Fewer than one in two people in North East Lincolnshire now describe themselves as Christian - as census data reveals the most godless neighbourhoods in the country.

A decade ago, 60.7% of the population of our area called themselves Christian. But when residents were asked the same question on the day of the 2021 census, just 45.3% referred to themselves in that way.

Instead, there has been a big rise in the number of people who said they had “no religion”. On the day of the 2021 census, 46.5% said they were not religious in any way, up from 30.4% a decade ago.

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There has also been a sharp decline in Christianity in North Lincolnshire, with residents of Scunthorpe Westcliff being least likely to worship any god, with 50.2% saying they had no religion.

A decade ago, 66.0% of the population in North East Lincolnshire called themselves Christian. But when residents were asked the same question on the day of the 2021 census, just 52.1% referred to themselves in that way.

Humberston has the highest proportion of Christians in North East Lincolnshire (57.5%), followed by Waltham & East Ravendale (56.9%), and then Cleethorpes West (54.0%). Meanwhile, residents of New Clee are least likely to worship any god, with 57.2% saying they had no religion. That is followed by Sidney Park (56.5%), and then Nunsthorpe (56.3%).

The data also shows that 1.2% of the population of North East Lincolnshire identify as Muslim, 0.1% as Jewish, 0.1% as Sikh, 0.3% as Hindu, and 0.3% as Buddhist.

Top 10 neighbourhoods in NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE with the highest proportion of Christians:

  1. Humberston // North East Lincolnshire // 57.5%
  2. Waltham & East Ravendale // North East Lincolnshire // 56.9%
  3. Cleethorpes West // North East Lincolnshire // 54.0%
  4. Laceby, Healing & Stallingborough // North East Lincolnshire // 53.9%
  5. New Waltham // North East Lincolnshire // 51.8%
  6. Immingham & Habrough // North East Lincolnshire // 49.3%
  7. Scartho // North East Lincolnshire // 47.9%
  8. Cleethorpes North & Haverstoe // North East Lincolnshire // 47.0%
  9. Great Coates & The Willows // North East Lincolnshire // 46.2%
  10. Weelsby & Old Clee // North East Lincolnshire // 44.9%

Top 10 neighbourhoods in NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE with the highest proportion of people who said they had no religion:

  1. New Clee // North East Lincolnshire // 57.2%
  2. Sidney Park // North East Lincolnshire // 56.5%
  3. Nunsthorpe // North East Lincolnshire // 56.3%
  4. Holme Hill // North East Lincolnshire // 56.0%
  5. Grimsby West Marsh // North East Lincolnshire // 53.0%
  6. Grimsby East Marsh & Port // North East Lincolnshire // 52.6%
  7. Littlefield South & Grange // North East Lincolnshire // 52.0%
  8. Yarborough // North East Lincolnshire // 49.6%
  9. Cleethorpes Beacon Hill // North East Lincolnshire // 48.7%
  10. Littlefield North // North East Lincolnshire // 48.0%

Top 10 neighbourhoods in NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE with the highest proportion of Christians:

  1. Messingham & Scawby // North Lincolnshire // 61.0%
  2. Westwoodside, Haxey & Owston Ferry // North Lincolnshire // 61.0%
  3. Brigg & South Ferriby // North Lincolnshire // 57.0%
  4. Epworth & Bracon // North Lincolnshire // 56.8%
  5. Crowle & Keadby // North Lincolnshire // 55.6%
  6. Scunthorpe Yaddlethorpe // North Lincolnshire // 55.3%
  7. Broughton & Appleby // North Lincolnshire // 55.3%
  8. Burton upon Stather, Alkborough & Gunness // North Lincolnshire // 55.2%
  9. Winterton & Winteringham // North Lincolnshire // 54.7%
  10. Barnetby, Ulceby & Killingholme // North Lincolnshire // 54.4%

Top 10 neighbourhoods in NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE with the highest proportion of people who said they had no religion:

  1. Scunthorpe Westcliff // North Lincolnshire // 50.2%
  2. Scunthorpe Lakeside // North Lincolnshire // 47.4%
  3. Scunthorpe Ashby // North Lincolnshire // 44.7%
  4. Scunthorpe Lincoln Gardens // North Lincolnshire // 44.4%
  5. Scunthorpe Frodingham // North Lincolnshire // 44.3%
  6. Barton upon Humber // North Lincolnshire // 42.4%
  7. Scunthorpe Bottesford // North Lincolnshire // 40.8%
  8. Scunthorpe Central Park // North Lincolnshire // 40.5%
  9. Kirton in Lindsey & Hibaldstow // North Lincolnshire // 39.6%
  10. Winterton & Winteringham // North Lincolnshire // 39.4%

'End of an era'

Across all of England and Wales, 46.2% of the population described themselves as Christian, down from 59.3% a decade earlier, the ONS said. This is the first time the proportion has dropped below half. At the same time, the proportion of people saying they had no religion jumped from around a quarter in 2011 (25.2%) to over a third in 2021 (37.2%).

The Archbishop of York said the census data showed the country had “left behind the era when many people almost automatically identified as Christian”.

The Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell said: “The Christian church exists to share the good news of Jesus Christ, serve our neighbour and bring hope to a troubled world. That’s what we’ve done for 2,000 years, in times of war and peace; hardship and plenty; revival and decline and it’s what we must do now more than ever.

“It’s not a great surprise that the census shows fewer people in this country identifying as Christian than in the past, but it still throws down a challenge to us not only to trust that God will build his kingdom on Earth but also to play our part in making Christ known.

“We have left behind the era when many people almost automatically identified as Christian but other surveys consistently show how the same people still seek spiritual truth and wisdom and a set of values to live by.

“This winter – perhaps more so than for a long time – people right across the country, some in desperate need, will be turning to their local church, not only for spiritual hope but practical help. We will be there for them, in many cases, providing food and warmth. And at Christmas millions of people will still come to our services.”

The latest census data shows that Croxteth East in Liverpool is the most Christian neighbourhood in the country. Three quarters of people in Croxteth East (75.6%) described themselves as Christian, more than any other neighbourhood in England and Wales.

But Merseyside features heavily among the neighbourhoods with the highest concentration of Christians. In fact, nine of the top 10 areas and 22 of the top 30 areas are in Merseyside. Conversely, Hanover in Brighton and Hove was the most Godless area in England and Wales, with 68.1% of the population saying they had no religion.

But there were also increases in the proportion of people describing themselves as Muslim (up from 4.9% to 6.5%) and as Hindu (from 1.5% to 1.7%). The religion question was voluntary on the 2021 census but was answered by 94.0% of the overall population of England and Wales, up from 92.9% in 2011.

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