Charities across the UK have reported a surge in racial abuse, intimidation, and threats of violence against their staff and beneficiaries, driven by increasingly toxic political and social media rhetoric around immigration and race. Voluntary organisations say they are being forced to introduce extensive security measures, including safe rooms, phone trackers, and security guards, to protect staff and property.
Incidents include threats to rape and kill staff, verbal and physical abuse of beneficiaries, attempted break-ins, and vandalism with anti-migrant and racist graffiti. The threat has become more explicit since the far-right Southport riots in 2024, charities say, with abuse becoming more extreme and uninhibited both online and offline.
A coalition of more than 150 charities, including Age UK, Citizens Advice, and the Muslim Council of Britain, has written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer urging him to challenge the 'cynical' targeting of civil society organisations by far-right politicians and activists. Ali Harris, chief executive of Equally Ours, which organised the letter, said: 'The devastating antisemitic attack at Heaton Park Synagogue is a tragic reminder that it’s never been more important for us all to stand united when any of our communities are targeted.'
One charity chief executive described the mainstream political rhetoric on the right as creating a 'permission structure' for racism that emboldens far-right activists. Some charities have taken drastic action, such as removing staff names from websites and redacting trustee names from public filings. Others have temporarily closed offices on police advice or stopped outreach services due to safety concerns.
The chief executive of a London charity working with asylum seekers, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'We do the work we do because we care and the people we support have been through terrible things and deserve a bit of kindness.'
