The demography of religion in London since 1980 1

Demographic change is a crucial factor in the changes in London’s churches in recent decades. Increased migration from a wide range of nationalities coupled with the tendency of the existing population to move out have transformed London in the last 50 years. This chapter explores overall patterns alongside specific questions such as segregation, ‘white flight’ and the complex relationship between religious identity and practice. The overall result is that London is becoming more religiously observant, not less.