Mosques ‘waiting months’ for Home Office security funding after attacks
The British Muslim Trust (BMT) said it had noted 70 attacks at Muslim places of worship across the UK in the 12 months to July
An organisation recording incidents of anti-Muslim hatred has complained of mosques “waiting for months” for security funding promised by government.
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The British Muslim Trust (BMT) said it had noted 70 attacks at Muslim places of worship across the UK in the 12 months to July, including vandalism and intimidation.
The data includes an arson attack at Peacehaven Mosque in East Sussex in October and an incident where bacon was left at a mosque in Bristol during Friday prayers in the first week of Ramadan in February
Other incidents were cited as “online abuse”, which the trust explained occurred in some cases where communities shared on social media that an attack had taken place and were met with death threats and encouragement of further trouble.
But BMT chief executive Akeela Ahmed said some mosques were waiting months for funding after attacks because of a backlog, suggesting the £40 million pot could be devolved from the Home Office to local areas potentially through mayoral authorities.
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The Government has said it is “working to process all applications as quickly as possible”.
Other incidents outside of the BMT statistics include a replica of a mosque being placed on top of a bonfire in Northern Ireland, prompting widespread condemnation, and a 14 year-old boy appearing in court earlier this month charged with an offence linked to “extreme right-wing terrorism” after police discovered an alleged plan to target two mosques in Sutton, south London.
Ms Ahmed said: “We are seeing a steady rise in the number of attacks against mosques, and we believe the Government should be doing everything it can to help mosques protect themselves.
“Asking for evidence that you’re being targeted is the equivalent of shutting the stable door when the horse has bolted. A mosque is vulnerable purely because it’s a mosque.
“Currently, they’re waiting for months, while living in fear of another attack, because of the backlog. In many cases, police aren’t even responding to low-level incidents, leaving people frightened and vulnerable.
“It is great that this funding and initiative exists, but we need to recognise that the momentum on attacks is building, and we need to react and prepare for this. Community members have described, in their own words, feeling ‘scared for their life’ and feeling the need to ‘protect themselves’ by staying at home in fear.
“We recommend exploring better ways to get the funding to mosques as smoothly as possible including that the fund is devolved in order to speed up its delivery, especially given recent events.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Muslims in the UK face appalling levels of religious hate crime. It’s crucial that they not only are safe but feel safe.
“This Government has increased funding for protective security at mosques, Muslim faith schools and community centres to record levels – up to £40 million in 2026/27.
“We are working to process all applications as quickly as possible.”
The latest annual Government data on police-recorded religious hate crime in England and Wales, published by the Home Office in October, showed that anti-Muslim hate crime rose by almost a fifth from 2,690 offences recorded in the 12 months to March 2024 to 3,199 offences in the year ending March 2025.
This week marks a year since the BMT was appointed to receive investment from a Combatting Hate Against Muslims Fund.
The trust brought together the Aziz Foundation and Randeree Charitable Trust and analyses data to help identify the drivers behind a rise in anti-Muslim hatred.