The largest religion in the United Kingdom is Christianity, claimed by roughly 46% of the population, followed by the religiously unaffiliated at around 37%, with Islam the largest minority faith at about 6%. The UK is unusual in combining an established state church with one of the most secular populations in Europe, where the share of people declaring no religion is rising quickly.
The Religious Make-Up Today
The 2021 census for England and Wales recorded the most significant shift in modern British religious history: for the first time, fewer than half of residents identified as Christian. The broad picture across the UK today looks like this:
- Christianity — about 46%, spanning the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Scotland, Methodists, Baptists and many smaller denominations.
- No religion — about 37%, the fastest-growing group, especially among younger Britons.
- Islam — about 6%, with the Muslim population growing from roughly 1.5 million in 2001 to over 3.8 million by 2021.
- Hinduism — about 2%, concentrated in London, Leicester and other cities.
- Sikhism — about 0.9%, with strong communities in the West Midlands and West London.
- Judaism — about 0.5%, one of the oldest established minority faiths.
- Buddhism — about 0.4%.
These figures vary by nation: Scotland and Wales tend to record higher "no religion" shares, while Northern Ireland remains far more Christian and is split between Catholic and Protestant communities. For wider context, see the united-kingdom country guide.
How Britain's Faith Landscape Was Shaped
Christianity reached Roman Britain in the early centuries CE and was firmly re-established after the Augustine mission to Canterbury in 597. The decisive turning point came in 1534, when Henry VIII broke from Rome and established the Church of England, with the English monarch at its head. The Reformation gave England and Wales a Protestant identity, while Scotland developed its own Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Catholics faced legal restrictions for centuries until Catholic emancipation in 1829. Jewish communities, expelled in 1290, were readmitted in the 1650s. From the 19th century onward, the reach of the British Empire and, crucially, post-war immigration from the Commonwealth brought large Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities to Britain, transforming a once overwhelmingly Christian society into a genuinely multi-faith one.
An Established Church in a Secular State
The UK is one of the few democracies with an official state church. The monarch must be in communion with the Church of England and holds the title Supreme Governor, while the Archbishop of Canterbury leads it spiritually and the global Anglican Communion. Twenty-six Church of England bishops sit in the House of Lords as the "Lords Spiritual," giving them a formal role in lawmaking that no other faith holds. Scotland, by contrast, has a national but not state-established Presbyterian church, and Wales and Northern Ireland have no established church at all. Despite these arrangements, day-to-day British life is markedly secular: regular church attendance is low, and public debate, education and government operate on largely non-religious terms.
Worship, Festivals and Daily Life
Religion still shapes the rhythm of the British year and its landmark moments. Coronations, royal weddings and state funerals take place in Westminster Abbey under Church of England rites. Christmas and Easter are public holidays observed by believers and non-believers alike, and Remembrance Sunday features church services for the war dead. Faith schools, many Anglican or Catholic, educate a large share of primary pupils, and religious education covering multiple traditions is part of the state curriculum. In multicultural cities, Eid, Diwali and Vaisakhi are widely celebrated. The UK now has roughly 1,800 mosques, hundreds of Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras, alongside thousands of historic churches.
Major Religious Landmarks
Britain's sacred architecture spans more than a thousand years. Canterbury Cathedral is the mother church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Westminster Abbey has hosted coronations since 1066 and houses the Coronation Chair, made around 1296. St Paul's Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece, survived the Blitz and remains a symbol of London's resilience. York Minster is among the largest Gothic cathedrals in northern Europe. Beyond Christianity, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden was the first traditional Hindu stone temple in Europe, and the London Central Mosque in Regent's Park is a focal point for the capital's Muslim community.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main religion in the United Kingdom?
Christianity is the largest religion, with about 46% of people identifying as Christian across Anglican, Catholic and other denominations. However, the non-religious group is growing fast and now makes up around 37% of the population.
Does the United Kingdom have an official religion?
England has an established church, the Church of England, with the monarch as its Supreme Governor and 26 bishops in the House of Lords. Scotland has a national Presbyterian church, while Wales and Northern Ireland have no established church.
What is the fastest-growing religious group in the UK?
People reporting no religion are the fastest-growing group, rising sharply in successive censuses. Among faiths, Islam has shown the most rapid growth, more than doubling between 2001 and 2021.
Is the UK a Christian or secular country?
It is both in a sense: it retains Christian state institutions and traditions, yet society is highly secular, with low church attendance and a large and growing non-religious population.