A majority of Brits believe that faith-based organisations have a valuable role to play in tackling critical social issues, new research has found.
According to a survey of 2,008 UK adults, 60% of respondents – including 72% of Generation Z and 67% of Millennials – hold that faith-based organisations play a crucial role in assisting the UK government to tackle the country’s most pressing problems.
Londoners exhibited the strongest confidence in faith-based organisations’ ability to address societal issues, with 73% affirming their trust in their role.
Among the issues identified, homelessness emerged as the UK’s most critical concern for 34% of all respondents. A third of Gen Z cited mental health as their top priority, followed by homelessness at 31% and youth crime at 21%.
The study, Faith and the Future: Faith-Based Organisations in Modern Britain, was conducted by Research Without Barriers and commissioned by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG).
For Armani, 21, from London, faith-based support helped her turn her life around after years of trauma, gang involvement, and depression. A chance encounter with youths from UCKG marked her turning point. Her story reflects a growing Gen Z sentiment that faith-based organisations can offer vital material and emotional support where secular institutions fall short.
She said, “I would encourage the government to engage more closely with faith-based organisations to tackle the critical challenges facing our society today – challenges like homelessness, mental health crises, youth crime, and family breakdown. My own journey is proof of the transformative power faith can have in rebuilding lives and communities.
“Growing up, I faced trauma and violence, which led me down a path of depression, self-harm, and eventually into gang life. The turning point came when faith-based youth approached me and showed me a different way. Through consistent support and the church’s values of discipline and compassion, I rebuilt my relationship with my family, overcame suicidal thoughts, and discovered a passion for helping others.”
Other findings from the study revealed that across the UK, nearly three quarters (73%) of respondents trust faith-based organisations as much as or more than secular charities, compared to only around a quarter (27%) who trust them less. A considerable proportion of Gen Z (44%) favour faith groups over secular charities, with 42% viewing them equally.
The release of the study follows Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to enhance cooperation with faith communities through a dedicated faith minister and formal faith covenants, recognising the vital role of faith organisations in addressing societal needs.
Bishop James Marques of the UCKG, who oversees the church’s evangelistic work, welcomed the findings and said that “they reaffirm the vital role faith organisations play in tackling today’s challenges and support our mission to make faith more accessible for the busy lives of younger generations”.
“However, we can’t do this alone. The data underscores a strong call for greater collaboration between government and faith groups. If we want sustainable solutions, we need partnerships that bridge the gap between religious organisations and public services,” he said.
UCKG runs a number of youth and mental health initiatives like its Victory Youth Group which combats youth crime, including knife violence, with over 1,400 members attending biweekly meetings. In November 2024, it launched the Lives Not Knives Walk, uniting over 1,000 young people against knife crime, with plans to continue in 2025.
