British Muslim Trust awarded government funding to tackle rise in anti-Muslim hate
The British Muslim Trust (BMT) has been selected to lead a new government initiative aimed at tackling the record rise in anti-Muslim hatred across England.
This comes following the gap left by the demise of Tell Mama, after funding was pulled, at a time when Islamophobic incidents had surged to record levels.
The ‘Combatting Hate Against Muslims Fund’, launched this year in response to mounting concerns over religious intolerance, will be delivered in partnership with BMT – a consortium made up of the Aziz Foundation and the Randeree Charitable Trust.
The fund is part of a broader government strategy to address the growing number of hate incidents targeting Muslim communities, both online and in public spaces.
Under the scheme, BMT will build a new system to log incidents of anti-Muslim hate, including those that may otherwise go unreported to police or official bodies.
The initiative will also provide direct support to victims, raise public awareness about hate crime, and encourage greater reporting from within affected communities.
Lord Khan of Burnley, the Minister for Faith, described the increase in anti-Muslim hatred as “alarming and deeply concerning”.
He said: “That’s why we established this new fund: to ensure we’re doing everything we can to deeply understand the situation our Muslim communities are facing, provide them with the support they need and give us the tools needed to tackle this unacceptable hatred.”
He added that the government would work closely with BMT to help build “a safer, more tolerant society for everyone” as part of its Plan for Change.
BMT will also analyse the data it collects to identify trends and the underlying drivers of anti-Muslim incidents. That information, the government said, will play a key role in shaping future policy, and feed into wider efforts to improve community safety under the Safer Streets programme.
The British Muslim Trust draws on over two decades of community-led experience from its founding partners. Shabir Randeree, CBE, will chair the board of directors, bringing with him a background in business, philanthropy, and long-standing advocacy for ethnic minority rights.
Randeree said: “Tackling anti-Muslim hatred is essential to building safer, more inclusive communities, and we are proud to have been appointed to deliver this important work.
“The British Muslim Trust will work closely with partners across the country to support victims, listen to communities, and help ensure that every person can live free from fear and hatred.”
The launch of the fund comes amid a growing focus on religious hate crime across the UK, with Muslim advocacy groups and community leaders calling for more targeted support and resources.
