Religion in the 2021/22 Census

What questions were asked on Religion?

In England and Wales, a choice of seven answers including the option for no religion were included.  There was also an‘other’ option which prompted a write-in response.  In Scotland there were three Christian options (Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic and other Christian) and Pagan.

In Northern Ireland there were two questions one on what religion you belong to, the second on what religion you were brought up in.  The stated options were all Christian with an ‘other’ write-in option.  ‘None’ was placed below this. This question was not marked as voluntary unlike the other UK countries.

what religion do you belong to and what religion were

How do the questions transfer to variables and tables?

There will be summary categories in line with the question and a detailed small population table.  The draft specification for England and Wales is shown below.

How does it compare to previous censuses?

The information is similar to the 2011 census

How does it compare across nations?

As outlined there are significant differences in the approach in Northern Ireland

What impact might the COVID pandemic have had on Religion?

None

Variables

Table 1 – religion (summary)

Code Description
1 No religion
2 Christian
3 Buddhist
4 Hindu
5 Jewish
6 Muslim
7 Sikh
8 Other religion
9 Not stated
-8 Does not apply

Table 2 – religion (detailed)

Code Description
1 Christian
2 Buddhist
3 Hindu
4 Jewish
5 Muslim
6 Sikh
No religion
7 Alevi
8 Agnostic
9 Atheist
10 Free Thinker
11 Humanist
12 No religion
13 Realist
Other religion
14 Animism
15 Baha’i
16 Believe in God
17 Brahma Kumari
18 Chinese Religion
19 Church of All Religion
20 Confucianist
21 Deist
22 Druid
23 Druze
24 Eckankar
25 Heathen
26 Jain
27 Mixed Religion
28 Mysticism
29 Native American Church
30 New Age
31 Occult
32 Other religions
33 Own Belief System
34 Pagan
35 Pantheism
36 Rastafarian
37 Ravidassia
38 Reconstructionist
39 Satanism
40 Scientology
41 Shamanism
42 Shintoism
43 Spiritual
44 Spiritualist
45 Taoist
46 Theism
47 Thelemite
48 Traditional African Religion
49 Unification Church
50 Universalist
51 Valmiki
52 Vodun
53 Wicca
54 Witchcraft
55 Yazidi
56 Zoroastrian
57 Religion not stated
-8 Does not apply