Mahmood Abolishes the Recording of Non-crime Hate Incidents

Shabana Mahmood has abolished non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) following mounting criticism that they were diverting police from tackling crime and into monitoring online speech.

The Home Secretary has introduced legislation to revoke the statutory code governing how police record and investigate such incidents. The decision follows a review led by the College of Policing, in which ministers accepted police chiefs' view that the current system is "not fit for purpose".

Officials concluded that NCHIs risk undermining freedom of expression and pulling officers away from frontline duties.

"There is a clear consensus that the system needs fundamental reform, returning to its original purpose."

A new framework, described as a "common sense" approach, will be unveiled next week by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs' Council. It aims to ensure officers focus on core responsibilities such as preventing and solving crime.

NCHIs refer to incidents that are not criminal offences but are perceived to be motivated by hostility or prejudice. These records can remain indefinitely on police systems and may appear in background checks for employment.

Calls for reform intensified after several controversial cases. These included the arrest of Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan over posts on X, and incidents involving children—such as a nine-year-old reprimanded for using offensive language and two schoolgirls reported for insulting a classmate.

Setting out the reforms in the House of Lords, Home Office minister Lord Hanson said the rise of social media had drawn police into matters beyond their remit.

"Police officers must be able to focus on catching criminals, reducing crime and protecting the public," he said. "The current code has not provided the clarity needed to support that focus and must therefore be revoked."

He added that the new system would introduce a more proportionate framework, tightening definitions and raising the threshold for recording incidents. Only matters directly linked to policing objectives—such as preventing crime or safeguarding individuals—would be included.

Draft guidance indicates that non-crime incidents will no longer be recorded on crime systems, meaning they would not appear in employment background checks.

Lord Herbert, chairman of the College of Policing, said reforms would restore balance between preventing harm and protecting free speech.

NCHIs were first introduced following the Stephen Lawrence inquiry but, according to ministers, have since expanded beyond their original scope.

However, critics have raised concerns about the shift away from a statutory footing. Lord Young of the Free Speech Union warned that guidance-based systems risk becoming inconsistent and overly bureaucratic, potentially burdening police with additional red tape.

GV Hale