£28 million funding will help keep places of worship safe

Places of worship will receive £28 million in funding to help keep them and their attendees safe, the Security Minister announced today (21 June 2023).

The funding is available this year through two schemes, with applications now open.

The funding is part of the government’s commitment to ensure that faith communities in England and Wales are protected from the threat of hate crime and terror attacks, and can practise their faith freely and without fear.

The money is for physical protective security, such as CCTV, intruder alarms and secure fencing to help protect mosques, churches, temples, gurdwaras and other places of worship. Mosques will also be able to access a new security guarding scheme later in the year.

Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat said:

Freedom of religious belief and the freedom to worship are fundamental.

We will defend against any form of hatred targeting our communities, and are committed to protecting all faiths.

I encourage any place of worship that feels they would need assistance to apply under the schemes.

To apply for funding, applicants should submit evidence of their vulnerability and experience of hate crime. The application window is open for 8 weeks, and we will notify successful sites from November 2023.

In 2021/22, two in five (42%) religious hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales were targeted against Muslims. This year, up to £24.5 million will again be available to protect mosques and Muslim faith schools.

This protection will be through a new scheme called the ‘Protective Security for Mosques Scheme’ and a scheme for Muslim Faith schools launched directly to teachers of eligible schools earlier in the year.  An additional £3.5 million funding will also be available for all other (non-Muslim and non-Jewish) faiths through the ‘Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme’.

The Jewish community continues to receive funding for Jewish schools, synagogues and other community sites through a separate scheme called the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, which was increased by £1 million earlier this year.