Jews in Britain in 2021: First results from the Census of England and Wales

In this report:

The UK Census takes place every ten years, and since 2001, it has included a question on religion. Census data are of particular value to community leaders and planners because they can provide a remarkably detailed and accurate view of the nation’s Jewish population and allow us both to monitor change over time and predict future trends.

This report, published on the day the first data on religion from the 2021 Census of England and Wales were released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), contains the initial results about the geography of the British Jewish population.

Some of the key findings in this report:

• The total number of people self-identifying as Jews in England and Wales in 2021 was 271,327. This compares with 265,073 in 2011 and 259,927 in 2001, the first occasion the religion question was asked;
• Jews comprise 0.46% of the population of England and Wales. This compares with 0.47% in 2011 and 0.50% in 2001;
• Greater London accounts for 53.6% of the total Jewish population of England and Wales, with 145,466 Jews living in the capital. This excludes areas contiguous to London such as South Hertfordshire and Essex;
• Several parts of Britain have seen their Jewish populations decline since 2001, notably: Redbridge (-57%), Harrow (-44%) and Brent (-42%);
• While still the largest religious group, in 2021, the Christian population fell below 50% of the total for the first time and is now comprises 46%.

JPR's team of expert analysts will be disseminating further reports and insights about the 2021 Census as more data are released by the Office for National Statistics over the coming months. These data will cover multiple topics, including age, health, employment, education, partnerships, families, housing, welfare, migration, ethnicity, and, for the first time, sexual identity.