The number of recorded hate crimes has more than doubled in the past five years and is likely to be related in part to the aftermath of the Brexit vote and the spate of terrorist attacks last year, according to the Home Office.

Hate crime offences recorded by the police rose by 17% to 94,098 in the 12 months to March, figures for England and Wales show. This represents an increase of 123% since 2012-13, when 42,255 hate crimes were recorded.

The Home Office said the increase was largely driven by improvements in the way police record hate crime. But it also noted “spikes in hate crime following certain events such as the EU referendum and the terrorist attacks in 2017”.

Religious hate crime increased by 40% in the two years to March, to 8,336 incidents. The Home Office said this was likely to be due to offences after the in Westminster, London Bridge and Manchester Arena terrorist attacks.

Religion was the motivating factor in 9% of recorded hate crimes in the year to March, while race was the factor in 76% (71,251 incidents). Sexual orientation was a factor in 12% of incidents (11,638), disability in 8% (7,226), and transgender in 2% (1,651).

Findings from the separate Crime Survey for England and Wales, which tracks the public’s experience of crime, indicate a drop of 40% in hate crime incidents in the past decade. These figures are unaffected by changes in reporting rates or police activity, and they do not include crimes against businesses or households on short lets such as care homes.

The shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, said: “The fact that hate crime has more than doubled in the last five years must serve as an urgent wake-up call. We must stand up to hatred and discrimination wherever it is found.

“The Tories promised to tackle burning injustices but they are clearly not tackling the injustice of people being attacked simply because of their religion, sexuality, the colour of their skin or their disability.”

The MP David Lammy, who is part of the pro-Europe Best for Britain campaign, blamed the rise in hate crime on the rhetoric of Brexiters. “The extent to which hate crimes have risen in recent years is shameful. It comes from the very top. Divisive, xenophobic rhetoric from politicians and leaders trickles down into abuse and violence on our streets,” he said.

“It is no surprise that Islamophobic attacks on Muslim women who wear veils rose in the days following Boris Johnson’s ‘letterbox’ insult. Similarly, it is no coincidence that the type of anti-immigrant language used by some mainstream politicians has corresponded with spikes in hate crimes.”

Separate figures released by the Crown Prosecution Service on Tuesday showed courts giving tougher sentences in most hate crime cases. In the year to March, prosecutors successfully applied for uplifts in sentences in more than two-thirds of convictions, it found.

Chris Long, chief crown prosecutor and the CPS hate crime champion, said: “The continuing increase in the number of offenders who receive increased sentences is a testament to the work of the CPS in building the cases correctly and providing the courts with the information they need to sentence appropriately.”

The figures come after officials announced a review of what constitutes a hate crime. The Law Commission will consider whether to include misogyny and misandry (prejudice against men) , as well as antagonism towards alternative lifestyles, such as goth subculture, as part of a broader definition of hate crime.

Announcing the review, the home secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “Hate crime goes directly against the longstanding British values of unity, tolerance and mutual respect, and I am committed to stamping this sickening behaviour out. Our refreshed action plan sets out how we will tackle the root causes of prejudice and racism, support hate crime victims and ensure offenders face the full force of the law.”