Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has announced funding for a charity which provides a third-party reporting service for hate crime in the county.
Condemning hate in all its forms, PCC John Tizard (Labour) has funded Stop Hate UK, which operates the UK’s only free dedicated 24-hour anti-hate crime helpline service.
Stop Hate UK already operates in other parts of the country, and allows people to report hate crime safely, confidentially and without the need for directly contacting the police.
They fund eight ways to make contact, including telephone, text, online chat, email, online reporting form, BSL and text relay.
In 2025/26, there were 1,278 reports of hate crime in Bedfordshire, down three per cent from the previous year, when there were 1,317 reported incidents.
Read: Chief constable urges Bedfordians to report any incidences of hate crime
Taking hate crime seriously
At the same time, there has been a 24% increase in solved hate crime compared to the previous year, which the PCC says shows that the police do take these crimes seriously.
And he says that a fall in reporting of hate crime does not necessarily mean a fall in overall incidents of hate crime.
“Hate crime is a direct attack on someone for their ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity,” said Mr Tizard.
“It is wrong, and it is harmful. It has absolutely no place here in Bedfordshire. Those who commit these awful crimes are criminal and they are cowardly.
“Stop Hate UK can make reporting hate crime easier.
“I want every person in Bedfordshire, whatever their background, wherever they live to know that they will be supported, they will be believed, and they will be taken seriously.”
Rose Simkins, chief executive of Stop Hate UK, said: “Hate is on the rise in the UK, but we know that all forms of Hate Crime are significantly under-reported and that individuals and even whole communities are often reluctant or unwilling to talk to the police or their council.
“They do not know who to turn to when they are targeted. They think that no one cares, but we do. This is why my team work 24 hours a day, 365 days per year to provide people with a safe, confidential, independent space to get support.
“By funding our independent service, the Police and Crime Commissioner is demonstrating a commitment to ensuring that all residents and visitors to Bedfordshire do have somewhere to go when they experience hate.
“We are open when other services may be closed or busy and we give people an easy way to report or access support. We are committed to working with agencies and organisations across the County to create a safer environment for us all.”
