‘Faith & Happiness: How Religious Belief Shapes Britain’s Emotional Wellbeing‘ is IIFL’s latest report based on a national survey of over 2,000 adults (Christian, Muslim and those of no faith) and reveals that people of faith report consistently higher levels of wellbeing, emotional resilience and life satisfaction than those of no faith.
Most research in this area shows that religious people tend to report improved wellbeing – uniquely this report finds that simply having a faith identity, belief itself, has a stronger link to wellbeing than how often you attend communal worship, running counter to most global studies that focus on attendance.
Dr Amanda Murjan, IIFL research associate and report author said:
“Faith can significantly boost our emotional well-being. Our research shows that certain character strengths and skills tend to be more developed in people of faith compared to those without, which may help promote greater well-being. People of faith are more likely to actively seek a deeper sense of balance and harmony in their lives and accept life’s circumstances. They are more inclined to recognise positives in life, stay optimistic, and adapt to life’s unpredictability, trusting that all difficulties will eventually pass. Faith is linked to a strong sense of self-efficacy, self-reliance, and greater trust in personal resources to handle life. All these factors contribute to higher life satisfaction, less worry, and improvements in overall emotional health.”
Key statistical findings:
Anxiety and loneliness were highest in younger populations.
- Young people, especially those aged 18–24, showed the highest levels of anxiety and loneliness. 62% of 18–24s said they feel overwhelmed by worry (vs. just 22% of over-65s), and they reported the lowest confidence in solving problems. Along with 25-34 year olds, 18-24s were also most likely to worry about future tasks (59% of 25-34s and 58% of 18-24s compared to 26% of 65+), and to worry when feeling under pressure (71% of 25-34s and 70% of 18-24s compared to 50% of 65+).
Faith boosts life-satisfaction.
- People of faith reported higher life satisfaction than those without. Muslims emerged as the group most likely to feel a sense of harmony (77%) and acceptance (80%) in life. Both Muslims and Christians reported far fewer regrets (43% and 41%) than the non-religious (26%). Faith identity (believing and belonging) correlates more strongly with wellbeing than regular worship practice, which offers only marginal additional benefit.
Persons of faith reported less worry and more resilience.
- Muslims and Christians were markedly less anxious than non-religious participants and more confident in managing life’s challenges. They were less likely to feel overwhelmed by time pressures (43% of Muslims, 49% of Christians, vs. 37% of non-believers) and showed less generalised anxiety. Believers also felt more equipped to cope with life’s challenges; 66% of Muslims and 48% of Christians said they could handle whatever life throws at them, compared to just 36% of those with no faith.
Faith guards against depression and pessimism.
- Muslims and Christians were more positive in their outlooks on life (78% of Muslims and Christians compared to 69% without faith), more optimistic about the future (68% of Muslims and 58% of Christians compared to 47% without faith), and accepted that life’s hardships will always pass (84% of Christians and 79% of Muslims compared to 77% without faith). In contrast, those without faith reported more sadness (38% compared to 34% of Muslims and 30% of Christians), low energy and motivation (64% compared to 58% of Christians and 55% of Muslims), and despair (34% compared to 32% of Muslims and 27% of Christians).
Faith communities buffer against loneliness.
- People of faith experienced more togetherness (Muslims 38% and Christians 35%, compared to 23% without faith) and meaningful contact with others (Christians 43% and Muslims 38%, compared to 31% without faith), and they reported more contact with people who care about them (Christians 45% and Muslims 43%, compared to 38% without faith) than those without faith.
Faith creates a stronger sense of personal agency and control.
- 81% of Muslims and 78% of Christians said they felt in control of their mental health, compared to 68% of non-believers. They were also more likely to advocate the need for greater resilience to handle hardship in life compared to those without faith (85% of Muslims and 82% of Christians compared to 70% without faith), and had greater confidence in themselves to meet demands in life (66% of Muslims and 48% of Christians compared to 36% without faith).
Women experience more worry and frequent low moods than men.
- Women were consistently more likely to report worry, sadness, and emotional fatigue. More than half of women (54%) said they often feel overwhelmed, compared to just 36% of men. They also reported higher levels of sadness (36% vs. 33%), low energy (65% vs. 54%), and despair (33% vs. 29%). Men, by contrast, were more confident in their ability to handle problems and less prone to anxiety (37% of men agreed they do not tend to worry about things compared to 23% of women).
Wellbeing highest in Northern Ireland.
- Respondents from Northern Ireland reported the highest levels of harmony in life (70% compared to London at 61%) and acceptance of circumstances in life (75% compared to the East Midlands and Yorkshire Humberside at 63%), fewest regrets (40% compared to the East Midlands at 31%) and the strongest preference for their physical environment (90% compared to London at 74%). They showed more positivity in life (83% compared to Yorkshire/Humberside at 65%), optimism (62% compared to the East Midlands and the East at 48%) and acceptance that difficult times will always pass (86% compared to the East at 75%).
Methodology note: Whitestone Insight, a member of the British Polling Council, interviewed a nationally representative sample of 2,068 UK adults online between 2–3 April 2025, plus a booster sample of 451 Muslims and 291 Christians. Data were weighted to be representative of all adults. Additionally, Muslim and Christian respondents were included only if they reported attending their place of worship at least once a month, to ensure the data captured the views and experiences of practicing persons of faith. Including boosted sub-samples just over 500 Muslims and Christians who attend Mosque or Church respectively at least monthly were surveyed.