The Economic and Social Research Council has administered the grant from the UK Home Office and security and intelligence agencies following a tender.

Launched in 2015, the hub produces behavioural and social science research on current threats to national and international security.

Research is led by academics at partner universities including University College London and the universities of Bath, Central Lancashire, Portsmouth and St Andrews, who have all made further investments.

One of the initial focus areas will be ‘risk management’, with the centre producing evidence on cultural and online drivers of emerging threats. It will also continue to develop tools for assessing the impact of deterrence methods.

Lancaster University’s Paul Taylor, director of CREST, said the funding would allow the research community “to expand, break new ground, and ensure the UK and its partners have world-leading behavioural and social science at their fingertips”.