As reports of a ‘quiet revival’ continue to encourage Christians across the UK, on the Isle of Wight, there has been a decline in the number of people identifying as Christian.

Analysis of 2021 census data shows that 47.7 per cent of people on the Isle of Wight described themselves as Christian (down from 60.5 per cent), while 6.5 per cent did not state their religion (down from 8.2 per cent the decade before).

43.9 per cent of Isle of Wight residents reported having "No religion", up from 29.6 per cent in 2011. The rise of 14.3 percentage points was the largest increase of all broad religious groups in the Isle of Wight.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said: “There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as a changing age structure or residents relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals chose to self-identify between censuses. Religious affiliation is the religion with which someone connects or identifies, rather than their beliefs or religious practice.”

There are around 130 places of worship on the Isle of Wight.