New Study Finds UK Evangelical Community Younger, More Diverse and Larger Than Expected

A new study by the Evangelical Alliance (EA) has found that the evangelical Christian community in the United Kingdom is younger, more ethnically diverse and larger than commonly assumed. The report, titled Understanding UK Evangelicals: Who Are They?, is described by the Evangelical Alliance as one of the most comprehensive efforts in recent decades to examine the size, beliefs and characteristics of evangelical Christians across the UK. The research, based on a survey of 8,407 adults, estimates that approximately 5.5 million people in the UK are evangelical Christians. This represents just under 8% of the country's population. The study defines evangelical Christians as people who both identify as evangelical and hold evangelical beliefs. According to the findings, evangelicals account for around two-thirds of practising Christians in the UK. Age was another notable feature of the research. Younger adults were found to be particularly represented within the evangelical community, with more than 40% of evangelicals aged under 35. The research also highlighted the ethnic diversity of UK evangelicals. Around 30% come from ethnic minority backgrounds, pointing to a Christian community that includes people from a wide range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The wider survey found that 17.6% of UK adults either identify as evangelical or hold evangelical beliefs. The study also examined patterns of Christian practice. Around 7.2% of respondents described themselves as practising Christians, defined in the research as attending church at least once a month while also praying and reading the Bible at least weekly. Meanwhile, 12% said they attend church at least monthly. Gavin Calver, chief executive of the Evangelical Alliance, said the findings demonstrate the continuing presence and influence of evangelicals within UK church life. He described the evangelical church as young and diverse and said the research provides confidence about its future contribution to Christianity in the UK. Danny Webster, director of advocacy and research at the Evangelical Alliance, said the term “evangelical” has often been misunderstood, particularly because of political associations linked to the United States. According to Webster, the research presents a different picture, showing a movement that includes people across different denominations and is united primarily by Christian faith and a commitment to sharing the message of Jesus Christ. The Evangelical Alliance hopes the findings will provide churches, journalists, researchers and policymakers with a clearer understanding of evangelical Christianity in Britain. The research was conducted by Whitestone Insight through an online survey commissioned by the Evangelical Alliance. The survey was carried out between 25 February and 8 March 2026.