The results of the 2021 census were released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), revealing a historically sharp decline in the number of people identifying as Christian in England and Wales (other regions of the United Kingdom, such as Northern Ireland and Scotland report their census data separately). According to the census, the number of people identifying as Christian in England and Wales fell from 33.3 million (59.3%) in 2011 to 27.5 million (46.2%) in 2021, a shocking 17% decrease. On the other hand, those who identify as Muslim rose from 4.9% in 2011 to 6.5% in 2021, making it the fastest-growing religion in England and Wales. Meanwhile, the number of non-religious people increased from 25.2% to 37.2%.
Reacting to the latest data from the 2021 census, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said that both regions "left behind the era when many people almost automatically identified as Christian." Stephen Evans, Head of the National Secular Society said, "It's official - we are no longer a Christian country.” Roland. Toronto.
