Key facts
- Nearly 10,000 people were referred to the Prevent anti-terror scheme in England and Wales in the year to September 2025, a record high.
- Referrals to Prevent in Scotland rose by 31% in 2023/24, with primary school referrals more than doubling.
- 393 referrals in England and Wales were for children under 10, and 36% concerned 11 to 15-year-olds.
- The Southport attacks in July 2024 are linked to increased public awareness and referrals to the scheme.
- A review found Prevent prematurely closed the case of Axel Rudakubana, who later committed murder after multiple referrals.
- Concerns over extreme right-wing ideology accounted for 20% of referrals in England and Wales.
Referrals to the UK's Prevent anti-terrorism scheme have reached a record high, with a significant increase in cases involving children, including those in primary school. In England and Wales, nearly 10,000 people were referred in the year to September 2025, a 39% rise from the previous year. Figures show 393 referrals were for children under 10, and 36% concerned 11 to 15-year-olds.
In Scotland, referrals to Prevent leapt by nearly a third in the past year, with 114 cases compared to 87 previously. The number of referrals from primary schools has more than doubled, from two to five. Concerns about 'Right-Wing extremism' and 'Islamist extremism' were cited as reasons for referral, alongside a growing concern about incel ideology.
The Southport attacks in July 2024, where a teenager referred to Prevent killed three girls, have been linked to heightened public awareness of the scheme and a subsequent surge in referrals. A government review found that Prevent had prematurely closed its case on Axel Rudakubana, who was referred multiple times for his interest in terrorist attacks before he murdered three children. Counter-terrorism experts have expressed concern over the increasing number of very young children being referred, questioning the nature of their exposure to radicalizing material.
Tim Jacques, the government's Independent Prevent Commissioner, highlighted the significant role of the online world in radicalization, noting how individuals can find communities that echo and develop their beliefs. The data also indicates that 20% of referrals in England and Wales were due to concerns over extreme right-wing ideology, while 8% concerned Islamist extremism.