Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime bill passes House of Lords as an aggressive offence
"We are one step closer to making anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime an aggravated offence," says Stonewall CEO Simon Blake
By Aaron Sugg
The House of Lords has passed an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that would make anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime an aggravated offence.
If the Bill is passed in the House of Commons, it will become law, meaning LGBTQ+ people will have equal protections under hate crime legislation.
The Bill, spearheaded by Yvette Cooper and Lord Hanson of Flint, has gained support from the LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall, which has been campaigning for equal treatment since 2024.
Through their Hold My Hand campaign, they have been advocating for anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes to be treated as aggravated offences in the UK.
“We are one step closer to making anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime an aggravated offence” – Simon Blake celebrating The House of Lords passing the bill
In light of the news, Stonewall CEO Simon Blake celebrated the milestone in a statement to the official Stonewall website.
“We have made further progress on the journey to LGBTQ+ equality – we are one step closer to making anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime an aggravated offence,” he said.
“Putting hate crime against LGBTQ+ people on the same footing as religious and racial hate crime has always been the right thing to do. It sends a powerful message that LGBTQ+ people deserve equal access to justice,” the 52-year-old continued.
“Stonewall, and others, have campaigned tirelessly for this change” – Blake on making anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime an aggravated offence
Blake urged further action to continue progress for LGBTQ+ rights: “Effective advocacy matters now more than ever. Stonewall, and others, have campaigned tirelessly for this change; I am proud to see it one step closer to becoming a reality.”
Previously, anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes were recognised but had lower maximum penalties compared with other marginalised groups. Classifying them as aggravated offences means harsher penalties and more time for victims to access justice.
A study by Stonewall found that less than half (44%) of LGBTQ+ people feel safe holding their partner’s hand in public, and as of 2024, more than 18,000 hate crimes were motivated by sexual orientation, with over 2,500 related to trans identities.
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