Tags: Statistics
Faith school expansion plans ‘will not improve standards or boost social mobility’
Posted: Fri, 02 Dec 2016
Government proposals to allow a new wave of fully religiously selective faith schools will not improve standards and are unlikely to boost social mobility, new research has warned. Read More »
Thousands of missing children at risk of religious extremism in illegal faith schools
Posted: Wed, 30 Nov 2016
Research by the BBC has found that more than 30,000 children went missing from English and Welsh schools for "substantial" periods during the 2014-15 academic year. Read More »
New survey reveals Scots’ attitudes to religious symbols at work
Posted: Tue, 04 Oct 2016
The 2015 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey has found Scots to be increasingly accepting of ethnic and religious diversity, though many still have particular concerns about Islam. Read More »
Nearly a third of French Muslims prefer sharia to secular law, research finds
Posted: Tue, 20 Sep 2016
Polling by a French think tank has found that more than one in four French Muslims, most of whom are young, support an "ultra-conservative" form of Islam and around one in three reject secular rule, favouring sharia. Read More »
Government is irresponsible to lavish more funds on Cathedrals when the Church can afford to pay
Posted: Tue, 09 Aug 2016
The National Secular Society has criticised the latest wave of taxpayer funding for cathedrals, after the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced £14.5 million for repairs. Read More »
BBC’s output "too Christian" says head of religion and ethics
Posted: Tue, 17 May 2016
An internal review has found the BBC's religious output is "too Christian" and recommended an increase in its Muslim, Hindu and Sikh programming. Read More »
Danes leaving state religion in droves to avoid church tax
Posted: Tue, 12 Apr 2016
The Danish Atheist Society has launched a bus advert campaign and website to show Danish citizens how to withdraw from the Church of Denmark and avoid the Church tax levied on members. Read More »
46% in England support legal limits on free speech where religion is concerned, poll finds
Posted: Tue, 15 Mar 2016
A new report on identity and immigration has found that nearly half of England's population support legal limits on free speech when religion is concerned, and that support for free speech has fallen significantly. Read More »
Church stresses “urgent need” to focus evangelism on children, young people and their parents
Posted: Thu, 18 Feb 2016
The NSS has warned that publicly funded schools shouldn't be used for evangelism after a report from the Church of England stressed an "urgent need to focus on children, young people and their parents". Read More »
More than half of Americans still “less likely” to support a non-religious presidential candidate
Posted: Wed, 03 Feb 2016
A Pew survey conducted in January 2016 has found that most Americans are still put-off by an atheist presidential candidate, with 51% saying they would be less likely to support a non-religious aspirant. Read More »
A new secular settlement is necessary for a country where “no religion is the new norm”
Posted: Wed, 20 Jan 2016
The NSS has stressed the need for a new secular settlement after a YouGov survey found that 46% of UK adults consider themselves to have "no religion", compared to just 42% who say they are Christian. Read More »
Church of England collapse strengthens the case for a secular UK
Posted: Tue, 12 Jan 2016
Weekly attendance at Church of England services has fallen below 1 million for the first time – bolstering the argument for a secular state. Read More »
Poll: widespread indifference to Christian beliefs, but Christians feel comfortable discussing their faith
Posted: Tue, 03 Nov 2015
Research commissioned by the Church of England ahead of their General Synod has again found widespread public disinterest in religion, and a lack of belief in Christianity's key teachings. Read More »
BBC continues to reduce its unpopular religious programming
Posted: Thu, 29 Oct 2015
The BBC's latest annual report indicates a general reduction in the hours the Corporation devotes to religious broadcasting. The only increase was on BBC1 which devoted 86 hours to religious programmes. Read More »
BBC Trust: Religious radio programmes are “least popular” and “least well received” – but we won’t change them
Posted: Thu, 20 Aug 2015
A consultation on speech radio by the BBC Trust has found that religious programmes are the least liked and least well received radio shows, but stated that the BBC has no plans to change them. Read More »
Religious chaplaincy costs NHS £23.5 million a year
Posted: Wed, 08 Jul 2015
Figures published in the Independent have revealed that NHS Trusts spent over £23 million on religious chaplaincy in the last financial year – the equivalent cost of employing 1,000 new nurses. Read More »
Demos warns of ethnic segregation in minority faith schools
Posted: Tue, 07 Jul 2015
Research by the think tank Demos has warned that British schools are "highly segregated" and that "some faith schools effectively exclude other ethnic groups." Read More »
Huge gulf between Catholics and Church leaders over social issues, survey finds
Posted: Mon, 06 Jul 2015
A survey of Catholics in England and Wales has found a very large gap between their views and the teachings of the church on gay marriage, contraception and divorce. Read More »
NSS: Christians have nothing to fear from secularism
Posted: Wed, 17 Jun 2015
More practising Christians in the UK identified secularism as a "social and political issue" than poverty, in a new poll by ComRes. Read More »
EU survey reveals clear support for labelling of meat from non-stunned animals
Posted: Tue, 09 Jun 2015
A survey by the European Commission has found widespread confusion over religious slaughter but clear support for labelling to indicate whether meat is from a pre-stunned animal. Read More »