Government Allocates £251m to Protect Jewish Communities Amid Rising Antisemitic Attacks
Police forces across England are set to receive a £251 million funding increase aimed at enhancing the protection of Jewish communities following a surge in antisemitic incidents, the government has announced.
The Metropolitan Police will be allocated £86 million to recruit approximately 300 additional officers. These officers will focus on increasing police presence in Jewish neighbourhoods, as well as around synagogues, schools, and community centres.
This funding comes in response to a series of antisemitic attacks in London, including the stabbing of two men in Golders Green in April, and the subsequent elevation of the national terror threat level from substantial to severe.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the fund would deliver a "step change in protection" for Jewish communities.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes stated that the investment will enable the force to strengthen its existing Community Protection Teams and establish additional teams across three London sites. The funding will also support the recruitment of up to 300 officers and the creation of a community hub in Golders Green.
In March, four Jewish charity ambulances were set alight in Golders Green.
Greater Manchester Police is to receive £22 million to maintain the increased policing presence following the attack in Heaton Park last year, in which two Jewish men, Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz, were killed.
Additionally, seven other police force areas with significant Jewish populations will share approximately £43 million. These areas include Hertfordshire, Essex, Sussex, Thames Valley, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, and Northumbria.
A further £41 million will be allocated towards national policing coordination efforts, including antisemitism training for all officers in England and Wales, while £59 million will support counter-terrorism police operations.
Police presence was increased in Barnet following an attack in Golders Green.
Sir Keir said the funding would deliver "a step change in protection and policing so Jewish communities can live and celebrate their faith free from fear," while Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones stated the government was "going further and providing record funding to help keep Jewish people in London safe."
Mark Gardner, Chief Executive of the Community Security Trust, commented that the enhanced policing and government support arrived "not a moment too soon."
This funding package is in addition to the £25 million emergency fund announced in April following the Golders Green attack. At that time, the Metropolitan Police described the fund as "one-off funding" that retrospectively covered the costs associated with deploying additional officers to north-west London.
The government also confirmed £32.4 million for protective security at Jewish sites in 2026-27, including synagogues, schools, and community centres. This amount appears to combine the £28.4 million announced for the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant in February with an additional £4 million allocated in May.
Several other measures cited alongside the policing package had been previously announced, including £7 million dedicated to tackling antisemitism in schools and universities, as well as the expansion of community cohesion programmes.
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