Islamophobia in the UK and Europe: What the Latest Data Reveals Islam Global News | International News Editorial Desk Anti-Muslim discrimination remains a significant concern across parts of the United Kingdom and Europe, with official statistics and large-scale surveys documenting hate crimes, workplace barriers, harassment and unequal treatment. Two major datasets provide an important picture of the issue: the UK Home Office's latest police-recorded hate crime figures and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) survey of Muslim communities across 13 EU countries. UK: Anti-Muslim hate crimes rise by 15% According to the UK Home Office, police in England and Wales recorded 5,132 religious hate crime offences targeting Muslims in the year ending March 2026. This was a 15% increase from 4,479 offences in the previous year. Muslims accounted for approximately 46% of religious hate crimes for which the targeted religion was identified in the latest figures. The same Home Office release recorded 11,419 religious hate crime offences overall, representing a 13% annual increase. These figures cover England and Wales, not the entire United Kingdom. They also represent offences reported to and recorded by police, rather than every incident experienced by Muslim communities. Europe: Nearly half of surveyed Muslims experienced racism A major 2024 report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights found that 47% of Muslim respondents experienced racial discrimination during the five years before the survey. The research involved 9,604 Muslim respondents across 13 EU countries. It found that discrimination affected several areas of everyday life: - 39% experienced discrimination while looking for work. - 35% experienced discrimination in the workplace. - 35% faced discrimination in the housing market. - 27% experienced racist harassment. - 49% of Muslims who had been stopped by police in the previous year believed their most recent stop was linked to racial profiling. The survey also found that Muslim women wearing religious clothing faced particular barriers. Among women wearing religious clothing, 45% reported discrimination when looking for work over the five-year period. Which European countries reported higher levels? The FRA survey identified particularly high five-year racial discrimination rates among Muslim respondents in: - Austria: 71% - Germany: 68% - Finland: 63% These figures reflect the experiences of surveyed Muslim respondents, not the percentage of the entire Muslim population in each country. Why the figures may not show the full picture Official police records capture reported and recorded offences. They do not include every incident of verbal abuse, online hostility, workplace discrimination or harassment. The FRA research also found that only 6% of victims of discrimination reported an incident or made a complaint in the year before the survey. This suggests that recorded cases alone cannot provide a complete measure of anti-Muslim discrimination. There is also an important time distinction: the FRA survey fieldwork took place between October 2021 and October 2022. Its findings should therefore be understood as survey evidence from that period, not as a measurement of conditions in 2026. What needs to change? The findings highlight the importance of stronger enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, accessible reporting systems, fair recruitment practices and effective protection against religious and racial harassment. Governments and public institutions also need reliable data collection to identify where discrimination is occurring and whether policies are making a measurable difference. Conclusion The available evidence shows that anti-Muslim discrimination is a documented concern in both the UK and parts of Europe. The latest UK police figures show a rise in recorded offences targeting Muslims, while the EU survey reveals discrimination across employment, housing and public life. However, the figures come from different methods and time periods. They should be read carefully, without treating police reports or survey findings as a complete count of every incident. Islam Global News | International News Editorial Desk