Home Office data reveals a nearly 40% jump in Prevent program referrals for violent right-wing ideology, amid criticism over the scheme’s effectiveness and focus.
(LONDON) – Referrals to the UK’s flagship counter-terrorism programme, Prevent, have surged, driven by a sharp increase in cases linked to violent far-right extremism, which now far outnumber those related to Islamist ideology.
Official Home Office figures for the year to March 2025 show that nearly 1,800 individuals were referred over concerns about right-wing extremism—a rise of almost 40% from the previous year and more than double the 870 referrals for Islamist extremism.
The data highlights a significant shift in the landscape of radicalisation threats facing the country. Overall referrals to Prevent jumped by 27% to 8,778, a rise partly attributed to public and professional vigilance following the July 2024 attack on a children’s dance class in northern England.
That attack, carried out by a teenager previously known to Prevent, also influenced the statistics in another way. More than half of all referrals were categorised under “no identified ideology,” a classification that faced scrutiny after a review found officials had prematurely closed the case on the 2024 attacker by over-emphasising his lack of a distinct ideology.
The programme, which aims to stop people from being drawn into terrorism, continues to face criticism. Human rights group Amnesty International stated the figures show Prevent is “an ineffective, discriminatory program.”
“The statistics reveal that 89% of referred individuals were male, with 65% being white, 19% Asian, and 8% black,” a spokesperson noted.
Of the total referrals, 1,727 cases were discussed by a multi-agency “Channel” panel, with 1,472 deemed to require formal support to steer them away from radicalisation.
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