A record £66 million in emergency security funding was allocated by the UK Home Office to mosques and related community sites following violent disorder after the Southport knife attack in 2024, in which three girls were murdered. This funding was part of a temporary security scheme introduced in response to the widespread unrest that followed the attack. The Guardian has also obtained exclusive figures showing that about £41 million in security funding was issued for mosques and related community sites for the year from April 2025 to 2026, as part of a broader protective security scheme. Akeela Ahmed, chief executive of the British Muslim Trust—a government partner in monitoring anti-Muslim hatred—said the rising figures reflect a "sombre story" about the increasing hostility faced by British Muslims. "Security needs are increasing as a direct response to the increase in attacks that mosques are under," she said. Ahmed emphasized that reducing the need for such security would require addressing the root causes of hate against Muslim communities. According to the trust, one mosque in the UK is attacked every five days on average. The government first launched a security scheme for places of worship in 2016 for England and Wales, and later introduced a dedicated scheme worth £29.4 million in 2023 for mosques and Islamic faith schools. Funding for these security measures has grown significantly over the years, from £73,147 in 2016-17 to £3 million in 2022-23, £29 million in 2024-25, and a record £41 million in 2025-26. This increase reflects the escalating need for protection, especially after the Southport attack, which led to false claims that a Muslim asylum seeker was responsible, prompting attacks on mosques and asylum seeker housing. Despite the funding, some community leaders and activists say the government's response remains insufficient. Shaista Gohir, chief executive of Muslim Women’s Network UK, noted that while the figures suggest action is being taken, the response is "limited compared with the scale of the problem." Many mosques and community sites are still waiting for approval on their security applications, and some have had to implement their own measures, such as installing gates and blackout boards, to ensure safety. At the Jami community centre in Birmingham, which has reported multiple hate crimes this year, worshippers have described incidents such as smashed windows and Islamophobic graffiti. Volunteers at the centre have raised concerns about the lack of police response and the need for more support to ensure that people feel safe in their place of worship.