Resident guidance & Policy information: All residents - Last updated: 22 May 2026
Hate crime
The population of any Anchor location is multi-generational and diverse and we recognise that hate incidents and hate crimes may occur having a serious and detrimental effect on the quality of a person’s life.
Everyone has the right to feel safe and secure in their home. We expect residents and their visitors to be respectful of neighbours, other visitors and people within the local community.
This page explains how to report hate crime and hate incidents to us and what support we can offer in these situations.
In this guidance you will find:
- Anchor's Hate Incident & Hate Crime Policy
- What is a hate crime or hate incident?
- How to report hate crime or hate incidents to Anchor
- How quickly will Anchor respond?
- How Anchor will support you
- How are reports of hate crime or hate incidents investigated?
- Further information, support and resources
Anchor's Hate Incident & Hate Crime Policy
Hate Incident & Hate Crime Policy (updated Oct 2025)
What is a hate crime or hate incident?
A hate crime is any criminal offence where the person affected is targeted because of prejudice or hatred towards their identity or group. It’s perceived by the person affected or by others as being motivated by bias against certain characteristics, such as race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
A hate incident may or may not be a criminal act, but it still involves prejudice or hatred directed at a person based on the same characteristics.
Motivations for hate crimes or incidents include:
- Race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, or national origin
- Religion or belief
- Disability
- Sexual orientation
- Gender, including gender re-assignment or transgender identity
Forms of hate crimes and incidents:
- Physical attacks (assault, damage to property, robbery, verbal abuse, offensive graffiti, arson)
- Threatening behaviour (intimidating gestures / behaviour, letters, calls, social media abuse)
- Verbal abuse or insults (offensive leaflets, posters, slurs)
- Harassment (intimidation, malicious accusations, unwanted repeated communication)
- Inciting hate (encouraging others to commit hate crimes)
- Other forms of hostility
How to report hate crime or hate incidents to Anchor
Anchor will always strongly recommend that criminal behaviour is reported to the police in the first instance.
You can report hate crime or incidents to us in several ways:
- Online: Complete our online reporting form here
- Location Manager: Residents can also report to their Location Manager in person, over the phone, by email, or by letter
- Email: Send an email to [email protected] with "ASB" in the subject line. Your report will be assessed by the Customer Experience Hub and forwarded to the most appropriate member of staff
- Phone: Call 0800 731 2020
We take hate crime and hate incident reports seriously. We encourage you to report any incidents to us as soon as possible so we can take swift action.
We also recommend that you contact the police on 101, or on 999 if the situation requires urgent attention.
How quickly will Anchor respond?
We treat hate crime and hate incident reports as urgent. We aim to:
- Contact you within 1 working day of receiving your report
- Continue to follow up every two weeks thereafter to ensure you remain informed.
How Anchor will support you
Upon initial contact, we will:
- Assess your wellbeing and safety
- Offer referrals to specialist external agencies or support you with self-referrals
- Discuss ways to make your home environment safer
- Guide you through the process of reporting to the police if necessary
- Maintain regular contact throughout the investigation.
We may ask for your consent to share information with police and other relevant agencies and we will work with you to gather information, such as witness details, incident diaries, and other documentation.
How are reports of hate crime or hate incidents investigated?
Your Location Manager will typically take the lead on investigating the incident. The process may include:
- Seeking advice from our Community Safety Team
- Gathering information
- Engaging with the person responsible and taking appropriate action
Depending on the severity, we may take legal action if necessary. Legal action can be taken against the persons responsible when they are not residents, if the incident has happened on or close to an Anchor property. Restorative approaches such as mediation can also be explored if you feel that would be helpful.
Further information, support and resources
For additional information and support around hate crime and hate incidents the following websites and resources are available:
- Stop Hate UK
- Victim Support UK
- Report hate crime - GOV.UK
- Zoteria by Stonewall
- Galop the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity
Anchor’s Inclusive Language Resident Help sheet (updated Aug 2024)
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You can quickly and easily report any form of anti-social behaviour, hate crime or domestic abuse to Anchor using our online form.
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