News & comment

David Young David Young

Faith and demographics: unveiling seemingly paradoxical trends in the UK

Gen Z are the generation most likely to say they have no religion, but they are also the most likely to say they believe in Hell. Much of this apparent paradox can be explained by a simple demographic trend, and the key is British Muslims. The pattern we see in Gen Z emerges not because of changes in the combinations of beliefs held by Britons, but changes in the composition of who Britons are.

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UK in the World Values Survey UK in the World Values Survey

UK public among least likely to place importance on work

Of 24 nations, people in the UK emerge as the least likely to say work is important in their life, and among the least likely to say work should always come first, even if it means less leisure time

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UK in the World Values Survey UK in the World Values Survey

UK public among most trusting in world

The UK has internationally high levels of trust in people of different nationalities, people they meet for the first time, and people they know personally

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UK in the World Values Survey UK in the World Values Survey

UK public among most trusting of their neighbours internationally and increasingly comfortable living next to historically marginalised groups

The UK now has some of the highest levels of neighbourhood trust internationally, while Britons have also become much more comfortable with having neighbours who belong to historically marginalised groups, such as gay people, those of a different race, immigrants, and people who have AIDS

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Bobby Duffy Bobby Duffy

How the UK lost confidence in its institutions

The UK has long prided itself on the strength of its institutions – but the British public are not as convinced as they once were, and we are now more negative than many other countries.

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UK in the World Values Survey UK in the World Values Survey

UK now among most socially liberal of countries

The UK now ranks among the most socially liberal countries internationally, following huge shifts in attitudes on issues such as homosexuality, casual sex, abortion, euthanasia and divorce, according to new data

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