YouGov has formally withdrawn a survey that purported to show a significant rise in church attendance across England and Wales, after discovering that a number of respondents were fraudulent. The poll, conducted in 2024, was central to the Bible Society's Quiet Revival report, which suggested a resurgence in Christianity, particularly among young people.
Flawed Data and Apology
On Thursday, YouGov announced that the data sample was compromised, with "a number of respondents who we can now identify as fraudulent." The pollster's chief executive, Stephan Shakespeare, issued a public apology, stating, "YouGov takes full responsibility for the outputs of the original 2024 research, and we apologise for what has happened." He emphasised that the Bible Society had accurately reported the data provided and confirmed that a new survey is being conducted to obtain robust findings.
Key Claims and Discrepancies
The withdrawn report had claimed that 12% of adults in England and Wales attended church monthly or more in 2024, a notable increase from 8% in a 2018 study. It also indicated a dramatic rise in young people's attendance, from 4% of 18- to 24-year-olds in 2018 to 16% in 2024. However, these figures have been invalidated due to the data flaws.
Bible Society's Response
The Bible Society expressed deep disappointment, noting that it had repeatedly sought assurances from YouGov regarding the methodology and reliability of the conclusions. The organisation revealed that it was only informed earlier this month that YouGov "failed to activate key quality control technologies," which undermined the results. Despite this setback, the Bible Society insisted there remains "a very positive story to tell," citing an unprecedented public conversation about Christianity and spiritual awakening among Gen Z in the past year.
Humanists UK's Reaction
Andrew Copson, chief executive of Humanists UK, welcomed the withdrawal as "both validation and vindication." He asserted, "We need to be absolutely clear: there is no revival of Christianity in Britain," highlighting that his organisation had taken a rational, evidence-based approach to challenge the Bible Society's claims over the past year.
Context and Future Data
A snapshot of the Church of England's latest annual Statistics for Mission report, covering attendances for 2025, is expected to be published in the coming weeks. The most recent report, released last year, showed a slight growth in congregations, with an estimated 1.02 million regular worshippers in 2024, up from 1.01 million in 2023, though numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels.
