A new fund to provide a comprehensive service to monitor
anti-Muslim hate and support victims has today (2 April) been
announced, with applications opening on Monday, 7 April.
Last year, police-recorded hate crime statistics found almost two
in five of all religious hate crimes targeted Muslims, an
increase of 13% in comparison to the year
before.
With cases on the rise, up-to-date and detailed information on
incidents and drivers of this form of hatred will play a
fundamental part in supporting the government to combat
anti-Muslim hate and Islamophobia and ensure Muslim communities
feel safe and supported.
The establishment of the fund also contributes to the
government's broader commitment to creating safer streets as part
of the Plan for Change, with addressing the rise of anti-Muslim
hate playing a crucial part in building safer, stronger and more
cohesive communities for all.
Minister for Faith, , said:
“Putting an end to the shocking rise of targeted attacks against
Muslims requires a thorough understanding of the nature and scale
of the hatred our Muslim communities face.
“That's why we're taking a crucial step forward this week to open
this fund, seek new ideas and solutions and tackle this hatred
head on.
“Combatting this unacceptable rise of religiously motivated
hatred will create a more tolerant and understanding society for
everyone, making our streets safer and delivering on our Plan for
Change.”
As well as monitoring and reporting incidents, the grant
recipient will work to increase awareness of what hate crime is,
encourage victims to come forward to report incidents, and
facilitate support for victims of hate. They will work alongside
a network of local and national partners and stakeholders
including the government, and faith and belief groups to deliver
on this vital work.
The fund is open to applications from a single organisation, or a
group of organisations to work together to deliver an accurate
record of hate incidents across England.
The competition window will be open for six weeks from the 7
April, closing on 18 May at 23:59.
The full prospectus, including a link for registration to apply,
can be found here.
This follows action taken earlier this year to establish a
working group to provide the government with a definition of
Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia. Further details on this can be
found here: Government
launches working group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia
definition - GOV.UK
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Up to £650,000 funding will be made available in the 2025/26
financial year, and up to £1 million per year financial year for
2026/27 and 2027/28.
