Record number of referrals to counter-terror programme as cases surge

Referrals to a counter-terror programme have risen to a record high, new figures show.

More than 10,000 referrals were made to Prevent in the year to September 2025.

This marked a 39% increase from the previous year and the highest number of referrals recorded in a single year since the statutory duty to refer to the counter-terrorism programme was imposed on public bodies in 2015.

Referrals deemed to be at risk of radicalisation can be passed to a multi-agency "Channel panel", which can help them with mentoring, mental health, or educational support.

The data showed that the proportion of referrals taken on in this way nearly doubled to just under two in 10 (18%), up from one in 10 the year before.

The education sector made the highest share of referrals at just over a third. Other referral sources include the police, prisons, local authorities, health services, community, and friends and family.

Over half (56%) of referrals with a specified type of concern were for individuals with no identified ideology.

However, these individuals accounted for less than a quarter (23%) of cases adopted as a Channel case.

Referrals for extreme right-wing concerns increased by 42% compared with the previous year, up from 1,480 to 2,103 referrals. The number of referrals for Islamist extremism decreased by 9%, down from 945 to 860.

Among those with a specific ideology identified, the leading concern was extreme right-wing ideology, at 20% of all referrals. These cases were also most likely to be taken on as Channel cases, accounting for 42% of cases adopted.

Most referrals where sex was specified were for males (90%), as in previous years.

Where the age of an individual was known, children aged 11 to 15 years accounted for the largest proportion of referrals in most categories, including 35% of extreme right-wing referrals, and nearly half (49%) of referrals relating to fascination with extreme violence or mass-casualty attacks.

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There are some exceptions, with the largest age group among Islamist extremism referrals being those aged 31 to 40 years, at 19% of referrals where age was known (165 of 859).

For InCel extremism, individuals aged 18 to 21 years accounted for the highest proportion of referrals (29%), and for left-wing extremism, the 26 to 30 age group accounted for the largest share (22%).

(c) Sky News 2026: Record number of referrals to counter-terror programme as cases surge