Housing Hate Incident Policy

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Hate incidents have a significant and often lasting impact on individuals and their communities. When people are targeted because of their disability, ethnicity or race, religion or faith, sexual orientation or transgender identity, the harm goes beyond the immediate incident and has a significant effect on their quality of life, wellbeing and feelings of safety.

1.2 We want all tenants and leaseholders to feel safe and supported when reporting hate incidents to us. Brighton & Hove City Council is committed to creating a culture of trust and respect, where individuals feel confident that their concerns will be taken seriously and handled sensitively. We understand that reporting can be difficult, and we aim to make the process as accessible and reassuring as possible, ensuring that victims are listened to and supported, and the behaviours or actions of perpetrators are tackled, and where possible, prevented.

1.3 This policy covers how we as a council will deal with hate incidents affecting tenants and leaseholders in housing provided by Brighton & Hove City Council. This includes people who live in our Seaside Homes and Temporary Accommodation homes.

1.4 If you require assistance with translation of this policy, large print, easy read, braille, or an audio copy, contact us by phone on 01273 293030 or by email housing.customerservices@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

2.0      Scope

2.1       Brighton & Hove City Council is committed to preventing, tackling and managing hate incidents (and anti-social behaviour) in accordance with the Housing Regulator’s Standard. Under the Neighbourhood and Community Standard, registered providers of social housing are required to publish a policy on how they work with relevant partners to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) & hate incidents in areas where they own and manage properties.

2.2       This policy sets out our approach to dealing with hate related behaviour and applies to:

· Those who are victims and witnesses of hate related behaviour and live in our homes or visit our properties

· Those who are victims and witnesses and are not our tenants but are experiencing hate related behaviour being perpetrated by people who live in our homes or regularly visit our properties

· Those who are the perpetrators of hate related behaviour and live in our homes or visit our properties

· Those who are the perpetrators of hate related behaviour and are not our tenants but are perpetrating conduct motivated by hate and their conduct is having a direct impact on our housing management functions

2.3       This includes people who live in our general needs’ accommodation, Seniors schemes, leaseholders, Temporary Accommodation and Seaside Homes as well as people who live in other tenures (where their conduct is having a direct impact on our housing management function).

3.0      Strategic Statement

3.1       To achieve this, we aim to:

· Ensure information on how to report hate incidents is clear to understand and easily available to all tenants.

· We will take active steps to investigate whether any anti-social act or acts of nuisance or annoyance might be motivated by hate.

· We will take a victim centred approach, and an incident will be investigated as a hate incident where the victim perceives it as such.

· We will take steps to prevent hate related behaviour from happening. Where it does, we aim to take swift and effective action to find a resolution.

· Our focus is on reducing the harm caused to the victim and communities. We will signpost victims to access support tailored to their individual needs. We will also focus on providing support where perpetrator has vulnerabilities that cause, or contribute to, the situation.

· We will work in partnership with the police, Community Safety Team, other agencies, and members of the community to address all forms of hate incidents, take action against offenders and protect victims. This will ensure that Brighton & Hove is a safe & secure place to live, work and visit.

· Victims will be provided a point of contact and will be asked how they would like to keep in contact to report further incidents and how often they would like to receive feedback.

· We will use the legal and civil tools and powers available to us to tackle hate incidents.

· We will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of our services in addressing hate incidents, reporting our performance and making changes where necessary in relation to best practice and resident feedback.

3.2       This policy compliments our Anti social behaviour policy and where appropriate should be read in conjunction with it.

4.0 Definition

4.1       A hate incident is any incident that is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by a hostility or prejudice based on a persons perceived:

· disability

· race or ethnic identity

· religion/belief

· gender or gender identity

· sexual orientation

4.2       Hate behaviour can be displayed against individuals or groups. People can be targeted due to their association with individuals who have the above personal characteristics.

4.3       Hate incidents can take many forms including; verbal abuse or harassment which includes name calling, spitting, physical attacks or violence, damage to property including offensive graffiti, arson (fire), threats and intimidation and offensive literature (such as letters, emails, posters and social media).

4.4 Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim, or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a personal characteristic or the perception of the person of having any of these characteristics is a hate crime. Hate crime can take many forms, including but not limited to: physical assault, verbal abuse, incitement to hatred, threats of attack and criminal damage.

4.5 For information about domestic abuse and related issues of gender violence, including forced marriage and sexual violence, please refer to our website.

5.0      How to report a hate incident

5.1 Anyone can report a hate incident or hate crime including:

· the victim or any person who has been directly affected

· anybody who witnessed the incident

· any third party, including family, friends, neighbours, support workers and advocates, community leaders, including religious leaders, Councillors and MPs.

5.2 An incident can be considered a hate incident if either the victim, or any other person perceives it to be motivated by hostility or prejudice against an identifiable group of people.

5.3       Report to Sussex Police 

· If you experience any form of hate incident or crime, reporting your situation can help ensure that the incident does not continue. Reporting may also help prevent these crimes and incidents from happening to someone else. This helps the police to understand the extent of hate crime in your area and better respond to incidents of hate crime.

· If you feel in immediate danger or in an emergency phone 999 and ask for the police.

· If it is not an emergency, you can contact the police by phoning 101.  

· You can also report online.

5.4       Report to Brighton & Hove City Council Housing

We will investigate all incidents reported to us irrespective of reporter and process information given to us in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 and our privacy notice. It is possible to make an anonymous report using the online reporting form; however, it is likely that we will be very limited in the actions we can take and will not be able to share any updates with the reporter. For more information see 14.0 Data Protection, Confidentiality & Information exchange.

Council tenants, council leaseholders and tenants of leaseholders should report hate incidents to Housing Customer Services by:

· phone 01273 293030

· email Housing.CustomerServices@brighton-hove.gov.uk

· completing the online reporting form

Seniors housing tenants may also speak to their scheme manager.

Seaside Homes and Temporary Accommodation tenants should report hate incidents to Temporary Accommodation by:

· phone 01273 294400 (option 4, option 1) 

· email temporary.accommodation@brighton-hove.gov.uk

· completing the online reporting form

Housing association tenants should report hate incidents to their housing provider. Brighton & Hove City Council cannot intervene in housing association cases. 

5.5 Report to a third-party organisation

True Vision is a national online service where you can report hate incidents or crimes that you may have been the victim of, witnessed, or are reporting on behalf of someone else. You can give as much or as little personal details as you choose. You can report anonymously, if you want to.

If you're reporting a crime, the police will create a crime report and investigate.

If you've given your contact details, the police will contact you according to your consent.

If you do not provide personal details, the self-reporting forms will be used to monitor the incidents.

· True Vision website

If you do not want to report online, you can download and print a reporting form, which are available in easy read and a number of other languages.

· True Vision Information and reporting packs - True Vision

6.0      Reporting a safeguarding concern

6.1       If you are concerned about an adult in Brighton and Hove at risk of abuse or neglect you can report a safeguarding concern online at: Report a safeguarding concern or phone 01273 295555.

6.2       If you are worried about a child, you can report a safeguarding concern online at: Refer a child or family to Front Door for Families or phone 01273 290400.

6.3      If you feel that somebody is at immediate risk of harm and it is an emergency, call 999.

7.0      Policy

7.1 Wherever possible we will contact the victim within one working day of the report of the incident.

7.2      We will aim to include an advocate in meetings as requested by the victim and offer option of keeping a nominated representative, such as next of kin or support worker informed.

7.3 The victim’s perception of the incident is all-important, and no evidence of the incident will be required during the first contact.

7.4       During the first contact, we will carry out an initial assessment taking into consideration the needs of the victim to ensure that any action is victim led. We will advise as necessary if another service needs to take the lead (such as Sussex Police or a Housing Association).

7.5       We will let the victim know what action we will be taking and indicate how long we believe this will take.

7.6       We will keep victims up to date with our actions and check in on their welfare using their preferred method of contact and agreed frequency of contact. We will do this until the case is closed.

7.7       We will ensure victims have access to a copy of the hate incident policy and we will signpost to local support and advice services where appropriate.

7.8 If we are concerned about a victim’s (or household member’s) immediate safety or welfare, we may share information with police or make statutory referrals to social services.

7.9       We will make residents aware of the ASB & hate incident case review, formerly known as the Community Trigger.

7.10 Whilst we encourage residents to inform the police of any notifiable incidents, we will not make this a condition of providing support or assistance to them.

7.11    We will ensure victims are clear on how to report further incidents and provide diary sheets (where appropriate).

7.12 Our Complex Case & Temporary Accommodation Managers will be aware of each report of hate crime to ensure responses to incidents can be monitored and followed up at a senior level in Housing Services.

7.13    We will regularly review cases and close them at the appropriate time. We will aim to do this only when the situation is resolved, and no further action is required or because we are unable to find evidence to take further action.

7.14 We will aim to offer to meet with the victim before closing the case.

7.15 We will use the victim’s preferred method of contact to tell them that we intend to close the case and why. Where necessary we will also give them advice on what to do next and either reiterate this in writing or using the victim’s preferred method of contact.

7.16    We will treat any future report from the victim as a hate incident if the victim reports it as such and depending on the specifics of the situation, we may start a new investigation or escalate the case from the last action.

7.17    In some cases, we may decide that a new investigation is not required, for example where the report is of a substantially similar nature to something we have already investigated and concluded that action is not possible. We will explain what we are doing and why to the person making the report.

8.0     Prevention & Support

8.1       We recognise that hate-related behaviour and hate crimes have a profoundly devastating impact on victims and witnesses, often greater than the effects of non-hate motivated offences. We understand the harm these acts cause and impact it has on quality of life.

8.2       Victims may also experience compounded trauma due to the intersection of multiple marginalized identities, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or religion. This intersectionality can result in more severe and complex consequences, affecting not only the immediate victims but also their communities. As a result, ripple effects of hate crimes extend beyond the initial incident, significantly diminishing the quality of life for affected individuals and groups.

8.3       The volatile nature of today's socio-political landscape, often heightened by the media and global conflicts, has created an environment where certain groups face heightened vulnerability. We will consider and respond to the impact of these external factors on both perceived and actual risks to individuals and communities.

8.4 We will therefore provide a service focussing on the victim by assessing the impact with awareness of these factors and tailoring support based on individual needs.

8.5       We will keep in regular contact with victims and witnesses throughout the investigation. We’ll ensure they understand what action we are taking and why.

8.6       We will give advice, support and guidance throughout our investigation.

8.7 Examples of how we may support victims and witnesses based on their individual circumstances include:

· providing a single point of contact, usually a Housing Officer or Scheme Manager

· agree an action plan following an individual assessment

· offer of referral or signposting to other organisations for support and advocacy, such as Victim Support

· visits to court before a hearing

· application for special measures, which includes options such as giving evidence behind screens or via video link in a different room

· advice and/or support through any legal hearings

· provide additional security measures, such as new locks, where appropriate

· carry out any repairs resulting from a hate incident as a priority, where appropriate

· removing graffiti from our properties & estates

8.8       Where there are multiple cases in a neighbourhood, a lead officer will co-ordinate the response, including referring to the Joint Action Group (JAG), to ensure strong communication with all the victims and witnesses.

8.9       We are committed to ensuring that victims can remain in their home whenever possible. However, in exceptional circumstances and when the victim is at risk of serious physical harm and we are unable to resolve the situation in other ways, we may offer emergency accommodation and work with the victim to explore longer-term housing options. In very exceptional cases, this may result in a priority transfer in accordance with the Allocations Policy.

8.10    Where possible we want to make sure hate incidents do not happen in the first place. We do this by:

· Encourage reporting by increasing awareness amongst residents of what constitutes a hate-related incident through publicising information and advice.

· Ensuring new tenants understand their rights and responsibilities and what will happen if they breach their tenancy conditions.

· Issuing introductory tenancies for an initial one-year period to tenants moving into general needs who have not held a social housing tenancy before.

· Publicising our strong approach to stopping hate behaviour and the cases where we have taken legal action.

· Tailoring support to meet individual needs.

· Working with teams such as the Community Engagement Team and Community Safety Team on community cohesion initiatives.

· Use of sensitive lets where appropriate.

· Frontline teams to be kept up to date on any community tensions in line with data sharing protocols.

· Ensuring tenants, contractors and staff feel comfortable to challenge prejudice and stereotyping.

· Identify and support people who are susceptible to radicalisation, referring to PREVENT for early intervention to reduce the risk and harms of terrorism. For further information, visit Prevent - preventing terrorism (brighton-hove.gov.uk).

9.0      Taking action

9.1       Council housing tenants and leaseholders are required to comply with the conditions set out in their tenancy agreement and lease. We will take appropriate action, in line with the relevant policy/procedure, if the conditions are breached.

9.2       We will take victims views into consideration when deciding what action to take and be victim centred in our approach.

9.3       We will decide on the most appropriate action based on factors such as the:

· Evidence available

· Impact on the victim

· Best way to achieve a lasting solution

9.4       Gathering evidence may include witness statements, officer observations, incident diaries, CCTV and working with other agencies, such as Sussex Police.

9.5       We will be clear with victims about what can and cannot be achieved and be realistic about possible outcomes.

9.6 Where there is evidence of hate behaviour appropriate action will be taken. The action we take will be proportionate to the behaviour exhibited and circumstances of the case, alongside the options available to Housing. The full range of civil legal remedies will be considered including the powers established by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which may include injunctions and possession proceedings. We will also use restorative practice where appropriate to reduce harm and change behaviour. For more details, please see the Anti-social Behaviour policy.

9.7       If we establish no evidence of targeted harassment, we will continue to deal with the matter in line with our ASB policy and seek to defuse tensions between the victim and the perpetrator, for example, through mediation.

9.8 We will refer homeowners or those in privately rented accommodation to the Community Safety Team as appropriate, in line with the joint working agreement between our services.

10.0   Working with perpetrators

10.1    Where necessary, we will work with the person responsible for the hate behaviour to identify support needs which may address the underlying causes of their behaviour. This may include reasons such as drug or alcohol addiction, mental health issues or support with parenting.

10.2    We will work with partner agencies in seeking to address and support the underlying issues, which may be the best way to prevent further unacceptable behaviour. Providing support for perpetrators does not prevent us taking enforcement action when it is necessary to do so. It is also important to note that there are rare occasions where someone cannot control their behaviour. In these cases, we will look at other ways of dealing with the situation.

10.3    If someone has been offered support but does not engage and their hate behaviour continues, we will take appropriate action. We will ensure that any action we take is reasonable and proportionate and meets our obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and any other relevant legislation. We will make reasonable adjustments to our policy and procedures where appropriate.

 11.0   ASB & hate incident case review

11.1 The ASB & hate incident case review (previously known as the ‘Community Trigger’) is a process available to people who are harmed by anti-social behaviour and/or hate incidents and feel that the organisations involved are not doing enough to resolve the problem.

11.2    The ASB & hate incident case review can be raised with Brighton & Hove City Council or Sussex Police. Where it meets the criteria, the Housing Team, alongside any other organisations involved in a case, will review the action that has been taken and make recommendations if there are additional actions that can be taken.

11.3    Further information about ASB case reviews can be found on the Brighton & Hove City Council or Sussex Police websites or by telephoning Housing Customer Services on (01273) 293030 or emailing housing.customerservices@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

12.0    Partnership working

12.1    We will work in partnership with other organisations and council teams to prevent and tackle hate behaviour, whilst supporting those involved.

12.2    We encourage victims of a potential hate crime to report this to the police and will not report an incident to the police without permission of the victim unless there is a risk of harm or criminal activity.

12.3    We work closely with the police to collect evidence, such as CCTV and co-ordinate actions, such as taking tenancy action following a criminal conviction.

12.4    We may provide support or make referrals to specialist hate support services who can offer a range of services including safety planning advice, support with attending court, emotional support and counselling.

12.5    We work closely with Adult Social Care and Front Door for Families where there are safeguarding concerns and will act in accordance with our safeguarding policy.

12.6    The monthly Hate and ASB Risk Assessment Conference (HASBRAC) addresses the harm caused to victims of hate incidents and crimes through supportive interventions and manages the behaviour of priority and repeat perpetrators. Perpetrators are offered appropriate interventions to address their behaviour and enforcement is used when necessary.

12.7 We will ensure that offensive graffiti is removed within 24 hours of it being reported.

13.0    Supporting staff

13.1    We understand that staff may find investigating hate-related incidents upsetting and stressful. We will ensure that staff are properly supported by their managers and are made aware of how to access free counselling available to employees of Brighton & Hove City Council.

13.2 Wherever possible we provide training and guidance to staff on how to respond to hate incidents, which includes using a trauma informed approach. We also ensure that staff are informed of the local support agencies available for victims of hate incidents.

13.3    All staff receive equality and diversity training. We promote a safe and diverse working environment for staff and contractors.

13.4    We do not tolerate abusive behaviour towards staff and will take action against residents, where the staff member provides consent.

14.0    Data Protection, Confidentiality & Information exchange

14.1    We have a duty to disclose information about, or provided by, a complainant if there are safeguarding issues that could impact on the safety of children or adults at risk or where there may have been a crime committed. We will therefore disclose to safeguard and fulfil any other statutory duty including those duties under the Crime and Disorder 1998 Act and Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime & Policy 2014 Act.

14.2    All information shared in respect of victims and perpetrators will adhere to the principles of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018, as it relates to information sharing between agencies for the purposes of the reduction of crime and disorder.

14.3    All personal or sensitive data will be processed in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 (as amended) and our Housing Service’s privacy notice. Further information on the way we process & share information to tackle anti-social behaviour and hate incidents is covered in the Housing Service privacy notice for sharing information in relation to ASB & hate incidents.   

15.0    Complaints

15.1 We will seek to fully resolve any concerns about our service and ask that residents get in touch with us directly, so that we have the opportunity to put things right. If the concern relates to council housing, Housing Customer Services can be contacted on 01273 203030 or housing.customerservices@brighton-hove.gov.uk. If the concerns relates to Temporary Accommodation, the team can be contacted on 01273 294400 or temporary.accommodation@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

15.2    If the concern is not resolved to the resident’s satisfaction, a complaint can be made using our corporate complaints procedure.

15.3    Residents who are not satisfied following our formal complaints process should contact the Housing Ombudsman. Further details about the advice, mediation and complaint resolution role of the Housing Ombudsman Service is available online, or by phoning 0300 111 3000 or emailing info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk.

15.4    More information is available in our Corporate Complaints Policy and Procedure.

16.0    Monitoring & measuring performance

16.1    We will monitor and learn from the feedback we receive about how we manage and respond to hate related cases to ensure a high standard of our services, in line with the Tenants Satisfaction Measures Standard introduced by the Regulator for Social Housing.

16.2    We will measure our service based on customer satisfaction. We will aim to send a customer survey with the case closure letter for each case. We ask questions such as how satisfied they were with:

• How their case was handled by the Housing Officer

• The service they received throughout the investigation

• The outcome of their report

16.3 We will ensure our performance results are available to residents on our website.

16.4 The number of new hate incident cases, including by type and locality, will be publicised on the website annually and in Homing In.

16.5    We will review cases and outcomes on an annual basis.

16.6    We will also look at identifying trends in hate crime, where they are occurring around our estates, looking to adapt services to assist with prevention.

16.7 Housing has clear written procedures to enable staff to implement this policy. These are regularly reviewed and updated following relevant changes to legislation, regulation or policy.

16.8 Staff are trained to recognise hate incidents, how to respond and take action.

17.0 Roles and Responsibilities

17.1 The Director Housing People Services and Director of Homes and Investment have overall responsibility for this policy and for ensuring that its principles are understood. The Head of Tenancy Services and Head of Temporary & Supported Accommodation are responsible for the implementation and review of this policy. This will be achieved through planning and implementing procedures and processes to support the policy.

18.0 Consultation

18.1    In developing this policy residents’ views and feedback have been considered, including an analysis of formal complaints and a public consultation. 

18.2    Consultation on this policy has taken place with residents, managers and staff within Housing, Community Safety Team, Legal Services, local third sector organisations and the Sussex Police Hate Crime Lead.

19.0    Equalities

19.1    This Policy has been subject to an Equalities Impact Assessment and will be implemented in accordance with our responsibilities and duties under relevant legislation, including the Equalities Act 2010. To request a copy of this assessment, please contact us at housing.performance@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

19.2    We will act sensitively towards the diverse needs of individuals and communities, and we will take positive action to reduce discrimination and harassment. 

19.3    We will provide information in languages other than English.

19.4    We will provide information in alternative formats including braille, large print, easy read and audiotape.

19.5    Our receptions and interview rooms are fitted with a hearing loop system.

19.6    Alternatives to written incident diary sheets, such as the use of voice recording technology will be offered.  

19.7    We provide support with translation. We do not expect friends or relatives to interpret for victims but will accept translations from them if requested by the victim. We won’t rely on children who are under 18 to translate or provide reports.

20.0 Legislative Framework

· ASB Crime and Policing Act 2014

· Equality Act 2010

· Housing Acts 1985, 1988 ,1996 and 2004

· ASB Act 2003

· Care Act 2014

· Crime and Disorder Act 1998

· GDPR 2018

· Data Protection Act 2000

· Protection from Harassment Act 1997

· Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006

· Policing and Crime Act 2009

· Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011

· Criminal Justice Act 2003

· Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

· Mental Capacity Act 2005

· The Human Rights Act 1998

· Domestic Abuse Act 2021

· Public Order Act 1986

· The Care Act 2014

· Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015

· And other legislation as appropriate

21.0 Associated policies and strategies

· Accessible City Strategy 2023 to 2028

· Adult Learning Disability Strategy 2021-26

· Anti-Racism Strategy 2023 to 2028 (brighton-hove.gov.uk)

· ASB Policy

· Community Safety & Crime Reduction Strategy 2023-2026

· Council Plan A city where people feel safe and welcome (brighton-hove.gov.uk)

· Equality and Inclusion Policy Statement and Strategy

· PREVENT strategy

· Sussex Police Hate Crime Policy

· Sussex Safeguarding Adults Policy

22.0   Sources of support

· A Seat At the Table - is small local group for children of colour or dual heritage and their families who require someone to listen, support, advise and advocate where necessary.

· Community Security Trust (CST) – a charity protecting British Jews from antisemitism and related threats.

· Crimestoppers – a national charity with a free helpline for reporting crime anonymously.

· Friends, Families & Travellers - a national charity working on behalf of all Gypsies, Travellers and Roma regardless of ethnicity, culture or background.

· Galop – a national charity providing advice and support to members of the LGBTQ+ community.

· LGBTQ+ Switchboard – helpline offering emotional support and advice on reporting hate incidents.

· Mind Out – a mental health charity providing advice and support to members of the LGBTQ+ community, including advocacy, peer support and counselling.

· Possability People – a local charity offering free, independent information and support to everyone including disabled people, their carers, families and friends.

· Saneline – Out of hours mental health helpline offering emotional support and information.

· SafeSpace website – contains additional information about local support services.

· Sussex Hate Incident Support Service – a Sussex wide service which can help immediately after an incident or any time after the crime has taken place. They will listen to you in confidence and offer information, practical help and emotional support. You can self refer by calling 0808 1689274. If you need help outside of office hours, you can call the national support line free on 0808 1689111.

· Sussex Interpreting Services - helps people with language needs to get full access to publicly funded services in order to improve health, education and quality of life.

· Racial Harassment Forum - Racial Harassment Forum advocates and supports people affected by racist and faith hate incidents to increase reporting in Brighton & Hove.

· Speak Out Brighton & Hove – a local charity supporting people with learning disabilities to have a voice, offering advocacy and drop in sessions.

· Tell MAMA – a national project supporting victims of anti-Muslim hate and monitoring anti-Muslim incidents.

· The Clare Project - provides a variety of support options for the trans, non-binary, and intersex (TNBI) community in Brighton and across Sussex.

· True Vision – a scheme owned by the National Police Chiefs' Council providing hate crime advice and online reporting, including advice on internet hate crime.

· Zolteria – an app which allows anonymous reporting of hate incidents and links to support provided by Galop.

Version Control

Version	Date	Author	Changes
1.0	16 August 2024	Helen Burrow	Draft policy created for consultation signed off by HLT.
1.1	3 July 2025	Helen Burrow	Final draft policy created to share with HLT with changes made following consultation – listed in separate doc.
1.2	9 July 2025	Helen Burrow	Added “Housing” to policy title. Para 4.4: replaced “hate” with “hostility or prejudice towards a personal characteristic or the perception of the person of having any of these characteristics” to provide a more detailed description in line with the Home Office definition of hate crime. Para 8.7: Added “removing graffiti from our properties & estates”. Para 12.7: removed “work with Environmental Services to” Para 13.3: “All staff are trained on equality and diversity as part of their induction” changed to “All staff receive equality and diversity training” Paras 15.1 – 15.4: Changed wording from first to passive / third person. Replaced “complaint” with “concern” in paras 15.1-15.2 as recommended by Vic Paling, Customer Experience Lead.
1.3	31 July 2025	Helen Burrow	Added Para 1.1: Opening statement which acknowledges lived experience of those impacted by hate incidents. Para 2.1: Moved “(and anti-social behaviour)” after hate incidents
1.5	05 Aug 2025	Justine Harris	Added Para 1.2: outlining BHCC approach to dealing with reports of hate behaviour and further amendments to wording within Para 1.1. Added domestic abuse link to Para 4.5. Added link to Housing Performance webpage to Para 16.3. Removed domestic abuse policy from Associated policies & strategies (policy to be drafted).