Religion in Liverpool
Liverpool retains a strong Christian heritage but has become substantially less religiously affiliated than in previous censuses. In the 2021 Census, 57.3% of residents identified as Christian, 29.4% reported no religion and 5.3% identified as Muslim. Hinduism accounted for 0.8%, Buddhism 0.4%, Judaism 0.4%, Sikhism 0.1% and other religions 0.4%; 5.9% did not answer the voluntary religion question. Christian affiliation fell sharply from 71.0% in 2011, while no religion increased from 17.7% to 29.4%.
Religion Percentages in Liverpool
Census 2011 to 2021 Demographic Trends
Community & Cultural Highlights
- Liverpool recorded 57.3% identifying as Christian in the 2021 Census, remaining one of the highest Christian affiliations among major English cities, alongside 29.4% reporting no religion and 5.3% identifying as Muslim.
- Historic England designates 8 Brougham Terrace in Liverpool as the site of the first fully functioning mosque in England, established in 1889 by the Liverpool Muslim Institute under Abdullah Quilliam.
- Christian affiliation fell from 71.0% in 2011 to 57.3% in 2021, a decline of 13.7 percentage points.
- No religion increased from 17.7% to 29.4%, a rise of 11.7 percentage points and the largest increase among Liverpool's broad religion categories.
- Muslim affiliation increased from 3.3% to 5.3%, while Hindu affiliation increased from 0.5% to 0.8%.
- Liverpool's strong Christian share is closely connected with the city's historic Irish migration and Catholic heritage, while Anglican institutions also played a major role in the city's civic and maritime development.
- Liverpool's religious identity is not exclusively Christian: the city's port history created long-standing Jewish, Muslim, Chinese, Black and other international communities, later reinforced by post-war migration and contemporary global mobility.
- The two cathedrals on Hope Street form one of Liverpool's most distinctive religious landscapes. Liverpool Cathedral is Anglican and the Metropolitan Cathedral is Roman Catholic; they stand at opposite ends of the city's Hope Street corridor.
- Toxteth is an especially important multicultural district, combining Black British, African-Caribbean, Muslim, South Asian and other communities, but it should not be presented as a single-faith or single-ethnicity area.
- Liverpool's Chinese community is also historically important and reflects the city's long maritime links with East Asia, making the city's diversity broader than the religious categories alone indicate.
Community Geographic Distributions in Liverpool
Liverpool's Muslim population is concentrated particularly in inner-city neighbourhoods, with important mosque and community institutions in Toxteth, Kensington and surrounding areas.
Liverpool has one of Britain's oldest Black communities, strongly associated with the city's maritime history. Toxteth and surrounding neighbourhoods remain important centres of Black British cultural and community life.
Liverpool is home to one of the UK's oldest Chinese communities and one of the city's most recognisable international cultural districts. Liverpool's historic Chinatown remains an important part of the city's multicultural identity.
Liverpool's Jewish community has roots dating to the 18th century and has played a significant role in the city's commercial, civic and cultural history. Princes Road Synagogue remains an important active institution.
Liverpool has established Indian, Pakistani and other South Asian communities, supported by mosques, Hindu institutions, restaurants, businesses and community organisations.
Liverpool Religious Landscape & Demographic Analysis
According to official figures from the ONS Census 2021, Religion, England and Wales, Liverpool (total population: 486,100 across North West) exhibits a distinct religious profile. Christianity represents 57.3% of the population. A substantial 29.4% of residents report having no religious affiliation. The Muslim community comprises 5.3% of local residents.
Local Places of Worship & Community Centers
Spiritual and community life in Liverpool is supported by recognized places of worship across various neighborhoods, including Liverpool Cathedral (Anglican Cathedral located in St James' Mount / Hope Street), Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King (Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Mount Pleasant / Hope Street), Al-Rahma Mosque (Mosque located in Toxteth / Hatherley Street), Princes Road Synagogue (Orthodox Jewish Synagogue located in Princes Road, Toxteth), Shree Radha Krishna Temple (Hindu Temple located in Edge Lane / Fairfield area), and Abdullah Quilliam Mosque (Historic Mosque and Islamic Heritage Centre located in Brougham Terrace / Kensington area).
Neighborhood & Diaspora Insights in Liverpool
Liverpool recorded 57.3% identifying as Christian in the 2021 Census, remaining one of the highest Christian affiliations among major English cities, alongside 29.4% reporting no religion and 5.3% identifying as Muslim. Historic England designates 8 Brougham Terrace in Liverpool as the site of the first fully functioning mosque in England, established in 1889 by the Liverpool Muslim Institute under Abdullah Quilliam. Christian affiliation fell from 71.0% in 2011 to 57.3% in 2021, a decline of 13.7 percentage points. No religion increased from 17.7% to 29.4%, a rise of 11.7 percentage points and the largest increase among Liverpool's broad religion categories. Muslim affiliation increased from 3.3% to 5.3%, while Hindu affiliation increased from 0.5% to 0.8%. Liverpool's strong Christian share is closely connected with the city's historic Irish migration and Catholic heritage, while Anglican institutions also played a major role in the city's civic and maritime development. Liverpool's religious identity is not exclusively Christian: the city's port history created long-standing Jewish, Muslim, Chinese, Black and other international communities, later reinforced by post-war migration and contemporary global mobility. The two cathedrals on Hope Street form one of Liverpool's most distinctive religious landscapes. Liverpool Cathedral is Anglican and the Metropolitan Cathedral is Roman Catholic; they stand at opposite ends of the city's Hope Street corridor. Toxteth is an especially important multicultural district, combining Black British, African-Caribbean, Muslim, South Asian and other communities, but it should not be presented as a single-faith or single-ethnicity area. Liverpool's Chinese community is also historically important and reflects the city's long maritime links with East Asia, making the city's diversity broader than the religious categories alone indicate.
Practical Living & Community Guidance in Liverpool
- •The 2021 Census population is commonly presented as 486,100; ONS records the increase from about 466,400 in 2011.
- •Census religion data measure affiliation or identification, not the frequency or intensity of religious practice.
- •The strongest authoritative formulation is that 8 Brougham Terrace was the first fully functioning mosque in England, associated with Abdullah Quilliam's Liverpool Muslim Institute.
- •The religious figures refer to Liverpool local authority, not the wider Liverpool City Region.
- •The religion question in the UK Census is voluntary; respondents who chose not to answer are recorded separately under 'not answered' and are distinct from 'no religion'.
- •Halal, Kosher, and vegetarian food products are widely accessible in major supermarkets and independent community grocery stores across the city.
- •Under the UK Equality Act 2010, religious belief and practice are protected characteristics against discrimination in workplaces, education, and housing.
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