Record funding announced for protective security at faith sites

Up to £28.4 million will be made available through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, which is managed by the Community Security Trust (CST), for measures at synagogues, Jewish schools and community centres.

Further, up to £40 million will be available through the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, which supports mosques, Muslim schools and community centres.

Eligible organisations can apply on a rolling basis directly with the Home Office.

Last October, the Prime Minister announced the Jewish and Muslim Protective Security Schemes would receive an additional £10 million uplift in 2025-2026 in response to increased threats. This latest announcement confirms those record funding levels will be maintained through next year.

Meanwhile, the Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme, which is for all non-Jewish or Muslim faiths, will receive an uplift of £1.5 million, bringing the total available to protect Christian, Hindu, Sikh and other faith sites to a record sum of £5 million.

The next application window for this scheme will open later this year.

Zero tolerance

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Nobody should be forced to live a smaller life in this country because of their faith. The funding we have announced will protect places of worship, faith-based schools and community centres across the country. This Government will never tolerate religious hatred or intimidation.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves noted: “We are ensuring record funding to protect faith communities right across the UK. This goes further than cameras and alarms. It’s about restoring peace of mind and sending the message that religious persecution and intolerance has no place in Britain.”

Hate crime sits at unacceptable levels across the UK. The 2025 hate crime statistics for England and Wales show overall religious hate crime was at all-time record levels. Jewish people were proportionately more affected by these shameful crimes, while 45% of all religious hate crimes last year targeted Muslims.

Meanwhile, statistics just published by the CST show that antisemitic incidents in 2025 were at their second-highest levels since the CST began keeping records.

Local police forces have also stepped up patrols in at-risk areas, while the police service has been afforded greater powers and resources to manage repeat and intimidating protests, investigate religious hate crimes and support those communities who feel targeted.