Buddhism in the United Kingdom

Buddhism in the United Kingdom

Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in Cumbria
Total population
United Kingdom: 289,551 – 0.4% (2021) England: 262,433 – 0.5% (2021)[1] Scotland: 15,501 – 0.3% (2022)[2] Wales: 10,075 – 0.3% (2021)[1]  Northern Ireland: 1,542 – 0.08% (2021)[3]
Regions with significant populations
Greater London	77,425 – 0.9%[4]
South East England	54,433 – 0.6%
East of England	26,814 – 0.4%
South West England	24,579 – 0.4%

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Buddhism in the United Kingdom is the fifth-largest religious group in the United Kingdom. The 2021 United Kingdom census recorded just under 290,000 Buddhists, or about 0.4% of the total population, with the largest number of Buddhists residing in Greater London and South East England.^[5] According to a Buddhist organisation, the growth of Buddhism in the United Kingdom is mainly a result of conversions.^[6][7]

In the UK census for 2011, there were about 247,743 people who registered their religion as Buddhism, and about 174,000 who cited religions other than the other five world religions and Jainism.^[8][9] This latter figure is likely to include some people who follow the traditional Chinese folk religion which also includes some elements of Buddhism.