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What was the percentage of Muslims in the UK population at the 2021 census and how has it changed since then?
Executive summary
The 2021 census shows roughly 3.8–3.9 million people in England and Wales identified as Muslim, equivalent to about 6.5% of the population; adding Scotland and Northern Ireland produces UK-wide figures commonly reported around 6.0–6.5% or “just under 4 million” Muslims (examples: 3.87m / 6.5% England & Wales; UK-wide described as ~3.8–4.0m / 6.0–6.5%) [1] [2] [3]. Sources agree the Muslim share rose substantially from about 4.9% (≈2.7–2.8m) in 2011 to roughly 6.5% in 2021 — an increase of roughly 1.1–1.2 million people in England and Wales [1] [4].
1. What the 2021 census recorded — headline numbers
Office for National Statistics outputs and multiple analyses report 3.87–3.9 million people in England and Wales identified as Muslim in the 2021 census, representing about 6.5% of that population; some summaries extend this to a UK-wide total of “just under four million” or around 6.0–6.5% of the total UK population when Scotland and Northern Ireland are included [1] [5] [2]. Separate reporting cites 3.801 million Muslims in England specifically (6.7% of England), and Scotland’s 2021 census separately recorded 119,872 Muslims (2.2% of Scotland) while Northern Ireland reported 10,870 (0.6%) [3] [2].
2. Change since 2011 — scale and drivers of growth
Analysts and community organisations consistently say the Muslim population rose by roughly 1.16 million in England and Wales between 2011 and 2021 (from about 2.7m to about 3.9m), so the Muslim share increased from about 4.9% in 2011 to about 6.5% in 2021 [1] [4]. Commentary attributes the growth to a combination of factors flagged by census analysts: a younger age profile and higher birth rates among Muslims, migration (including arrivals from conflict-affected countries), and natural increase — all noted in Muslim Council of Britain and Islam-focused analyses [4] [1].
3. Regional and local patterns — concentration and political relevance
The growth is uneven geographically: London has the largest Muslim population and highest proportion (around 15% reported in some summaries), and particular local authorities (Tower Hamlets, Blackburn with Darwen, Newham, Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester) have very high Muslim shares — Tower Hamlets reported nearly 40% in 2021 [2] [5] [6]. The concentration yields political and policy implications: organisations such as the Muslim Council of Britain point to electoral significance and to socio-economic policy needs stemming from urban concentration [1] [7].
4. Socio-economic context and inequality flagged by advocates
Census-derived analyses emphasise that a large share of Muslims live in more deprived areas and face disparities in housing, employment and health: the Muslim Council of Britain and other commentators note 40% live in the most deprived fifth of local authority districts and Muslims have lower homeownership and higher social housing rates in 2021 [1] [2]. The MCB and allied reports use the 2021 census to call for policy responses to persistent inequalities [1] [7].
5. Divergent reports and minor discrepancies in totals
Public summaries vary slightly: some sources state “3.87 million” (MCB first-look) for England and Wales and 6.5% [1], others quote “3.9 million” [5] [8] or combine regional figures to state UK-wide shares as “6.0%” or “6.5%” and round totals to “just under four million” or “about 4 million” [2] [7]. These small differences reflect whether a source cites England & Wales only, includes Scotland and Northern Ireland, or uses rounded figures in summaries — the underlying census-based analyses cited above are consistent about the direction and scale of growth [1] [3] [5].
6. What current reporting does not settle
Available sources do not mention precise post-2021 population estimates or changes since census day in 2021 (e.g., migration or birth trends after 2021) in a unified, authoritative way; they largely analyse the 2021 snapshot and compare it to 2011 [1] [4]. For updated annual estimates or projections beyond the census, available sources here either do not cover that timeframe or rely on separate demographic projections not included in this set (not found in current reporting).
7. Bottom line for readers and policymakers
Census-based reporting is clear: the Muslim population in England and Wales grew from roughly 2.7–2.8 million (≈4.9% of the population) in 2011 to about 3.87–3.9 million (≈6.5%) in 2021, with UK-wide summaries commonly stating roughly 3.8–4.0 million Muslims or about 6.0–6.5% of the UK population; commentators emphasise youthfulness, urban concentration and socio-economic gaps as the most important policy takeaways [1] [4] [2].