YouGov Retracts Flawed Poll on Church Attendance Surge
A major survey that indicated a significant rise in church attendance across parts of the United Kingdom has been formally withdrawn after the polling firm YouGov discovered fraudulent respondents within its data sample. The research, conducted in 2024, was central to a report titled Quiet Revival published by the Bible Society last year, which sparked widespread media coverage about a potential resurgence in Christianity, particularly among younger generations.
Data Sample Compromised by Fraudulent Participants
YouGov announced on Thursday that the data sample was fundamentally flawed, 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 on the topic.
Report's Claims and Subsequent Disappointment
The now-retracted report had asserted that 12% of adults in England and Wales attended church monthly or more in 2024, marking what YouGov described as a significant increase from 8% in a previous 2018 study. It also claimed a dramatic rise in attendance among young people aged 18 to 24, from 4% in 2018 to 16% in 2024. The Bible Society expressed deep disappointment, noting that it had repeatedly sought and received assurances from YouGov regarding the methodology's robustness and the report's conclusions. The organisation revealed that YouGov only confirmed this month that it had failed to activate key quality control technologies, which compromised the results' reliability.
Reactions from Critics and Experts
Humanists UK chief executive Andrew Copson welcomed the withdrawal, calling it "both validation and vindication" and asserting that there is no revival of Christianity in Britain. He highlighted that Humanists UK had consistently challenged the claims with an evidence-based approach. David Voas, emeritus professor of social science at University College London, supported this view, noting that experts had previously warned of probable flaws, including bogus respondents, repeat participants, and other issues common in opt-in online polls.
Broader Context and Future Data
Despite the setback, the Bible Society insisted that there remains "a very positive story to tell," pointing to an unprecedented public conversation about Christianity and stories of spiritual awakening among Generation Z. Separately, Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally referenced anecdotal and statistical evidence of people returning to church in her recent address to the Church of England's Synod. A snapshot of the Church's latest annual Statistics for Mission report for 2025 is due for publication soon, with the most recent data showing a slight growth in congregations to 1.02 million regular worshippers in 2024, though numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels of 1.11 million in 2019.
