Our Hate Policy
Read our Hate Policy.
This policy was shaped through meaningful engagement with local residents, subject matter experts, and partner organisations. Their insights helped us develop a series of new commitments to better serve our community, including:
- A commitment to responding to all hate incidents within 24 hours (1 business day) of being reported to us.
- Recording and analysing reports of hate to help us identify and respond to concerns of hostility.
- Raising the awareness of hate and hostility throughout our communities, and removing any barriers to reporting.
What is hate?
A hate incident is any incident which the victim, or anyone else, thinks is based on someone’s prejudice towards them because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender.
Not all instances involving hate will amount to a criminal offence but are just as important to report. A hate incident is any non-criminal incident which the victim perceives is based on someone’s prejudice towards them because of a protected characteristic.
Hate crime and hate incidents can take many forms including physical and verbal attacks, vandalism, cyberbullying, offensive gestures, or threatening behaviour.
While misogyny is not a recognised strand of hate, we will treat reports of misogyny in accordance with our hate policy and the councils wider commitment to prevent Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG). Misogyny is defined as:
“…hatred or prejudice against women and girls, typically exhibited by men.”
How to report it
We encourage victims of hate to report all incidents. Many victims do not report their experiences because they are scared, worried about not being believed, or think nothing can be done.
Our specialist ASB Team consists of trained and qualified case managers, who are equipped to deal with a varied caseload of hate and anti-social behaviour.
Your report can help us identify where, how, and why these incidents occur by speaking with an ASB Officer immediately. In an emergency you should always call 999.
You may report an incident anonymously. However, we do encourage victims to provide personal details as this can assist us with the investigation.
If you are a Milton Keynes City Council tenant, you can report to our ASB Team who will aim to respond to you within 1 business day:
- By calling 01908 691691
- By emailing ASB@milton-keynes.gov.uk
- In-person at Civic and speaking to the duty ASB Officer
- If you live in our sheltered accommodation schemes, you may contact your sheltered housing officer directly for further support and advice.
What is the impact?
The impact of hate crime and hate incidents on individuals and their families can be devastating, affecting their social, psychological, and physical well-being. This is why we encourage victims to come forward and make a report without delay. We recognise the impact of hate and hostility across our communities and this is why our skilled officers are ready on-hand to discuss any concerns with you.
Support services
To support victims of hate and anti-social behaviour, we have created a Support Hub that provides details of national and local support agencies.
If you are a local or national charity and would like your support services published on this page, please email: ASB@milton-keynes.gov.uk
Raising awareness
- National Hate Crime Awareness Week, 11-18 October 2025.
- Zero Discrimination Day, 1 March 2026