Make a complaint about Prevent
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-29)

Find out how to make a complaint about how Prevent has been applied.

This information is currently being updated as the Standards and Compliance Unit (StaCU) is moving to the Office of the Independent Prevent Commissioner (OIPC).

You can continue to make complaints about Prevent duty delivery using the existing form.

All services remain fully available and your complaints will be handled by the OIPC team.

We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

The Prevent programme seeks to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

It aims to:
- intervene early to support people susceptible to radicalisation
- protect communities from radicalising influences
The Standards and Compliance Unit (StaCU) has been set up to make sure anyone applying the Prevent duty (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prevent-duty-guidance), or providing training on Prevent, follows the right process and standards.

StaCU has been created in response to recommendation 34 of the Independent Review of Prevent (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-prevents-report-and-government-response) to process and investigate complaints from both Prevent practitioners and the general public.

Make a complaint about how Prevent has been applied

You can use this form to complain about how the Prevent duty has been applied, including any problems with Prevent training you have received.

StaCU is not able to respond to complaints related to Prevent policy, only to how it has been applied.

Who can make a complaint

Anyone can use this form to make a complaint, including members of the public and Prevent practitioners. If you are a Prevent duty holder, you can report issues with how the Prevent programme is applied in your organisation.

What you will need

The form will ask you for:
- contact details to allow us to follow up your complaint
- optional personal details to help us investigate your complaint further
- details of your complaint and who is involved
Start now (https://submit.forms.service.gov.uk/form/2017/make-a-complaint-about-prevent)

What happens when you make a complaint

You will receive an email acknowledging your complaint has been received.

StaCU may ask if you would also like to make a complaint to the relevant organisation. We will only do this if you agree. If you agree, StaCU will contact the organisation on your behalf.

About StaCU

StaCU is part of the Commission for Countering Extremism (CCE) (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/commission-for-countering-extremism). The CCE commits to:
- support the public sector, communities, and civil society to confront extremism wherever it exists
- promote a positive vision based on core, shared values
StaCU also commits to report on high-level trends in the Prevent programme to help us understand how effectively the programme is being delivered.

Watch an introduction to the Prevent Standards and Compliance Unit from Robin Simcox, the Commissioner for Countering-Extremism.

Robin Simcox introduces the Prevent Standards and Compliance Unit (https://youtube.com/watch?v=IL_-QV53a0I)

How we use your data

StaCU will store your data as part of recording each case, and will share your information if you ask us to pass your complaint on to the relevant organisation.

Where the complaint relates to children, young people or anyone else we might consider vulnerable, we might need to share information with other organisations or agencies, such as the Department for Education (DfE), the police or local authorities.

Where we need to share your personal data with others, we will ensure that this data sharing complies with data protection legislation.

The type of information StaCU is interested in includes:
- number of complaints
- which geographical areas the complaints are from
- which sectors or organisations complaints relate to, for example, policing, education, health or local government
- themes of complaints
For more information about how we store, record and use your data see our personal information charter (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/commission-for-countering-extremism/about/personal-information-charter).

Find out more about Prevent

Prevent duty guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prevent-duty-guidance)

Prevent duty training (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-duty-training)