The British government announced on Monday that it will spend more than £250 million ($335 million) over the next three years to strengthen security for Jewish communities following a series of recent antisemitic attacks. The funding package is aimed at increasing police presence and enhancing protection in areas with significant Jewish populations across England and Wales.
According to the government, the investment will fund the deployment of more than 500 additional police officers. The officers will be assigned to Jewish neighbourhoods and will increase security around schools, synagogues and community centres. Authorities said the expanded police presence is intended to improve public safety, increase visible reassurance and help deter hate crime and antisemitic incidents.
The announcement follows several attacks targeting Jewish-linked sites in Britain. In March, four Jewish community ambulances were set on fire in London. The government also referred to an antisemitic stabbing attack in north London in April, after which Britain raised its national terrorism threat level from “substantial” to “severe.”
The newly announced funding comes in addition to a separate £25 million package introduced following the April stabbings. As part of the latest allocation, around 300 additional officers will be deployed in London, while approximately 80 officers will be assigned to Greater Manchester, where a synagogue was attacked last year. The government said a further £43 million will be distributed to police forces serving other areas with significant Jewish populations.
London’s Metropolitan Police is set to receive £86 million from the new funding package. The government also allocated £59 million for counter-terrorism policing as part of the broader security initiative. Officials said the resources will support policing operations focused on protecting communities considered to be at greater risk.
The government said police patrols will be increased during periods of heightened vulnerability to provide a visible security presence. It added that the enhanced patrols are intended to reassure communities while helping prevent hate crime and antisemitic attacks.
In a statement released with the announcement, outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the increase in antisemitism seen in recent years represented “a test of our values as a country.” He said addressing antisemitism had been a central priority of his leadership since taking office.
The government said the three-year funding programme is designed to strengthen security measures across England and Wales while supporting police forces responsible for protecting Jewish communities. The package forms part of the government’s response to recent antisemitic incidents and follows earlier emergency funding announced after the attacks in April.
