LONDON: The UK government on Wednesday announced £1 million in annual funding for a new service to monitor incidents of anti-Muslim hate and help victims.

The Combatting Hatred Against Muslims Fund will help counter Islamophobia and ensure Muslim communities feel safe, the government said.

The announcement comes as Muslims in Britain face a record number of Islamophobic incidents this year, according to police figures.

Last month it emerged that the UK was withdrawing funding for the Islamophobia reporting service Tell Mama. A report in the Byline Times last year said the organization had heavily underreported anti-Muslim hate crimes.

The new fund will be open from next week to applications from a single organization or a group of organizations working together to deliver an accurate record of hate incidents across England.

“Putting an end to the shocking rise of targeted attacks against Muslims requires a thorough understanding of the nature and scale of the hatred our Muslim communities face,” Lord Khan, the faith minister said. “That’s why we’re taking a crucial step forward this week to open this fund, seek new ideas and solutions, and tackle this hatred head on.”

Religious hate crimes have risen sharply in the UK since the Gaza war started in October 2023.

Last year, almost two in five of all religious hate crimes in England and Wales targeted Muslims, police figures showed, a 13 percent increase on the previous year.

The recipient of the grant will monitor and report Islamophobic incidents, raise awareness of hate crime, encourage victims to report incidents, and facilitate support for victims.

Up to £650,000 will be available in the 2025/26 financial year, and up to £1 million in the following years, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said.

Earlier this year, the UK set up a working group to provide the government with a working definition of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia.