Our response to counter-terrorism is built on an approach that unites the public and private sectors, communities, citizens and overseas partners around the single purpose to leave no safe space for terrorists to recruit or act. Our strategy, CONTEST, is the framework that enables us to organise this work to counter all forms of terrorism. CONTEST’s overarching aim remains to reduce the risk to the UK and its citizens and interests overseas from terrorism, so that our people can go about their lives freely and with confidence.

This is the fourth published version of the United Kingdom’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. This strategy sets out how we, the UK Government, will continue to reduce the risk to the UK and its citizens and interests overseas from terrorism, so that people can go about their lives freely and with confidence.

This new strategy sets out the changing terrorist threat that we now face and how our counter-terrorism approach is evolving to meet that threat. It builds on the 2015 National Security Strategy (NSS) and Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), which identified terrorism as one of the highest priority risks to the United Kingdom, and set out our vision for an integrated, whole of government approach to countering terrorism, using capabilities across security, defence, diplomacy and development.  In 2018, the report of the National Security Capability Review (NSCR) found CONTEST to be a well-organised and comprehensive response to terrorism, with strengths in terms of powers, resources, reach and resilience.

This updated and strengthened version of CONTEST continues with the tried and tested strategic framework of four work strands: Prevent, Pursue, Protect and Prepare. An in-depth review of our counter-terrorism approach found that this structure remains effective and continues to guide the planning and the work of many agencies and departments in the UK