Britain raises terror threat level to ‘severe’ after anti-semitic attack in North London’s Golders Green

Britain has raised its national terrorism threat level to “severe,” signalling that a terrorist attack was considered highly likely, following an antisemitic stabbing in north London. UK’s Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said the level had been increased from “substantial” after the attack in the Golders Green area on Wednesday, adding that the decision reflected a broader and rising threat environment rather than a single event.

“The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) has today (30 April 2026) raised the UK National Threat Level from SUBSTANTIAL, meaning an attack is likely, to SEVERE, meaning an attack is highly likely in the next six months,” said a statement issued by the ministry.

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“The increase in threat comes following yesterday’s stabbing in Golders Green in North London, but it is not solely a result of that attack. The terrorist threat level in the UK has been rising for some time, driven by an increase in the broader Islamist and Extreme Right Wing terrorist threat from individuals and small groups based in the UK,” it added.

The counter-terror police had on Wednesday formally declared the stabbings to be a terrorist incident.

“Today, the national threat level has increased to ‘severe’, which means a terrorist attack is considered highly likely,” said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

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‘Urge everyone to be vigilant as they go about their daily lives’

The Home Secretary further said that the raised threat level will be a source of concern to many, particularly amongst our Jewish community, who have suffered so much.

“We will do everything in our power to rid society of the evil of antisemitism,” Mahmood added.

“As the threat level rises, I urge everyone to be vigilant as they go about their daily lives and report any concerns they have to the police,” she said.

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‘Severe’ is the second highest threat level, below ‘critical’. The UK was last at a ‘severe’ terror threat level in November 2021, following the Liverpool Women’s Hospital bombing and murder of MP David Amess. It was lowered to ‘substantial’ in February 2022.

What do the five threat levels mean

There are five threat levels: critical, which means an attack is highly likely in the near future; severe, which indicates that an attack is highly likely; substantial, meaning an attack is likely; moderate, signifying an attack is possible but not likely; and low, which means an attack is highly unlikely.

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The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre threat assessment is an independent, systematic, and rigorous process based on the very latest intelligence and analysis of internal and external factors that drive the threat.