The British Government has granted the Community Security Trust (CST) £14 million for security measures to help keep members of the Jewish community safe in their daily lives.
The grant will cover protective security for the next financial year at Jewish institutions such as schools and synagogues.
CST, a charity that monitors and helps protect against antisemitism, recorded 1,805 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2019, a 7% increase on the previous year.
The grant was first introduced in 2015 following a series of terror attacks against Jewish targets across Europe. It has been renewed yearly following security assessments by the Home Office.
Most of the funding will go towards protective measures for Jewish schools. While the funding period commences this April, all synagogues remain closed and schools only remain open for the children of those conducting essential work, as part of government efforts to tackle coronavirus (COVID-19).
In addition to the protective security grant, the government’s Home Office also runs the Places of Worship Scheme, which provides funding to improve physical security for non-Jewish places of worship.
The Home Office has also recently launched a consultation to see what more can be done by the government to improve security for faith groups.
