Summary

• Britain has become a post-Christian and a post-secular society where interest in spirituality is gaining ground, and minority religious communities are finding a new public voice. Nevertheless, Christianity remains a cornerstone of national identity and the Church of England has a special role in terms of access to Parliament and policy debate.

• Very little data and research exist in the UK on how social and economic disparities map out onto religious identity (as opposed to ethnic identity). The 2001 Census provides the most reliable data that affirms that the highest levels of social and economic deprivation in the UK exist among the Muslim population.

• Since the early 1990s, government policy has articulated a discernible interest in engaging with religious groups as well as opening up opportunities for them to provide welfare services and be involved in local governance. But this positive interest has not necessarily been matched by the level of understanding at policy level of the positive contributions, challenges and drawbacks of engaging religious communities in social policy in the UK.

• The Coalition government has not been as active in the generation of policy statements and guidelines on engaging religious communities as the previous New Labour government; indeed public spending cuts have led to the dismantling of some local government units specialising in religious communities as well as the government funds that some religious charities have received. However, the push towards philanthropy, volunteerism and local community-based provision of social welfare may work in favour of religious communities, with key members of the Coalition political establishment themselves being people of faith.