There have been a record number of referrals to the Government’s counter-terror programme Prevent in a year since data began in 2015, new figures show.
There were 8,778 referrals of individuals to the anti-extremism scheme in 2024/25 – up 27% from 6,922 in the previous year, according to Home Office data.
The figures come as counter-terrorism officials said earlier this week there has been a significant increase in referrals since the Southport murders at a children’s dance class in July 2024.
Prevent is the Government’s anti-extremism scheme that is designed to divert people from terrorism.
Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana was referred to Prevent three times, but his case was closed due to a lack of distinct ideology.
In a report on lessons for Prevent in the wake of the attacks, Independent Prevent Commissioner David Anderson KC said he heard evidence from across the country of a large increase in Prevent referrals in the first quarter of this year following the publicity of Rudakubana’s case.
The 3,287 referrals in January-March 2025 is the highest number in a single quarter since data began.
Home Office figures published on Thursday show that referrals in the “no ideology” category made up 4,917 (56%) – the largest proportion of referrals of the 8,769 cases where a type of concern was logged.
Where an ideology was identified, extreme right-wing ideology was the most common concern among referrals – accounting for 21% (1,798) of the total, higher than those related to Islamist extremism (10% or 870).
Of the 8,759 referrals to Prevent where the age of the individual was known, 11 to 15-year-olds accounted for the largest proportion (3,192 or 36%), followed by 16 to 17-year-olds (1,178, or 13%).
There were 345 referrals (4% of the total) for children aged 10 or under.
