Interpreting Data

Religious Studies: KS3, topic 1.4.2

Interpreting Religious Data

Social scientists study data to understand religious and non-religious beliefs in society.

Social scientists collect information to study people’s religious beliefs.
One of the main ways to collect information is through the census.
A census is a survey that takes place every few years and records information about the population in an area.
In England and Wales, the census happens every 10 years.
The census helps the government understand the population.
The census asks questions about religion. This helps scientists understand how many people identify with different faiths.

In 2021, more than half of the people in England and Wales reported being religious.
Christianity continued to be the largest religion.
However, there were also many Muslims, Hindus, and followers of other religions.
One of the biggest changes from the 2011 census was the decrease in people describing themselves as Christian.
At the same time, the number of people reporting ‘no religion’ or identifying with other religions increased.

Social scientists are interested in how and why changes in the population happen over time.
One of the reasons for the changes in religious identification is migration.
Migration means people moving from one country to another.
People who move to England and Wales often bring their religious beliefs.
This has contributed to the growth of religions such as Islam and Hinduism.
Understanding these changes helps social scientists learn more about society.

The data collected through the census is very important.
It helps social scientists understand how people’s beliefs are changing.
Governments use this data to make decisions.
For example, how to support different religious communities.
By studying the census data, social scientists can predict how religion in England and Wales might continue to change in the future.

Which religion was reported as the largest in England and Wales according to the 2021 Census?