We’re committed to fostering safe, inclusive communities where our residents can live free from hate, discrimination, and hostility.
This policy sets out our approach to preventing and responding to hate crime and hate-based incidents, ensuring that those affected are supported and perpetrators are held accountable.
Here's what you need to know
Our approach
Everyone has the right to feel safe, welcome and respected in their home and community. We take a zero‑tolerance approach to hate crime and hate‑based incidents. If you experience or witness behaviour motivated by hostility towards race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, transgender identity, or where prejudice is perceived to be a factor, we will act.
What counts as hate crime or hate-based behaviour?
Hate crime includes any criminal act motivated by hostility towards protected characteristics.
Hate incidents may not break the law, but still involve prejudice or hostility and can cause serious harm.
Examples include verbal abuse, harassment, threats, bullying, online abuse, and damage to property believed to be motivated by hate.
If you believe something happened because of prejudice, we will treat it as a hate incident or hate crime.
How we will support you
If you report a hate crime or incident to us, we will:
- Listen and respond quickly - we aim to contact you within one working day of your report.
- Take your concerns seriously and handle them sensitively and confidentially.
- Work with you to understand what has happened and agree next steps.
- Prioritise your safety when making any decisions.
- Offer practical help and connect you with specialist support organisations if needed (these are listed in Appendix A of the full policy).
- Keep you informed as we take action.
You can report an incident directly to us, or to the police. We also recognise that some people may prefer contacting specialist organisations first - that’s absolutely fine.
How we take action
We will take appropriate, proportionate action against anyone responsible for hate‑based behaviour. This could include:
- Tenancy‑related enforcement action
- Working with the police and other agencies
- Using mediation or restorative approaches where suitable, always putting your safety first.ers
We work closely with the police, local authorities and specialist organisations to prevent hate crime, support victims and, where needed, share information lawfully to protect you.
Our commitment to safer communities
We monitor trends, support local cohesion initiatives, and take part in awareness campaigns to help prevent hate‑based behaviour in our communities. Staff receive training so they can recognise and respond effectively to hate crime.