Petition · past parliament · Home Office

Make stirring up hatred based on disability a criminal offence

Closed 582 signatures

What the petition asks

While individual cases can be crimes, there is currently no specific crime of spreading hatred based on disability.
Disabled people should have equal protection in law with people with other Protected Characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service,

"There is no offence of stirring up hatred based on disability, which contrasts with the position in relation to offences of stirring up hatred on grounds of race, religion and sexual orientation."

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/disability-hate-crime-and-other-crimes-against-disabled-people-prosecution-guidance

I feel that discrimination against disabled people is validated by the current legal position on hateful language, particularly in the public domain.

Timeline

7 Sep 2020 Petition opened for signatures
7 Mar 2021 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 582
Status Closed
Department Home Office
Opened 7 Sep 2020
Closed 7 Mar 2021

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.