You asked

I would like to request the most recent data available on Muslims population in the UK with the following attributes:

  • The geographical distribution
  • Local authority distribution
  • Gender and age profile
  • Number of mosques

We said

Thank you for your request.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects religion data for England and Wales, not the whole of the UK. We also do not collect data on the number of mosques or any other places of worship.

You may wish to contact National Records of Scotland about population estimates by religion for Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency about population estimates by religion for Northern Ireland.

Our best and most up-to-date, official estimates of the population of England and Wales by religion remains those derived from the 2011 Census. These data are freely available at national and subnational level on the Nomis website. 

You may be interested in the following tables: 

  • The Religion KS209EW] table has a breakdown of the population of England and Wales (not the whole of the UK) as at census day, 27 March 2011, by 9 religious groupings (or classifications), including Muslim. You can use the 'View data in browser' panel on the left-hand side of the webpage to select geographic areas, such as Nottingham, to view the data for specific areas. 

To note, the religion question on the Census is voluntary. You may choose to calculate your percentage out of the whole population "All categories: Religion", or of those who have specified that they have a religion "Has religion", for example.

  • The Religion (detailed) [QS210EW] table has a detailed breakdown of the population of England and Wales (not the whole of the UK) as at census day, 27 March 2011, by 59 religious groupings (or classifications). 

  • The Religion by sex by age [LC2107EW] and [DC2107EW] has a breakdown of the population of England and Wales (not the whole of the UK) as at census day, 27 March 2011, by religious groupings (or classifications), including Muslim. You can use the 'View data in browser' panel on the left-hand side of the webpage to select geographic areas, to view the data for specific areas.

You may also be interested in the following illustrative estimates by religion. They represent research into what the religious group population might look like between censuses and were produced in response to the need for more frequent updates into the size and characteristics of the population. 

Please note: These datasets are illustrative datasets only, produced as research. They are not National Statistics. The methodology neither fully incorporates nor adjusts for migration in producing its figures. Our best official estimates remain those derived from the 2011 Census.

When accessing any of our files, please read the 'notes, terms and conditions' contained within them.

Should you have any queries about this data, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at EILR@ons.gov.uk