## Learning Outcomes

- Identify the major faiths practised in the UK and where religion appears in public life
- Recall key religious festivals commonly recognised in the UK
- Understand what “secular” means in the UK context and how non-religious beliefs fit in
- Know how UK law protects freedom of religion or belief, including having no religion

## Life in the UK Test Syllabus

For the Life in the UK Test, you are expected to understand major faiths and secular traditions in the UK, with a focus on the following syllabus points:

- Name the major religions in the UK and recognise that the UK is religiously diverse
- Identify major festivals celebrated by different faith communities (for example, Eid and Diwali)
- Explain the difference between an established church, a national church, and a disestablished church in the UK
- Know that the Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination because of religion or belief, including having no religion
- Understand that many UK customs are cultural or secular, even when they have religious origins
- Recognise that tolerance of different faiths and beliefs is a fundamental principle of British life

## Test Your Knowledge

_Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, look more closely at that area during your revision._

1. Name six major religions practised in the UK.
2. Which part of the UK has an established church, and what is it called?
3. What does the Equality Act 2010 protect in relation to “religion or belief”?
4. Name two Muslim festivals and one Hindu or Sikh festival commonly celebrated in the UK.
5. Give two examples of UK public holidays or customs that many people follow in a non-religious way.

## Introduction

The UK is a country with long-standing Christian traditions and a large number of people who follow other religions, as well as many people who have no religion. For the Life in the UK Test, you need to recognise the major faiths and their festivals, and understand how the UK balances religion with equal treatment and freedom of belief.

You also need to understand that the UK is largely secular in public life. This means the state is expected to treat people fairly whatever their religion, belief, or lack of belief.

> **Key Term: Religion or belief (Equality Act 2010)**
> A protected characteristic in UK law that covers any religion, any religious or philosophical belief, and also having no religion or no belief.

### Major faiths in the UK

The Life in the UK Test commonly expects you to know that the UK is home to people from many different religious backgrounds. The main religions you should be able to name are:

- Christianity
- Islam
- Hinduism
- Sikhism
- Judaism
- Buddhism

You may also meet people from smaller faith groups (for example Jain, Baháʼí, or Pagan communities), especially in larger towns and cities. For the test, focus on the major faiths listed above and the well-known festivals associated with them.

Christianity has historically been the biggest religion in the UK and has influenced the calendar, the legal system, and many traditions. However, a large part of the population today identifies as having no religion, and many people who identify with a religion may not practise it regularly.

> **Key Term: Faith community**
> A group of people who share the same religion and often organise community life around places of worship, festivals, and shared customs.

Practical signs of religious diversity you might notice in daily life include:

- Churches, mosques, temples, gurdwaras, synagogues, and Buddhist centres
- Religious clothing (for example, some Sikh men wear a turban; some Muslim women wear a hijab)
- Dietary choices (for example, halal, kosher, vegetarianism, or avoiding alcohol)
- People requesting time for prayer or time off for religious festivals

> **Test Tip:** If a question asks about “major religions in the UK”, choose from the standard list (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism). Don’t overthink it by picking a smaller faith group unless the question clearly mentions it.

### Festivals and what they mean in the UK

The test often checks that you can match religions to festivals. You do not need detailed theology. You do need to recognise the names and basic significance of important festivals, especially those widely marked in UK communities.

#### Christian festivals

**Christmas (25 December)** is a public holiday across the UK. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Many non-religious people also celebrate Christmas as a family holiday.

**Easter** is another major Christian festival. It includes:

- **Good Friday** (public holiday): Christians remember the crucifixion (death) of Jesus.
- **Easter Sunday**: Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.
- **Easter Monday** is a public holiday in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (but not generally in Scotland).

Other Christian traditions that may appear in cultural life include Lent (a period of preparation before Easter) and church services on Sundays.

#### Muslim festivals

Muslims in the UK celebrate two major festivals connected to the Islamic calendar:

- **Eid al-Fitr**: marks the end of **Ramadan**, the month of fasting.
- **Eid ul Adha (Eid al-Adha)**: linked to the time of **Hajj** (pilgrimage to Makkah/Mecca) and is one of the most important festivals in Islam.

In daily life, you may see community celebrations, special prayers, charity-giving, and family gatherings around Eid.

> **Key Term: Ramadan**
> The month in the Islamic calendar when many Muslims fast during daylight hours and focus on prayer and self-discipline.

#### Hindu festivals

Two widely recognised Hindu festivals in the UK are:

- **Diwali**: often called the “festival of lights”, celebrated by many Hindus (and also by many Sikhs and Jains, in different ways). Public Diwali celebrations are particularly well known in **Leicester**.
- **Holi**: often called the “festival of colours”, marking the start of spring.

Hindu practice varies, but many families may pray at home, visit a temple, and celebrate festivals with food and gatherings.

#### Sikh festivals

Important Sikh festivals include:

- **Vaisakhi**: celebrates the founding of the Khalsa (1699) and is a major Sikh festival, often marked by events and processions.
- **Gurpurabs**: celebrations of important events in the lives of the Sikh Gurus (for example, **Guru Nanak Gurpurab**, marking the birth of Guru Nanak).

Many gurdwaras serve a free community meal called langar, which is open to everyone.

> **Key Term: Gurdwara**
> A Sikh place of worship, centred on the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy scripture) and community service.

#### Jewish festivals

Jewish communities in the UK celebrate several major festivals. Common ones to recognise include:

- **Passover (Pesach)**: remembers the escape of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
- **Rosh Hashanah**: Jewish New Year.
- **Yom Kippur**: the Day of Atonement, a very solemn holy day.
- **Hanukkah**: the festival of lights, usually in winter.

Judaism includes weekly observance of **Shabbat** (from Friday evening to Saturday evening), which is important in many Jewish families.

#### Buddhist festivals

Buddhism includes different traditions, but a widely recognised festival is:

- **Vesak (Wesak)**: celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha in many Buddhist traditions.

Buddhist practice often includes meditation and ethical living, though practices vary between communities.

> **Test Tip:** Festival questions often work by association. Build quick pairs: Christmas/Easter—Christian; Eid—Muslim; Diwali—Hindu (and also Sikh); Vaisakhi—Sikh; Hanukkah/Passover—Jewish; Vesak—Buddhist.

### Secular traditions and “cultural religion”

A key idea for the test is that the UK is both religiously diverse and strongly shaped by secular public life. Many British customs have Christian origins but are followed today as cultural habits rather than religious practice.

Examples include:

- **Christmas and Easter** as national holidays where many people focus on family time rather than religious services
- **Weddings and funerals** that can be either religious (for example in a church) or non-religious (civil ceremonies)
- **Remembrance events**, which may include religious services in some places but are primarily civic and national acts of memory
- School traditions such as assemblies, which may be inclusive and non-denominational in many schools

Many people in the UK describe themselves as:

- non-religious (often ticked as “no religion”)
- atheist (does not believe in gods)
- agnostic (not sure whether gods exist)
- humanist (a non-religious life stance focused on human welfare and ethical living)

These identities fall under the general idea that belief is personal and should be respected.

> **Key Term: Secular**
> Not controlled by religion; in the UK context it often means public institutions aim to treat people equally regardless of religion or non-religious belief.

Being secular does not mean being anti-religion. In the UK context it usually means the state should not favour one religion over others when providing public services, making laws, or treating people fairly.

### Religion and the state: established and national churches

The UK does not have exactly the same church–state relationship in every nation. The test sometimes checks that you understand the differences between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

#### England: the Church of England is established

In **England**, the **Church of England (Anglican)** is the established church. This means it has a formal relationship with the state.

Key points linked to establishment include:

- The monarch has a formal role in the Church of England (the monarch is the **Supreme Governor** of the Church of England).
- Some Church of England bishops sit in the House of Lords.

> **Key Term: Established church**
> A church with a formal constitutional relationship with the state.

Those bishops in the House of Lords are called the **Lords Spiritual**. They are senior bishops of the Church of England and sit alongside other members of the House of Lords.

#### Scotland: the Church of Scotland is the national church (and independent in spiritual matters)

In **Scotland**, the **Church of Scotland** is the national church, but it is independent of the state in spiritual matters. It is Presbyterian in structure and does not have bishops in the same way as the Church of England.

This difference matters for the test because candidates sometimes wrongly assume the monarch is the head of the Church of Scotland in the same way as in England.

#### Wales: the Church in Wales is disestablished

In **Wales**, the **Church in Wales** was disestablished in 1920. This means it does not have the same constitutional role as the Church of England.

#### Northern Ireland: no established church

In **Northern Ireland**, there is no established church. Religious identity has been historically important in community life there, but the state does not have an established church.

> **Test Tip:** If asked “Where is there an established church in the UK?”, the safest answer is: in England, the Church of England. Do not say “the UK has an established church everywhere”.

### Rights, responsibilities, and respect: religion in everyday UK life

For the Life in the UK Test, religion is not just about facts and festivals. It is also linked to the UK’s values and the way people are expected to behave in a diverse society.

A fundamental principle of British life is tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. In practice, this usually means:

- You should not harass or threaten people because of religion or belief.
- You should not pressure someone to take part in religious activity.
- You should respect someone’s choice to be religious, or not religious.
- You should accept that people practise religion in different ways, even within the same faith.

Everyday examples of respectful behaviour include:

- asking about dietary needs for shared meals (rather than guessing)
- being understanding about requests for religious leave (where reasonable)
- not making negative assumptions about someone because of dress, name, or worship

### The legal position: protection from discrimination

UK law gives strong protection against discrimination based on religion or belief. For the test, the key law to remember is the **Equality Act 2010**.

It is unlawful (in many work and service settings) to treat someone unfairly because they:

- follow a particular religion (for example Christian, Muslim, Jewish)
- hold a philosophical belief
- have no religion or no belief

This protection applies to things such as:

- employment and recruitment
- education
- the provision of services (for example shops, banks, landlords, public services)

The law supports the idea that people should be able to live freely according to their religion or belief, while also respecting the law and the rights of others.

## Key Point Checklist

_This article has covered the following key knowledge points:_

- The UK is religiously diverse and includes many people with no religion
- The major faiths to recognise for the test include Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, and Buddhism
- Key Christian festivals include Christmas and Easter (including Good Friday)
- Key Muslim festivals include Eid al-Fitr and Eid ul Adha (Eid al-Adha), linked to Ramadan and Hajj
- Diwali is a major festival for Hindus (and also celebrated by Sikhs in different ways) and is well known in Leicester
- Vaisakhi is a major Sikh festival; gurdwaras are Sikh places of worship
- The UK is largely secular in public life, meaning public institutions should treat people equally regardless of religion or belief
- England has an established church: the Church of England; the position is different in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
- The Equality Act 2010 protects “religion or belief”, including having no religion or no belief
- Tolerance of people with different faiths and beliefs is a fundamental principle of British life

## Key Terms and Concepts

- Religion or belief (Equality Act 2010)
- Faith community
- Ramadan
- Gurdwara
- Secular
- Established church


Religion, communities, and diversity - Major faiths and secular traditions