Ethan Walker
Catholicism is the largest religious minority in England and Wales, with approximately 6.2 million Catholics in these regions, according to the Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society at St Mary's University. The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is organised into the Catholic churches in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the Catholic Church in Ireland. While there is no specific data on the number of Catholics in the UK as a whole, sources suggest that there are about 5 million Catholics in Britain, with 4.3 million in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as of 2008. In England and Wales, about 1 million people regularly attend mass, while in Scotland, this number is estimated at 184,283 as of 2008. Recent studies show that the number of Catholics in the UK may be boosted by immigration from Eastern Europe and Africa, with inner-city churches seeing rising numbers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholics in the UK | 5 million (2010); 6.2 million in England and Wales (2018) |
| Percentage of UK adults who identify as Catholic | 19% |
| Number of Catholics attending Mass regularly | 1 million (2010); 1.75 million (2018) |
| Number of Catholic churches in England and Wales | 3,000 |
| Number of Catholic schools in England and Wales | 2,169 |
| Number of dioceses in England and Wales | 21 or 22 |
| Percentage of women in the Catholic population | 59% |
| Percentage of men in the Catholic population | 41% |
| Percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds identifying as Catholic | 41% |
| Number of Catholics in Glasgow City | 27% of the local population |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic immigration to the UK
The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is organised into the Catholic churches in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While there is no ecclesiastical jurisdiction corresponding to the United Kingdom as a whole, the Catholic Church has a presence in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Historically, the Catholic Church was the dominant form of Western Christianity in Britain during the Middle Ages. However, with the English Reformation in the 16th century, the (Anglican) Church of England became the established church in England and Wales, and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland became the national church in Scotland. Despite this, adherence to the Catholic Church continued, particularly among recusant families and in the north of England, but most strongly in Ireland.
In the 19th century, Irish immigration to England and Scotland during the Great Irish Famine led to a significant increase in the Catholic population in these regions. Hundreds of thousands of Irish migrants established communities in cities like London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Glasgow, as well as in towns and villages across the country. This influx of Irish Catholics contributed to a "second spring" of Catholicism across Britain. In response, Rome re-established the Catholic hierarchy in 1850, creating 12 Catholic dioceses in England.
More recently, large-scale Polish immigration to the UK following Poland's accession to the European Union in 2004 has also impacted the Catholic population in the country. As of 2017, up to 900,000 Poles have immigrated to the UK, with only about 10% regularly attending church. This has contributed to a boost in attendance at Catholic services, which declined by only 13% between 2000 and 2006, compared to a 20% decline in Anglican service attendance during the same period.
In addition to Irish and Polish immigration, Catholic immigration to the UK also includes Eastern European groups from Lithuania, Latvia, and Slovakia. Furthermore, there are Catholic chaplains serving Eastern Catholic Churches, including Eritrean, Chaldean, Syriac, Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara, and Melkite communities.
Today, there are approximately 6.2 million Catholics in England and Wales, making it the largest religious minority in these regions. According to Pew researchers, 19% of UK adults identify as Catholic, and women make up a larger proportion of the Catholic population than men.
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Catholic demographics in the UK
Catholicism is the largest religious minority in England and Wales, with approximately 6.2 million Catholics in these regions. In 2018, 1.75 million Catholics attended Mass on a regular basis, with Greater London and the North West of England being the most Catholic areas. Women make up more of the Catholic population than men, with three women (59%) for every two men (41%). The Catholic Church in England and Wales has 22 dioceses with almost 3,000 churches.
The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is organised into the Catholic churches in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, which is organised as part of the Catholic Church in Ireland. The Catholic Church's 2,169 schools in England and Wales constitute 10% of the state-funded sector, making it the largest provider of secondary and second-largest provider of primary education.
Historically, the Catholic population in England included about 50,000 people from traditional ("recusant") Catholic families, who generally kept a low profile. In the 1840s and 1850s, hundreds of thousands of Irish people migrated to England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland due to the Great Irish Famine, boosting Catholicism in these regions. In addition, a large group of poor Irish immigrants escaping the famine settled in ports and industrial districts, further increasing the Catholic population.
In recent years, the Catholic Church in the UK has seen a boost in numbers due to an influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe and Africa. For example, following Poland's accession to the European Union in 2004, large-scale Polish immigration to the UK occurred, with up to 900,000 people arriving by 2017. While rural congregations have been dwindling, inner-city churches have witnessed rising numbers.
According to a 2024 study, the sexual abuse crisis profoundly impacted Catholics in Britain, with a third of Mass-goers reducing their attendance due to concerns about child sexual abuse. However, the same study also noted signs of renewed vigour and new growth in some areas of the Church in the UK, such as increased attendance at Easter services and thriving chaplaincies.
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Catholic vs Anglican
The Catholic Church has approximately 1.4 billion members globally, making it the largest religion in Europe and the Americas. In the UK, around 19% of adults identify as Catholic, which equates to approximately 6.2 million people. In England and Wales, there are almost 3,000 churches and 2,169 Catholic schools. The Catholic Church in England and Wales has five provinces: Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Southwark and Westminster. There are also four dioceses covering England and Wales for specific groups, including the Bishopric of the Forces and the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Great Britain.
Anglicanism, on the other hand, is a branch of Protestantism and the member churches of the Anglican Communion are all Protestant churches. Anglicanism is therefore not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, and there are a number of theological differences between the two traditions. For example, Anglican churches do not discriminate against women or married people, and they are democratic rather than autocratic. Anglican churches are also generally open to both men and women being ordained as priests, whereas the Catholic Church affirms that only men can receive the sacrament of Holy Orders.
In terms of administration, the Anglican Communion does not have a pope like the Catholic Church. Instead, each church within the Anglican Communion has its own archbishop or presiding bishop. For example, in England, the Archbishop of Canterbury has jurisdiction within the country, and they are elected in a variety of ways. While the office of the Pope is respected by most Anglicans, they do not view him as infallible or as the final authority.
Another key difference is in the beliefs surrounding the Eucharist. The Catholic Church teaches a dogma called "transubstantiation", which states that the bread and wine used in the Eucharist become the body and blood of Christ, while still retaining the appearance of bread and wine. Anglicans, on the other hand, have historically rejected transubstantiation, believing that the bread and wine are spiritually transformed into the body and blood of Christ.
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Catholic schools in the UK
In the United Kingdom, there are many 'local authority maintained' (i.e. state-funded) Roman Catholic schools. These are open to pupils of all faiths or none, but if the school is oversubscribed, priority will be given to Roman Catholic children. The Catholic Church's 2,169 schools constitute 10% of the state-funded sector, making them the largest provider of secondary and second-largest provider of primary education. They outperform UK averages at GCSE Maths and English while educating more pupils from deprived areas. Staff and students are also considerably more ethnically diverse than in other schools.
The Catholic Church in England and Wales has five provinces: Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Southwark, and Westminster. There are 21 or 22 dioceses, which are divided into parishes. The Catholic bishops in England and Wales come together in a collaborative structure known as the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, currently presided over by the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Gerard Nichols.
In England and Wales, Catholic schools come under the jurisdiction of their local diocese, who can inspect the religious education and acts of worship of the school under Section 48 of the Education Act 2005. Many schools are also founded and maintained by religious orders. There are also joint Anglican and Catholic schools, such as All Saints in Cambridge, St John's in Sunderland, and Christ the King in Macclesfield.
After the Education Act 1918 in Scotland and the Education Act 1944 in England and Wales, many state-funded Catholic schools were built. Some local authorities have chosen to build 'shared campuses' where Catholic and non-denominational schools share grounds and facilities. This policy has had mixed success. In Northern Ireland, Catholic schools are also state-funded and organised and run by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).
Notable Catholic primary schools in England include St Hugh's in Liverpool, St Helen's in Brixton, London, St John Fisher in Thamesmead, London, St Augustine's in London, St John's in Rochdale, St Edward's in Westminster, London, St Ignatius RC in Tottenham, London, Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Liverpool, St Catherine of Siena in Birmingham, St Mary's Priory RC Junior School in Haringey, London, St Patrick's in Walsall, St Joseph RC Junior School in Brent, London, The Annunciation RC Junior School in London, English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School in Sparkhill, Birmingham, and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Dudley, West Midlands.
Notable Catholic secondary schools in England include St Cuthbert Mayne School in Torquay, St Augustine in Taunton, St Bede in Cambridge, St Bede in Redhill, St Michael in Barnsley, St Edward in Poole, St Francis Xavier High School in Richmond, North Yorkshire, Emmaus in Sheffield, Holy Family College in Heywood, Rochdale, and Christ's College.
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Catholic mass attendance in the UK
The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is organised into the Catholic churches in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The Catholic Church has approximately 1.4 billion members worldwide, with over 150 million in Asia and over 250 million in Africa. In England and Wales, there are approximately 6.2 million Catholics, making it the largest religious minority in the region.
According to a 2018 report by the Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society at St Mary’s University, 1.75 million Catholics in England and Wales attended Mass regularly before the pandemic. This is supported by a study that found 13% of UK Catholics attended Mass at least once a week. The report also noted that the most 'Catholic' areas in England are Greater London and the North West.
Mass attendance in England and Wales has been steadily declining since 1958, when 1.8 million people attended Sunday Mass. In 2019, this number decreased to 701,902, and in 2021, only 389,960 people attended Sunday Mass. However, there was a significant increase in 2023, with attendance rising to 554,913. This jump in attendance has sparked hope for potential growth in the Church.
The growth in Mass attendance can be partly attributed to the diverse congregations in the UK due to immigration. For example, the influx of people from India, a country with a significant Catholic population, has contributed to the rise in attendance. Additionally, the Catholic Church's schools, which constitute 10% of the state-funded sector, may also play a role in engaging families and young people with the Church.
While the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted attendance, the number of Mass attendees in England and Wales has been gradually recovering. The increase in attendance has led a leading Catholic professor to suggest that this could be a catalyst for new growth in the Church.
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Frequently asked questions
According to the BBC, there are about five million Catholics in Britain, or about one in 12 people. However, a report from the Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society at St Mary’s University puts the number at 6.2 million in England and Wales alone.
According to the BBC, about one million Catholics in England and Wales regularly attend mass. However, a report from the Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society at St Mary’s University puts the number at 1.75 million.
According to Pew researchers, 19% of UK adults identify as Catholic.
According to the BBC, membership of most religions is lower now than it was 30 years ago. However, the number of people claiming to be Catholic has remained fairly stable, dropping only 1% from 10% to 9% since 1983.
