Protective Security for Mosques Scheme
The UK Government offers funding support for vulnerable places of worship, including mosques, for physical protective security measures (e.g CCTV, alarm systems and secure gates, fencing, windows and doors etc) and/or security guarding services (e.g. visible security guards).
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) provided the following FAQ below to help the British Muslim community understand the scheme.
(1) Can Mosques apply for this scheme?
Yes
(2) What is the deadline for submitting an application for this scheme?
There is currently no advertised deadline. Applications can be submitted on a rolling basis, however there is currently a large backlog and some mosques are waiting several months for their applications to be processed.
(3) What can the funds from this scheme be used for?
Physical protective security, such as:
- secure fencing and/or railings
- manually operated pedestrian and vehicle gates
- CCTV (fixed cameras, not pan-tilt cameras)
- door hardening, locks and mailbox / mail bag
- reinforcing glazed windows (with anti-shatter film or bars/grilles only)
- intruder alarms including integrated smoke/heat detection
- door entry access control (fob or keypad)
- video intercom systems
- lighting (building mounted)
and/or security guarding services (e.g. visible security guards).
(4) Is this a new scheme?
No, the UK Government launched the Places of Worship (PoW) Protective Security Scheme for England and Wales in 2016. The scheme is designed to support Places of Worship and associated community centres at risk of hate crime, to access funding for improvements to their building security. Following the riots in summer of 2024, applications for mosques has been seen separated into a dedicated Protective Security for Mosques Scheme (PSMS).
(5) I live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, does the scheme apply to me?
Yes, since 2024 the scheme covers all four nations of the UK
(6) What is not covered by the scheme?
This scheme cannot fund any additional costs that might result from measures being installed, such as the cost of applying for planning permission or any preparatory work needed (such as ground clearance).
(7) Who will be the main point of contact for this scheme if my application is successful?
Esotec Limited is the Home Office’s delivery partner for physical protective security measures and will be the main point of contact for places of worship who are successful in going forward to the site survey stage.
(8) Which Mosques should apply to this scheme?
- If you have experienced hate crime at your Mosque, or
- If you feel that your Mosque is vulnerable to hate crime; for example, if hate crime has happened at other places of worship or sites in your area, or if people attending your Mosque have been impacted by hate crime in your local area.
(9) Can I apply for the scheme this year if I have received funding from the scheme in the last few years?
Yes, however funding for places of worship that have received funding in the last two years will be at the discretion of the Home Office. You may wish to query the Home Office in advance – they only provide an email address which is psvc@homeoffice.gov.uk
If you represent a mosque that has received funding previously, we encourage you to apply for guarding services if you feel that visible security guarding would benefit your mosque and attending worshippers.
(10) Do I have to be a registered charity to apply for this fund?
Yes. Places of worship and associated faith community centres are normally charitable and should register as charities if their income from all sources is over £5,000 a year.
If you are lawfully exempt, you will be required as part of your application to include a written confirmation of your exemption and the justification for your exemption. You must upload this written confirmation to the application form on your organisation’s letter headed paper.
If you are not registered as a charity and are not exempt, you will need to register with the Charity Commission before applying to the scheme.
If you would like advice and support on completing the application to register as a charity, are unsure about whether you need to register, or have any other queries about registering as a charity, please contact, faithoutreach@charitycommission.gov.uk.
