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Funding delays after attacks
The British Muslim Trust (BMT) said mosques across the UK are “waiting for months” for promised Home Office security funding after it recorded 70 attacks at Muslim places of worship across the UK in the 12 months to July.
“LONDON: A mosque in the UK is being attacked every five days on average, statistics show, as a leading Muslim organization sounded the alarm over delays to pledged government security funding”
ITVX reported that the BMT 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.
The BMT chief executive Akeela Ahmed said some mosques were waiting months for funding after attacks because of a backlog, with the £40 million pot potentially devolved from the Home Office to local areas.
A Home Office spokesperson said the government is “working to process all applications as quickly as possible,” while also saying it has increased funding for protective security at mosques, Muslim faith schools and community centres to record levels.
The ITVX report also cited Home Office data showing 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.
Ahmed’s warnings, guidance barriers
Akeela Ahmed told ITVX that “Asking for evidence that you’re being targeted is the equivalent of shutting the stable door when the horse has bolted,” arguing that a mosque is vulnerable purely because it is a mosque.
ITVX said Ahmed added that “Currently, they’re waiting for months, while living in fear of another attack, because of the backlog,” and that in many cases police aren’t even responding to low-level incidents.
Arab News PK said BMT CEO Akeela Ahmed argued the Home Office should devolve the £40 million security funding to local areas, potentially through mayoral authorities, because of delays.
Arab News PK also said Home Office guidance warns applicants that fail to “include strong evidence or do not explain the risk clearly are unlikely to be successful,” and that the guidance sets out when mosques should apply for security measures.
Arab News PK reported that the Home Office is responsible for disbursing the pledged £40 million ($53 million) security funding, while also quoting that the government is “working to process all applications as quickly as possible.”
Hotspots and what’s at risk
The Guardian said one UK mosque is attacked “every five days,” citing data released by the government’s partner for monitoring anti-Muslim hatred and reporting that more than 70 attacks on mosques in the UK have been recorded over the past year.
“Bristol mosque among those ‘waiting months’ for Home Office security funding after attacks There have been 70 attacks on Muslim places of worship recorded across the UK over the past year An shocking incident in Bristol, where bacon was left at a mosque during Friday prayers in the first week of Ramadan, is among 70 attacks on Muslim places of worship recorded across the UK over the past year”
The Guardian identified London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands as the top three hotspots, and said there have been nine separate mosque attacks in London and one mosque in Birmingham that suffered three attacks in the last 12 months.
The Guardian reported that the government announced it would provide up to £40m to mosques as part of the protective security for mosques scheme, allowing mosques to apply for physical security measures such as CCTV, alarms, fencing and other security personnel services.
The Guardian quoted Ahmed saying “A mosque is vulnerable purely because it’s a mosque,” and added that “Currently, they’re waiting for months while living in fear of another attack because of the backlog.”
The Guardian also quoted a Home Office spokesperson saying “Muslims in the UK face appalling levels of religious hate crime,” and said the government is working to process all applications as quickly as possible.
