Key facts
- Mosques and related community sites in the UK received £66 million in emergency security funding after the Southport attacks in 2024.
- Approximately £41 million was allocated for mosque security for the 2025-26 period.
- One mosque in Britain was attacked every five days in the past year, according to data published in July.
- The Jami community centre in Birmingham has reported multiple hate crime incidents.
- The Home Office stated it is working to process all security funding applications as soon as possible.
The UK's Home Office has allocated a record £66 million in emergency security funding to mosques and related community sites following violent disorder that occurred after the Southport attacks in 2024. This funding was a temporary measure introduced when false news spread online about the perpetrator of the knife attack, leading to mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers being targeted.
Exclusive figures obtained by The Guardian also indicate that approximately £41 million was issued for mosque security in the year from April 2025 to March 2026 as part of the ongoing protective security scheme. The British Muslim Trust, a partner monitoring anti-Muslim hatred, highlighted that these figures reflect a significant rise in anti-Muslim hostility. The trust's data from July showed that a mosque in Britain was attacked approximately every five days over the past year.
The government's security scheme for places of worship, initially launched in 2016 for England and Wales, was enhanced in 2023 with a dedicated £29.4 million for mosques and faith schools. Funding figures show a substantial increase from £73,147 in 2016-17 to about £3 million in 2022-23, £29 million in 2024-25, and the record £41 million in 2025-26.
Shaista Gohir, chief executive of Muslim Women’s Network UK, commented that while the figures suggest action, the government's response is limited compared to the scale of the problem, with concerns that funding does not always reach the intended sites. The Jami community centre in Birmingham has reported multiple hate crime incidents, prompting them to implement their own security measures while awaiting funding decisions. Volunteers and attendees have expressed concerns about safety and a lack of adequate support from authorities.