services
  • Rural crime
  • Sexual violence and abuse
  • Stalking
  • Strangulation and suffocation

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS