Places of Worship Security Funding Boost
The Home Office has launched a new funding round through the Places of Worship (POW): Protective Security Funding scheme. The scheme provides protective security measures to places of worship that have been subject to, or are vulnerable to a hate crime attack.
Grants can cover security equipment but not the cost of recruiting security personnel and may include: CCTV; perimeter fencing; access control gates; window locks; intruder alarm; external lighting; and security doors and the appropriate labour cost to install the security equipment.
Places of worship include (but not limited to)
• Churches
• Gurdwaras
• Mosques
• Temples
• Associated faith community centres. This is defined as a community centre run by a place of worship or near a place of worship that is faith based, and where regular worship takes place.
The Jewish community are not eligible for funding from this scheme as a separate commitment was made to fund security measures at community sites through a grant administered by the Community Security Trust.
Places of worship can submit bids for projects costing up to £56,000 for protective security measures and will be required to contribute at least 20 percent of the total cost of the project.
Places of worship, including mosques, will also benefit from a new £5 million fund over 3 years to provide protective security training to build on some of the positive work already happening in communities.
The closing date for applications is 23.59 pm on the 9th August 2020.