LONDON (LifeSiteNews) — Increasing numbers of people in the United Kingdom are planning to attend church over the Christmas period, according to a poll released December 14. The Savanta research firm says half of U.K. adults plan to celebrate the holiday religiously, a sentiment most strongly identified among Generation Z.

The survey’s findings come after reports in April found significant upticks in adult baptism and church attendance, particularly within the Catholic Church.

The research surveyed just over 2,000 U.K. adults in late November for the Christian humanitarian charity Tearfund, which found that 45 percent of respondents intended to attend church over the Christmas period, up from 40 percent who reported attending the previous year. The poll was weighted to be nationally representative by age, gender, region, and social grade.

Around 60 percent of respondents from Gen Z, defined in the survey as those aged 18 to 28, said they planned to attend a church service or event over Christmas, the highest proportion of any age group.

Attendance intentions were similarly high among millennials aged 29 to 44, at 59 percent, before dropping to 36 percent among Generation X, 30 percent among baby boomers, and 24 percent among those aged 80 and over.

The poll did not track attendance year-on-year using the same respondents, but instead asked participants whether they attended church last Christmas and whether they planned to do so this year, a distinction noted by Tearfund in its methodological explanation.

Even so, the results point to a broad-based increase in stated intentions to attend church during the Christmas season.

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The survey also found rising interest among those who do not identify as Christians. Thirty-four percent of non-Christian respondents said they planned to attend a church service or event this Christmas, up from 30 percent the previous year.

A similar increase was recorded among non-practicing Christians, with 35 percent saying they intended to attend, compared with 31 percent last year.

When asked about their reasons for attending, respondents cited a mixture of tradition, atmosphere, and spiritual reflection. Thirty-nine percent of those planning to attend said churchgoing was part of their Christmas tradition, while 34 percent pointed to the atmosphere of church services at Christmas. More than a quarter, 28 percent, said they viewed the season as a meaningful time for spiritual reflection.

Among non-Christians who attended church at Christmas, many reported positive emotional experiences. Thirty-eight percent said they left feeling joyful, while 34 percent reported feeling peaceful and 25 percent hopeful, according to the survey results.

Beyond worship, the poll also highlighted the role churches play in providing practical support during the Christmas period. Forty-two percent of U.K. adults said they, or someone they knew, had received some form of support from a church at Christmas.

Tearfund said the figures underscored the continuing social role of churches during the holiday season. In a statement accompanying the poll’s release, Stuart Lee, the charity’s director of global fundraising and communications, said the results demonstrated that churches “remain at the heart of community life at Christmas,” particularly in providing support for those in need.

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The survey’s findings come amid wider debate over religious practice in the U.K., where long-term trends have shown declining affiliation and regular church attendance. However, recent studies have suggested a more complex picture, particularly among younger adults.

Earlier this year, a widely cited report by the Bible Society and YouGov found an increase in monthly church attendance in England and Wales since 2018, with notable growth among those aged 18 to 24, especially young men.

That report, based on a larger sample of more than 13,000 adults, has been contested by some secular organizations, which argue that other datasets continue to show overall decline. Nevertheless, the Tearfund poll adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that, at least during Christmas, churches continue to attract large numbers of people, including many who do not attend regularly at other times of the year.

The Savanta survey was conducted between November 28 and 30 and included 2,017 U.K. adults aged 18 and over. Tearfund emphasized that while Christmas attendance does not necessarily translate into sustained religious practice, the findings indicate that churches continue to serve as focal points for worship, reflection, and community support during the holiday season.