Have you ever wondered where Muslim communities are most concentrated in the UK? Here’s a detailed look, featuring a vivid map by geo.universe(using ONS Census 2021 data).
Across the whole United Kingdom, there are just under 4 million people identifying as Muslim, around 6.5% of the population (3,998,875 of 66,940,560) in 2021-2022. But that national figure hides some sharp regional contrasts:
England: 6.7%
Scotland: 2.2%
Wales: 2.2%
Northern Ireland: 0.6%
Zooming into urban centres, you see even more dramatic pockets:
Luton: 33%
Bradford: 30.5%
Birmingham: 30%
Manchester: 22%
London: 15%
Cardiff: 9%
Glasgow: 8%
Edinburgh: 3.5%
Within Britain’s Muslim population, there’s wide ethnic diversity. The 2021 census and community surveys show roughly 38% Pakistani, 15% Bangladeshi, 7% Arab, with the rest a mix of Black, White, Mixed and other backgrounds.
This snapshot begs a bigger question: how does Islam’s growth fit into the overall religious landscape of the UK? According to ONS and census tables:
Religion
2001 (%)
2011 (%)
2021 (%)
Christianity
71.6
59.5
46.5
No religion
23.2
25.7
37.8
Islam
2.7
4.4
6.0
Hinduism
1.0
1.3
1.7
Sikhism
0.6
0.7
0.8
Judaism
0.5
0.4
0.4
Buddhism
0.3
0.4
0.4
Other religions
0.3
0.4
0.6
Christian affiliation has fallen by over 25 points since 2001, while those reporting no religion have climbed by nearly 15 points. Islam has grown steadily, adding about 2½ million adherents in two decades.
What’s behind these trends? Younger generations often tick “no religion” more than their parents—over half of 27-year-olds in England and Wales identified as non-religious in 2021. Yet among those who still practice, some Christian traditions (like Catholic and Pentecostal communities) are seeing modest gains, partly through immigration and youth engagement.
Looking ahead, projections vary: the Pew Research Center forecasts Britain’s Muslim share could reach around 12–17% by 2050, depending on migration patterns. A growing, youthful Muslim population will shape schools, neighbourhoods and public services. At the same time, the rise of the “no religion” group will continue to reshape civic life.
