A growing number of Britons who leave Christianity are turning to paganism or other forms of spiritualism instead of converting to other major religions, a new study has found.
The survey, released by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life, questioned 2,774 adults who self-identified as having “experienced a change in their religious belief,” seeking to provide insight into “how, why, and in what direction Britons are moving between faiths, spiritualities, and non-belief.”
The researchers conclude that “Britain is not secularising in a straightforward way” but rather “undergoing a re-composition of belief, a shift away from inherited institutional structures towards personalised, practice-based, and wellbeing-oriented forms of faith.”
Forty-four percent of respondents said they left Christianity, while only 17% said they had newly become Christians. Meanwhile, 39% of respondents said they had become an atheist or agnostic.
“Britain is undergoing a profound reconfiguration of religious identity,” researchers Charlotte Littlewood and Rania Mohiuddin-Agir write in their 50-page report. “Although the 2021 census revealed a historic decline in Christian affiliation, this development does not reflect a disappearance of religion but rather a diversification and personalisation of belief.”
“The largest single movement is away from organised religion. Many respondents left Christianity, usually towards atheism, yet the landscape is far more dynamic than a simple narrative of secularisation suggests. A substantial number shifted into new frameworks, including Islam, Dharmic traditions, and eclectic spiritual identities.”
Around 67% of respondents who say they left Christianity say they became atheist/agnostic, while 20% say they “experienced weakened faith,” and 9% say they adopted a form of spiritualism such as Wicca or Pagan. An additional 3% became Buddhist, and 2% became Muslim.
Atheism and agnosticism accounted for two-thirds of those leaving Christianity, but paganism and spiritualism together made up the largest block of religious conversions among them. Paganism, according to the Pagan Federation, refers to polytheistic or pantheistic religions that emphasize nature worship and are not governed by the customs or dogmas of established religions.
The 2021 census recorded around 74,000 people identifying as pagan in Britain, up from 57,000 in 2011. The number of Wiccans rose from 11,800 to 13,000 from 2011 to 2021. These communities are primarily found in regions such as Cornwall, Somerset and Ceredigion.
“Media reports over the past decade document a visible revival of Pagan and Wiccan practices in Britain, particularly among women over 30 and those disillusioned with organised religion but seeking ethical and emotional coherence,” the report reads.
“Our data adds weight to these observations, capturing a broader movement towards spirituality that is eclectic in form and often rooted in departure from the Abrahamic faiths. Reports of individuals becoming spiritual, or deepening an existing spiritual path, describe not a retreat from meaning but a reorientation toward practices that emphasise healing, balance, and wellbeing.”
Pagan practices in Britain today are typically conducted in small groups or alone, without designated temples or ordained clergy, according to The Telegraph. Ceremonies often take place in homes, gardens or natural spaces, with participants consecrating the ritual area each time. Instead of scripture or dogma, paganism centers around rituals and contact with divine forces through symbolic ceremonies.
Adherents may honor deities from a range of pre-Christian cultures, including Greco-Roman, Norse, Celtic and Egyptian traditions. Some draw on mythological archetypes, such as the horned god of nature or the triple-moon goddess. Participants often describe their spirituality as self-generated, experiential and personally meaningful rather than externally prescribed.
Environmentalism plays a major role in modern pagan beliefs, which hold that the natural world is inherently sacred. This view is often expressed through seasonal festivals, celebrations of the earth and spiritual reverence for nature cycles. Many followers consider their path a way to reconnect with the environment and resist the alienation of urban life.
Unlike many traditional religions, pagan belief systems generally do not include commandments, sin or salvation. Instead, followers are encouraged to develop their own ethical frameworks, pursue personal development, and engage with divinity in ways that affirm their individuality and freedom of thought.
The most cited reason respondents stated for leaving their faith was “lack of belief in God or the supernatural” (50%). Forty-three percent said they had “doubts about key doctrine or teaching (43%), while 37% said they had “clashes with personal values,” and 33% said they had “intellectual and philosophical disagreements.” One in five (20%) said that “a negative experience with faith leaders or the community” was their reason for leaving.
Although Christianity has undergone “the greatest losses,” researchers say it has also seen a “striking number of new or returning adherents.”
In the study, most new Christians did not identify with major denominations such as Anglicanism, Catholicism or Pentecostalism. Instead, they selected the “other” category, which the report interpreted as a sign that many preferred direct spiritual experiences, such as a “personal connection with Jesus,” over institutional religion or doctrinal loyalty. There were also respondents who described taking a “conscious distancing from formal denominations.”
