Services funded by public money should be open to all, without alienating anyone.
The recent drive to contract out public services to faith groups risks undermining equal access.
Help us keep public services free from discrimination and evangelism.
The government is increasingly pushing for more publicly-funded services to be provided by religious organisations.
Many faith-based groups have carried out social service without imposing their beliefs. But religious groups taking over public service provision raises concerns regarding proselytising and discrimination.
65% of people have no confidence in church groups running crucial social provisions such as healthcare with only 2% of people expressing a lot of confidence.
Any organisations involved in delivering public services should be bound by equality law and restrictions on proselytisation.
Those advocating for faith organisations to take over more public services risk undermining these restrictions, which exist to protect both the public and third sector.
"We have concerns that some religious groups that seek to take over public services, particularly at local level, could pursue policies and practices that result in increased discrimination against marginalised groups, particularly in service provision and the employment of staff. Non-religious people and those not seen to confirm to the dominant ethos of a religious body, such as being in an unmarried relationship or divorced and being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered, could find themselves subject to discrimination."
Unitarian Church (Submission to the Parliamentary Public Administration Select Committee about the Big Society agenda)
There are also concerns about faith-based mental health and pastoral care in public institutions, including chaplaincy programmes in the NHS and the armed forces. Where such services are funded by the state, they should not be organised around religion or belief.
Religious commentators are often keen to document the contribution of religious organisations to the third sector and social activism. But they fail to demonstrate why it should be the state's role to build this capacity or why local authorities shouldn't have legitimate concerns about religious groups running services.
Take Action!
1. Write to your MP
Ask your MP to protect secular public services.
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
3. Join the National Secular Society
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
Government terminates funding of “hate speech” Christian group
Posted: Fri, 21 Apr 2023 10:48
The government has ended its funding agreement with a charity whose chair called Islam "demonic" after the National Secular Society raised concerns.
The NSS contacted Baroness Scott of Bybrook, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), after it found a video of Zion Projects chair and trustee Danny Stupple calling Islam "a very strong force of spiritual wickedness".
The DLUHC awarded Zion Projects £43,220 last year as part of the government's 'Faith New Deal' fund exclusively for religious groups to deliver public services. Sixteen organisations out of 351 applicants were awarded grants.
In a letter to the NSS yesterday, Baroness Scott said the comments made by Stupple were "abhorrent".
She said: "I strongly condemn them. The Government takes hate speech against any group or individual extremely seriously."
She said the DLUHC had investigated the issue, and the Faith New Deal Grant Funding Agreement with the charity has been terminated.
Zion Projects trustee: Islamic prayers are "the enemy" trying to use the Covid-10 pandemic
In a now-removed video (pictured) on Vimeo, which opened with the Zion Projects logo, Stupple responded to a question about Islamic 'calls to prayer' being broadcast during lockdown by saying "a very strong force of spiritual wickedness known as Islam is engaging in warfare against the Lord with its open air prayers".
He said that Islamic prayers are "one example" of "the enemy" trying to use the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that the Islamic system of belief "is truly demonic".
In the same video, Stupple also suggested God used the pandemic to "make the point of the value of life" because he anticipated "the same amount of babies being saved as the number of people who die" as a result of women being unable to get abortions during lockdown.
Last month Hampshire County Council told the NSS it was conducting an "urgent review" into its relationship with Zion Projects, which it gave £19,750 last year.
The 'Faith New Deal' fund
The government's Faith New Deal pilot scheme was launched in 2021 for faith-based organisations that provide community services to "tackle issues affecting the most vulnerable".
The NSS has criticised the scheme from the outset as discriminatory, because groups with no religious ethos were ineligible for funding. Several of the groups funded by the Faith New Deal require workers and volunteers to be Christians.
It has also raised concerns about groups proselytising to vulnerable people.
NSS: Government 'should never have launched discriminatory fund for faith groups in the first place'
The NSS has replied to Baroness Scott asking if the DLUHC will "review the viability of the 'faith new deal' and 'faith compact' schemes, and any other related projects, and ensure all future funding projects for community services are not based on faith affiliation".
NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson said: "We welcome the government's decision to terminate its 'faith new deal' funding of Zion Projects. It is completely inappropriate for the government to fund an organisation whose chair makes such divisive and hostile comments.
"The whole sorry affair reveals why the government should never have launched a discriminatory fund exclusively for faith groups to deliver public services in the first place.
"The government should cease its 'faith new deal' project and instead award funds to community groups based on the quality of their provision and their commitment to the values of equality and human rights – not which gods, if any, they believe in."
Press coverage:
- iNews: Christian charity whose chairman called Islam 'demonic' has Government funding pulled
- Third Sector: Government pulls funding from faith charity over 'abhorrent' comments
- Civil Society: Government terminates charity's funding after 'hate speech'
- Third Force News: UK Government terminates funding of "hate speech" Christian group
Council reviews funding of Christian group accused of “hate speech”
Posted: Thu, 30 Mar 2023 10:03
A council is conducting an "urgent review" of its relationship with a Christian charity that the government criticised for "hate speech".
The National Secular Society raised concerns with Hampshire County Council about Zion Projects in Eastleigh after finding a video from 2020 in which the charity's chair called Islam "demonic".
Zion Projects received £19,750 from the council last year to "help to provide a range of projects including a community café".
In response, the council told the NSS it is "conducting an urgent review" of its relationship and funding of Zion Projects.
Charity chair calls Islam "demonic" and "spiritual wickedness"
In a now-removed video on Vimeo, Zion Projects chair and trustee Danny Stupple responded to a question about Islamic 'calls to prayer' being broadcast during the Covid-19 lockdown by saying "a very strong force of spiritual wickedness known as Islam is engaging in warfare against the Lord with its open air prayers".
He said that Islamic prayers are "one example" of "the enemy" trying to use the pandemic, adding that the Islamic system of belief "is truly demonic".
He advised that anyone who hears the call to prayers should "deny it power in Jesus' name", which is "more than able to deal with the spiritual forces of wickedness in those prayers".
Last year Zion Projects received £43,220 from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) as part of their 'Faith New Deal' fund. The NSS has criticised the scheme as "discriminatory". Several of the groups funded by the Faith New Deal require workers and volunteers to be Christians.
In February the NSS wrote to Baroness Scott of Bybrook, parliamentary under-secretary of state at DLUHC, to express concerns about Zion Projects.
A spokesperson for DLUHC responded: "These comments are abhorrent and we strongly condemn them. We take hate speech against any group or individual extremely seriously."
It added it is "urgently investigating this issue and the Department's relationship" with the charity, including funding.
In the same video, Stupple also suggests God is using the pandemic to "make the point of the value of life" because he anticipates "the same amount of babies being saved as the number of people who die" as a result of women being unable to get abortions during lockdown.
Stupple ran as an independent candidate in the Eastleigh 2013 by-election. He opposed same-sex marriage as part of his campaign, saying "real marriage is between a man and a woman" in a campaign video.
Council "conducting an urgent review"
A spokesperson from Hampshire County Council told the NSS the council is "now conducting an urgent review of the matter, including our relationship with Zion Project, and any funding awarded by Hampshire County Council."
They said that prior to any grant award, applicants are reviewed and "a variety of checks are undertaken".
They added that "all organisations are required to sign a grant agreement which requires recipients to comply with the Equality Act 2010, and not to discriminate against any person or persons, including on the basis of religion."
They said that following the review, "a decision will be taken as to whether Zion Projects will be barred from receiving further grants from Hampshire County Council."
NSS: Protections needed to ensure public money doesn't fund "divisive dogma"
NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson said: "This case demonstrates the pitfalls of funding faith groups without protections in place to ensure public money doesn't go to those who preach extremist or divisive dogma.
"While there are many religious organisations that do wonderful work for their local communities without promoting hate, there are unfortunately many other faith groups, including registered charities, whose ideology includes intolerant views that are corrosive to social cohesion.
"We welcome Hampshire County Council's investigation into Zion Projects. We hope that as a result, the council terminates its relationship with this charity, and applies greater scrutiny to any future groups it funds to make sure those groups benefit, rather than harm, community relations."
