---
title: "BBC Sunday Morning Live: Census 2021 & the rapid rise of the non-religious"
date: "2023-02-05T14:30:08+00:00"
modified: "2023-02-07T14:53:34+00:00"
url: "https://andrewcopson.com/2023/02/bbc-sunday-morning-live-census-2021-the-rapid-rise-of-the-non-religious/"
post_id: 2995
categories: ["TV"]
---

# BBC Sunday Morning Live: Census 2021 & the rapid rise of the non-religious

I was a guest on [*Sunday Morning Live*](https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001hz6x/sunday-morning-live-series-13-episode-17) today to discuss the results of the 2021 Census and the rapid rise of the non-religious.

37% of the population in England and Wales ticked ‘No religion’ in the [Census 2021](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Census2021?src=hashtag_click) and last week, Census figures revealed that the [non-religious outnumber Christians](https://t.co/afIN5k23Ka) among all people aged 66 and below **–** an astonishing and huge demographic shift, particularly considering the biased and leading nature of the Census question on religion.

> 'Lots of people who say they're Christian (in the [\#Census2021](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Census2021?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)) don't believe in god'. [@andrewcopson](https://twitter.com/andrewcopson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) on the skewed nature of the question. And how it effectively undercounts the non-religious. [pic.twitter.com/BN0mlmWdXr](https://t.co/BN0mlmWdXr)
> 
> — Humanists UK (@Humanists\_UK) [February 5, 2023](https://twitter.com/Humanists_UK/status/1622193464816402433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

I was asked ‘Is Britain better off without god?’ This is of course an extreme way of putting the question. As a humanist, it’s simply the case that I believe in freedom of religion or belief, and that everyone should have the freedom to choose, or leave, faith behind.

> 'Better off' without religion is of course an extreme way of putting the question around the [\#Census2021](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Census2021?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw). As humanists, it's simply the case that we believe in freedom of religion or belief, and that everyone should have the freedom to choose, or leave, faith behind. [pic.twitter.com/Id8FAiN1gS](https://t.co/Id8FAiN1gS)
> 
> — Humanists UK (@Humanists\_UK) [February 5, 2023](https://twitter.com/Humanists_UK/status/1622192868537368580?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

You can [watch the full episode here](https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001hz6x/sunday-morning-live-series-13-episode-17) (not available after 12 months of its air date: 05/02/23).