The Peter Tatchell Foundation weekly bulletin reports that new aggravated offences for homophobia are to come to law.

An amendment to the ongoing Crimes and Policing Bill will mean crimes motivated by hostility towards these characteristics will carry higher penalties.

The change has been hailed as a "landmark moment" for equality by the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity Galop. The bill, which applies to England and Wales, is currently progressing through the House of Lords and is not yet law.

Currently, when a crime involves an element of hostility related to a person's LGBT+ status or disability, it can be acknowledged with a sentencing "uplift" on a broader charge like assault. The new amendment will establish these as defined charges in their own right, which comes with a higher maximum sentencing penalty. This brings them into line with existing aggravated offences for race and religion.

Rising Reports and a 'Clear Message'

Jasmine O'Connor, co-chief executive of Galop, stated: "At a time when our services are seeing consistent rises in LGBT+ hate crime victims seeking support, this long-overdue change sends a clear message that anti-LGBT+ hate crime is as deserving of justice as crimes motivated by religious or racial hate."

Labour MP Rachel Taylor, who first proposed the amendment, revealed that police recorded over 30,000 hate crimes linked to sexual orientation, transgender identity, or disability in England and Wales between March 2024 and 2025. She said she was "absolutely delighted" by the "vital change in the law", calling it "a great stride forward in equality".

The government stated it had responded to the amendment as part of a commitment made in its manifesto. The campaign group Stonewall, which had lobbied for the change, described it as sending a "powerful message" that people "deserve equal access to justice".

Stonewall's chief executive, Simon Blake, said: "We welcome that the government is delivering on a manifesto commitment for LGBTQ+ people at a time when many in the community are feeling increasingly under threat."

The amendment also covers crimes where victims are targeted because of their sex, which the government says aligns with its mission to halve violence against women and girls within the next decade. The Crimes and Policing Bill is currently at the report stage in the Lords and must still be passed and signed into law.