Humanists UK response to latest British Social Attitudes figures

Today (Friday) sees the publication of the latest British Social Attitudes Survey figures, for 2017, and the results show a continuing swing to no religion from Christianity. In particular, the Church of England is now at a record low, especially among young people – where just 2% of those aged 18-24 (the youngest category) say they belong to the CofE.

Across all age groups, the figures stand at 52% saying they belong to no religion, 14% Church of England, 8% Roman Catholic, 10% other Christian, and 8% non-Christian faiths.

Responding to the figures, Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson commented, ‘With just 2 percent of young adults now saying they belong to the Church of England, it is simply untenable that the Church continues to run a third of all our state schools, that Christian worship is enforced in all the other state schools, and that the Church continues to have other privileges of establishment, including 26 bishops sitting as of right in the House of Lords.

‘These figures must surely act as an urgent wake-up call for the need to have a renewed conversation about the place of religion or belief in British public life, so that a new settlement can be forged that is more equitable for all and is better able to serve future generations.’