One mosque is attacked every five days in the UK on average, according to data from the government’s official partner for monitoring anti-Muslim hatred.

The British Muslim Trust (BMT) documented more than 70 incidents including assault, vandalism and arson in the last 12 months, with London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands being the top three locations for attacks.

Among the reported cases was that of a man who set fire to a mosque in Peacehaven, east Sussex, in October 2025. In July 2025, a man released rats outside a mosque in Sheffield.

In February this year, the Home Office pledged up to £40m for security staff, CCTV, alarms and other security measures for mosques, Muslim schools and community centres through the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme.

However, the BMT said that mosques have to prove they’ve been targeted before they can access the money. Other mosques have waited up to 18 months to receive the support, or have been denied it altogether without explanation.

In response to the new data, Akeela Ahmed, chief executive of the BMT, said: “We believe the government should be doing everything it can to help mosques protect themselves…  We need to recognise that the momentum of attacks is building, and we need to react and prepare for this.

“A mosque is vulnerable purely because it’s a mosque… We recommend exploring better ways to get the funding to mosques… including that the fund is devolved in order to speed up its delivery.”

A Home Office spokesperson told the Guardian: “We are working to process all applications as quickly as possible.”

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