STORY
The UK government has committed a record £73.4 million for the 2026 to 2027 period to enhance the security of faith communities across the country. This substantial investment follows a sharp rise in religious hate crime and aims to ensure that citizens of all faiths can worship without fear of intimidation or violence. The funding package is designed to provide both physical security enhancements and on-site personnel for places of worship, schools and community centres.
A significant portion of this record sum is dedicated to the Muslim community, with up to £40 million allocated to the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme. This follows recent data indicating that nearly half of all religious hate crimes in 2025 were directed at Muslims. Similarly, the Jewish community will receive up to £28.4 million through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, which is administered by the Community Security Trust to protect synagogues and Jewish educational sites.
The government has also increased support for wider faith groups, including Christian, Hindu and Sikh communities, by raising the budget for the Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme to £5 million. This represents an uplift of £1.5 million from previous levels, ensuring a broader range of religious sites can access necessary safety measures like CCTV and secure fencing.