British and Welsh people have changed their relationship with religion – Just 1 in 4 Londoners say they are Christian

For the first time, less than half the population of England and Wales identify themselves as Christiansaccording to new results of census of 2021 that were released today and paint the portrait of a more diverse population.

Although the answer to the religion question is not mandatory and given on a voluntary basis, 94% of the population decided to answer, compared to 93% in the previous census 10 years ago.

The 46.2% of the population, that is 27.5 million people, they say Christians13.1% less than in 2011, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The listing “no religion” comes second (37.2%, up 12 points) while 6.5% (3.9 million people) say they are Muslim, compared to 4.9% in 2011, and 1.7% Hindu, compared to 1.5% 10 years ago .

In the Londonaccording to APE-MPE, the greatest religious differentiation is recorded, as well only one in four of its inhabitants (25.3%) declares to be Christian.

Unsurprised by these results, the archbishop of York, one of the two heads of the Anglican Church, pointed out that “the time when many people automatically declared themselves Christians is over, but other studies show that these same people are seeking spiritual truth and spiritual wisdom and values ​​to follow in their lives.”

“Obviously tthe UK is a country of diversitythat’s something to welcome” and ”it includes diversity in religion,” said Prime Minister’s spokesman Rishi Sunak.

Coincidentally, Rishi Sunak, the first Hindu and Indian-origin Prime Minister of Britain, welcomes today in Downing Street the vicar of the archbishop of Canterbury Toshin Oladipo and other guests of the Christian community for Advent – the period that precedes Christmas.

The other aspects of the census, released today, are telling population differentiation in England and Wales, who overwhelmingly identify as white (81.7% in 2021, compared to 86% in 2011). Within this group, 74.4% say they are English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British, recording a continuous decline since 2011 (80.5%) and 2001 (87.5%).

THE second ethnic group includes Asians – a term which in the UK primarily refers to people from the Indian subcontinent – Anglo Asians or Welsh Asians, who represent 9.3% of the population and have recorded the largest increase (from 7.5% in 2011). In order of size, this group consists of persons of Indian, Pakistani, “other Asian”, Bangladeshi, Chinese descent.

The “black” populations, “English blacks, Welsh blacks, from the Caribbean or Africa” ​​are 4%, up from 3.3% 10 years ago.

10.1% of households include members who identify as belonging to two or more different ethnic groups. Ethnic group questions were included in the 1991 census.

As for the languages, 91.1% of residents aged three and over spoke mainly English in 2021 – English or Welsh in Wales – up from 92.3% 10 years ago. The most common other main languages ​​are Polish, Romanian, Punjabi and Urdu.