View source for Hinduism in the United Kingdom

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{About|Hinduism in the [[United Kingdom]] as a whole|Hinduism in each of its constituent countries|Hinduism in England|and|Hinduism in Scotland|and|Hinduism in Wales|and|Hinduism in Northern Ireland}}
{{Infobox religious group
| group = Hindus in the United Kingdom 
| flag = File:Aum_Om_red.svg
| flag_size = 50px
| image = File:London_Temple.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| image_caption = [[BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London|Neasden Temple]] in [[London]].
| population = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} '''United Kingdom: 1,066,894 – 1.6% ([[2021 United Kingdom census|2021]])'''<br />{{Flagicon|ENG}} [[Hinduism in England|England]]: 1,020,533 – 1.8% (2021)<ref name=2021census>{{cite web|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021|title=Religion, England and Wales: Census 2021
|publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]]|access-date=29 November 2022}}</ref><br />{{Flagicon|SCO}} [[Hinduism in Scotland|Scotland]]: 29,929 – 0.6% (2022)<ref name="2022census_Scot">{{cite web |url=https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/media/trbdxzme/scotland-s-census-2022-ethnic-group-national-identity-language-and-religion-chart-data.xlsx |title=Scotland's Census 2022 - Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion - Chart data |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=21 May 2024 |website=Scotland's Census |publisher=[[National Records of Scotland]] |access-date=21 May 2024 }} [https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/search-the-census#/search-by Alternative URL] 'Search data by location' > 'All of Scotland' > 'Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion' > 'Religion'</ref><br />{{Flagicon|WAL}} [[Hinduism in Wales|Wales]]: 12,242 – 0.4% (2021)<ref name=2021census/><br />{{Flagicon|Northern Ireland}} [[Hinduism in Northern Ireland|Northern Ireland]]: 4,190 – 0.2% (2021)<ref name=NICensus2021>{{cite web|url=https://www.nisra.gov.uk/system/files/statistics/census-2021-ms-b21.xlsx|title=MS-B21: Religion|publisher=[[Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency]]|date= 22 September 2022|accessdate=7 January 2023}}</ref>
| region1       = [[Greater London]]
| pop1          = 453,034 – 5.1%<ref>{{Cite web |title=TS030 - Religion Edit query|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/c2021ts030|access-date=29 November 2022|publisher=Nomis: Official Census and Labour Market Statistics|website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref>
| ref1          = 
| region2       = [[South East England]]
| pop2          = 154,748 – 1.7%
| ref2          =
| region3       = [[East Midlands]]
| pop3          = 120,345 – 2.5%
| ref3          =
| region4       = [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]]
| pop4          = 88,116 – 1.5%
| ref4          =
| languages = {{Plain list|
* '''Sacred''': [[Sanskrit]] and [[Old Tamil]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://media.johnwiley.com.au/product_data/excerpt/47/04706745/0470674547-196.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=media.johnwiley.com.au |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020100448/http://media.johnwiley.com.au/product_data/excerpt/47/04706745/0470674547-196.pdf |archive-date=20 October 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* '''Majority''': [[Languages of Asia|Asian languages]] and [[English language|English]]
* '''Minority''': Other languages spoken by the [[Hinduism by country|Hindu diaspora]]
}}
| religions = '''Majority''': [[Vaishnavism]]<br />'''Minority''': [[Shaivism]]
| related-c = [[Sikhism in the United Kingdom|British Sikhs]] and [[Buddhism in the United Kingdom|British Buddhists]]
}}
{{Hinduism by country}}

'''[[Hinduism]]''' is the [[Religion in the United Kingdom|third-largest religious group]] in the United Kingdom, after [[Christianity in the United Kingdom|Christianity]] and [[Islam in the United Kingdom|Islam]]; the religion is followed by over one million people representing around 1.6% of the total population.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CT0341 2018 Census - Religion by ethnic group by main language - England and Wales|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/business-transparency/freedom-of-information/what-can-i-request/published-ad-hoc-data/census/ethnicity/ct0341-2011-census.xls|url-status=live|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/business-transparency/freedom-of-information/what-can-i-request/published-ad-hoc-data/census/ethnicity/ct0341-2011-census.xls|archive-date=5 January 2016|access-date=10 June 2021|website=ONS|publisher=National Archives, [[Government of the United Kingdom]]}}</ref> According to the [[2021 United Kingdom census]] Hindus are primarily concentrated in England, particularly in [[Greater London]] and the [[South East England|South East]], with just under 50,000 Hindus residing in the three other nations of the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Religion, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021 |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref><ref name="2022census_Scot"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-07 |title=Census 2021 main statistics religion tables |url=https://www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/census-2021-main-statistics-religion-tables |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=MS-B21: Religion - full detail |url=https://www.nisra.gov.uk/system/files/statistics/census-2021-ms-b21.xlsx |website=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.}}</ref> Hindus have had a presence in the United Kingdom since the early 19th century, as at the time India was part of the [[British Empire]]. Many [[Indian people|Indians]] in the [[British Indian Army]] settled in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tong|first=Junie T.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_UQGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA151|title=Finance and Society in 21st Century China: Chinese Culture versus Western Markets|date=2016-04-15|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-317-13522-7|pages=151–152|language=en}}</ref>

Most British Hindus are immigrants, mainly from [[Indians in the United Kingdom|India]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=13 January 2021|title=UK-based Hindu groups call upon Prime Minister Boris Johnson to act against persecution of Hindus in Pakistan|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/uk-based-hindu-groups-call-upon-prime-minister-boris-johnson-to-act-against-persecution-of-hindus-in-pakistan/articleshow/80245660.cms|access-date=2021-06-10|website=[[The Times of India]]|language=en}}</ref> and there are also significant number of Hindu immigrants from [[Sri Lankans in the United Kingdom|Sri Lanka]]<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Aspinall|first=Peter J.|date=2019-01-02|title=The Sri Lankan community of descent in the UK: a neglected population in demographic and health research|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/19438192.2018.1505065|journal=South Asian Diaspora|volume=11|issue=1|pages=51–65|doi=10.1080/19438192.2018.1505065|s2cid=149483258|issn=1943-8192}}</ref> and [[Nepalese in the United Kingdom|Nepal]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-12-26|title=From Kathmandu to Kent: Nepalis in the UK|url=https://www.himalmag.com/from-kathmandu-to-kent-nepalis-in-the-uk/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=Himal Southasian|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pariyar|first=Mitra|date=2020-06-01|title=Caste, military, migration: Nepali Gurkha communities in Britain|journal=Ethnicities|language=en|volume=20|issue=3|pages=608–627|doi=10.1177/1468796819890138|s2cid=214103367|issn=1468-7968|doi-access=free}}</ref> with even smaller numbers from [[Afghans in the United Kingdom|Afghanistan]],<ref>{{Cite web|author=Yudhvir Rana|date=Jan 13, 2019|title=UK government to obtain inputs from Afghan Sikh and Hindu's for processing their asylum applications|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/uk-government-to-obtain-inputs-from-afghan-sikh-and-hindus-for-processing-their-asylum-applications/articleshow/67511277.cms|access-date=2021-06-10|website=[[The Times of India]]|language=en}}</ref> [[Bangladeshis in the UK|Bangladesh]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bangla Stories - Bengali Hindu Migrant: Ashim Sen - Bradford|url=http://www.banglastories.org/about-the-project/the-interviews/bengali-hindu-migrant-ashim-sen---bradford.html|access-date=2021-06-10|website=www.banglastories.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=London Kalibari – London Kalibari|url=http://www.londonkalibari.org/|access-date=2021-06-10|language=en-US}}</ref> and [[Bhutanese refugees|Bhutan]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-07-01|title=The ethnic cleansing hidden behind Bhutan's happy face|url=https://www.firstpost.com/world/the-ethnic-cleansing-hidden-behind-bhutans-happy-face-918473.html|access-date=2021-06-10|website=Firstpost}}</ref> In the recent times, due to the efforts of [[ISKCON]], [[BAPS]] and other Hindu organisations and mass following of [[Yoga]], [[Meditation]] and other Hindu practises, many [[British citizens]] have embraced [[Hinduism]], including many celebrities.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Berg|first1=Travis Vande|last2=Kniss|first2=Fred|date=2008|title=ISKCON and Immigrants: The Rise, Decline, and Rise Again of a New Religious Movement|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40220058|journal=The Sociological Quarterly|volume=49|issue=1|pages=79–104|doi=10.1111/j.1533-8525.2007.00107.x|jstor=40220058|s2cid=146169730|issn=0038-0253}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=At 47%, Hinduism biggest gainer in religious conversion in Kerala|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2021/apr/02/at-47-hinduism-biggest-gainer-in-religious-conversion-in-kerala-2284660.html|access-date=2021-06-10|website=The New Indian Express|date=2 April 2021 }}</ref>

== History ==
The British Hindu population includes those who came directly from the [[Indian subcontinent]], descendants of those Hindus who had originally migrated to other countries but later resettled in the United Kingdom, and those born and raised in the UK. It is not unusual to find third or fourth generation Hindus.

There have been three main waves of migration of Hindus in the UK, and most of the Hindu migration has occurred after World War II.<ref name=sfhindu>{{cite book | last=Fredman | first=Sandra | title=Discrimination law | publisher=Oxford University Press | location=Oxford England New York | year=2011 | isbn=978-0-19-958442-0 | page=81}}</ref> The first wave was at the time of British India's independence and partition in 1947. Also, in the early 1960s the Conservative health minister [[Enoch Powell]] recruited a large number of doctors from the Indian sub-continent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/8128957/Enoch-Powell-was-not-an-out-and-out-racist.html|title='Enoch Powell was not an out-and-out racist'|website=www.telegraph.co.uk|date=12 November 2010 }}</ref> The second wave occurred in the 1970s mainly from East Africa especially due to the [[expulsion of Asians from Uganda]].<ref name=sfhindu/><ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-03-13|title=Uganda: The Legacy of Idi Amin's Expulsion of Asians in 1972|url=https://www.ibtimes.com/uganda-legacy-idi-amins-expulsion-asians-1972-214289|access-date=2021-06-10|website=International Business Times}}</ref> Later, communities included those from [[Guyana]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]], [[Mauritius]] and [[Fiji]]. The last wave of migration began in the 1990s and is a result of the United Kingdom's immigration policy, which made studying and immigration to the UK easier. This wave also included Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka and professionals including doctors and software engineers from India.<ref name=sfhindu/>

== Life and culture ==
[[File:Simon_King_Rathayatra_Chariot_Festival_Swami_Ayyappan_High_Street_North_Manor_Park_East_Ham_Chariot_Construction.jpg|thumb|Construction of a golden Chariot in Manor Park, London, as part of a celebration at the Swami Ayyappan Temple.]]

===Community and social life===
[[File:Simon_King_Hindu_Tamil_Walthamstow_Rathayatra_Bus.jpg|thumb|A classic red London bus passes by a Hindu Rathayatra Procession in London, UK]]
According to United Kingdom's Office of National Statistics, of all ethnic minorities in Britain, the British Hindus had the highest rate of economic activity in 2011 and 2018,<ref>[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_310454.pdf Full story: What does the Census tell us about religion in 2011?] Office of National Statistics, UK Government (May 2013)</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Religion, education and work in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/articles/religioneducationandworkinenglandandwales/february2020#economic-activity |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref> and a median net wealth of {{GBP|206,000}} in 2006 (compared to median net wealth of {{GBP|223,000}} for British Christians).<ref>Karen Rowlingson, [http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/Documents/research/SocialSciences/Key-Facts-Background-Paper-BPCIV.pdf Policy Commission on the Distribution of Wealth]  University of Birmingham (2012)</ref> In addition to this, according to survey conducted by [[Trust for London]] in 2012, Hindus living in London have the second highest median net wealth of £277,400 following [[British Jews]]' with the highest median wealth of £312,500.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inequalities and disadvantage in London: Focus on Religion and Belief |url=https://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/news/inequalities-and-disadvantage-london-focus-religion-and-belief/ |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=Trust for London}}</ref> Hindu men are more likely than the general population to be entrepreneurs, and both Hindu men and women are more likely than the general population to have higher education.<ref name="rb6" /> 
Over a 20-year period, British Hindus also had the third-lowest poverty level (after British Christian and British Jews),<ref>Anthony Heath and Yaojun Li (2015), [http://csi.nuff.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/religion-and-poverty-working-paper.pdf Review of the relationship between religion and poverty], Nuffield College, Oxford and University of Manchester</ref> and the second-lowest rates of arrest, trial or imprisonment at 0.5% (after [[British Jews]]' 0.3%) among all ethnic groups tracked by UK's Ministry of Justice.<ref>Gavin Berman & Aliyah Dar (July 2013), [http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/sn04334.pdf Prison Population Statistics] 1991-2012, Social and General Statistics, Ministry of Justice, ONS, UK Government</ref> Hindus constitute less than 0.5% of the total Prison population in Britain (compared to 48% for Christians and 15% for Muslims).<ref>https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN04334/SN04334.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref> According to [[Office for National Statistics]], British Hindus also have the second highest employment rate of 76% amongst all religious groups in UK followed by people with no religious affiliation at 77%.<ref name=":0" />  Employees who identified as Hindu have consistently had the second-highest median hourly earnings; in 2018, this was £13.80.<ref name=":0" /> 4 in 10 of those who identified as Hindu were occupied in high-skill occupations<ref name=":0" /> which was second in the country following [[British Jews]]. British who identified as Hindus have the highest percentage with a degree or equivalent qualification.<ref name=":0" />

===Temples and organisations===
{{See also|List of Hindu temples in the United Kingdom}}
{{multiple image
 | direction = vertical
 | align = right
 | width = 220
 | footer = [[BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London]] is the largest [[Hindu temple]] of England, in northwest London.
 | image1 = Neasden Temple, London.jpg
 | image2 = Neasden Hindu Temple - geograph.org.uk - 16040.jpg
}}

A University of Derby report states that there are considerable linguistic and [[Theosophy (Blavatskian)|theosophical]] diversities among Hindus in the United Kingdom, yet they also share certain core beliefs, rites and festivals of Hinduism.<ref>{{cite book | last=Weller | first=Paul | title=Religious diversity in the UK : contours and issues | publisher=Continuum | location=London u.a | year=2008 | isbn=978-0-8264-9898-4}}</ref>

UK-wide Hindu organisations include the [[National Council of Hindu Temples]], the [[Hindu Council UK]] and the [[Hindu Forum of Britain]]—national umbrella organisations for Hindus in the UK.<ref name="Zavos2012">{{cite book |surname=Zavos |given=John |chapter=Chapter 6. Hindu Organisation and the Negotiation of Public Space in Contemporary Britain |editor=John Zavos |display-editors=etal |title=Public Hinduisms |url={{Google books|uuuICwAAQBAJ|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}} |year=2012 |place=New Delhi |publisher=SAGE Publ. India |isbn=978-81-321-1696-7}}</ref> The National Council of Hindu Temples UK which is the oldest UK-wide Hindu organisation. It comprises over 300 [[Hindu temple]]s ([[mandir]]s) and Hindu faith organisations.<ref name="Zavos2012" /><ref>http://www.nchtuk.org National Council of Hindu Temples UK, accessed 3 August 2009</ref> The Hindu Council UK representing almost 400 affiliated cultural and religious organisations of various [[Hindu denominations]] including temples,<ref name="Zavos2012" /><ref>[http://hinducouncil.net/index.php/about-us/affiliate-members Affiliates] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212070705/http://www.hinducouncil.net/index.php/about-us/affiliate-members |date=2013-02-12 }} Hindu Council UK, accessed 4 August 2009</ref> and the [[Hindu Forum of Britain]], with nearly 300 member organisations.<ref name="Zavos2012" /><ref>[http://www.hfb.org.uk/Default.aspx?sID=18&lID=0 About us] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520054616/http://www.hfb.org.uk/Default.aspx?sID=18&lID=0 |date=2018-05-20 }} About us, accessed 12 December 2008</ref>

There are regional organizations that organise community events and social affairs in the UK, such as The Hindu Council of Birmingham.<ref>{{cite book | last=Weller | first=Paul | title=Religions in the UK 2007-2010 | publisher=Multi-Faith Centre at the University of Derby | location=Derby | year=2011 | isbn=978-0-901437-30-3}}</ref>

There were over 150 Hindu temples in the UK in 2012<ref>[http://www.nchtuk.org/index.php/extensions/hindu-temples-in-the-uk LIST OF HINDU TEMPLES IN THE UK] National Council of Hindu Temples (UK), accessed 3 May 2015</ref> with 30 Temples in the London area alone.<ref>http://allhindutemples.com/?multi_city=London 30 Temples in the London area</ref> Slough Hindu Temple was built by the Slough Hindu Cultural Society - formally opened in 1981 - it was the first purpose-built Hindu Temple in the British Isles. However, the first Hindu Temple in the UK was opened in the late-1920s near Earls Court in London and it was functional for about four years.<ref>Bimal Krishnadas (edited by), Directory of Hindu Temples in the UK, 2004-2006, page 7, published by the National Council of Hindu Trmples (UK), Leicester.</ref> In 2020, [[Historic England]] (HE) published ''A Survey of Hindu Buildings in England'' with the aim of providing information about buildings that Hindus use in England so that HE can work with communities to enhance and protect those buildings now and in the future. The scoping survey identified 187 Hindu temples in England.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Singh, Jasjit; Tomalin, Emma|date=2020|title=A Survey of Hindu Buildings in England. historic England Research Report 203/2020|url=https://research.historicengland.org.uk/Report.aspx?i=16739&ru=/Results.aspx?n=10&ry=2020&p=2|access-date=2020-06-16|website=research.historicengland.org.uk}}</ref>

There is a diversity of Hindu-based organisations in the UK including the [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness]] (ISKCON), [[Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha]] (BAPS) in [[Neasden]] (Greater London), the [[Chinmaya Mission]], [[Ramakrishna Mission]] and [[Sathya Sai Baba|Sai Organisation]], each having large followings. SHYAM, an educational Hindu organisation teaches the [[Bhagavad Gita]], [[Ramayana]], [[Bhagvat purana|Shrimad Bhagavad]], [[Vedas]] and [[Upanishads]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gitaclass.org/ |title=Home |website=gitaclass.org}}</ref>  The predominant Hindu beliefs found in the UK include its Vedanta monist, Vedanta monotheistic and various sampradayas.<ref>Paul Weller, [http://www2.derby.ac.uk/multifaith-new/hinduism/51-a-short-introduction-to-hinduism Hindu Origins and Key Organisations in the UK] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716055719/http://www2.derby.ac.uk/multifaith-new/hinduism/51-a-short-introduction-to-hinduism |date=2015-07-16 }} University of Derby, United Kingdom</ref> Less of 1% of the Hindus in the UK identify themselves to be belonging to Divine Life Society, Hare Krishna and other organizations.<ref>Paul Weller, [http://www2.derby.ac.uk/multifaith-new/other-faiths/77-some-other-religious-groups-in-the-uk-key-information- Some ‘Other’ Religious Groups in the UK: Key Information]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} University of Derby, United Kingdom</ref>

===Festivals and community events===
[[File:United Kingdom Leicester Belgrave Rd Diwali Lights 2006.jpg|thumb|left|Diwali decorations in [[Leicester]], United Kingdom.<ref name=bbcd>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-24796541 Leicester Diwali celebrations draw large crowds] BBC News (3 November 2013)</ref>]]

Hindus in the United Kingdom celebrate major festivals such as [[Diwali]].<ref name=bbcd/> Homes and businesses are decorated with festive lights and Hindus gift sweets such as [[laddoo]] and [[barfi]]. Community events such as dances and parties bring Hindus and non-Hindus together. [[Leicester]] annually plays hosts to one of the biggest Diwali celebrations outside of India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leicester.gov.uk/diwali/|title=Diwali – The Festival of Light|work=Leicester City Council|access-date=2015-05-03|archive-date=2018-12-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225122636/https://www.leicester.gov.uk/diwali/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Hindu festival of Diwali has begun to find acceptance into the larger British community.<ref name="auto">{{cite news|last=Roy|first=Amit|title=Dazzle at downing, colour at commons|url=http://www.mid-day.com/news/2011/oct/251011-Dazzle-at-downing-colour-at-commons.htm|access-date=3 November 2013|newspaper=Mumbai Miday|date=25 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Transcript of the Prime Minister's Diwali reception speech|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/transcript-of-the-prime-ministers-diwali-reception-speech|work=Gov.UK|date=20 November 2012 |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|access-date=3 November 2013}}</ref> [[Charles III|King Charles]] has attended Diwali celebrations at some of UK’s prominent Hindu temples, such as the [[Neasden Temple|Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden]].<ref>{{cite news|last=PTI|title=Prince Charles, Camilla celebrate Diwali in UK|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Prince-Charles-Camilla-celebrate-Diwali-in-UK/articleshow/2532035.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104183044/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-11-10/uk/27962079_1_royal-couple-diwali-celebrations-temple|url-status=live|archive-date=4 November 2013|access-date=3 November 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=10 November 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall Celebrate Diwali at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London|url=http://www.mandir.org/news&events/2007/11/trhvisit/index.htm|work=www.mandir.org|publisher=BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha|access-date=3 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114112622/http://www.mandir.org/news%26events/2007/11/trhvisit/index.htm|archive-date=14 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Thompson|first=Jessica Cargill|title=Seven wonders of London: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir|url=http://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/seven-wonders-of-london-baps-shri-swaminarayan-hindu-mandir|work=Time Out London|publisher=Time Out Group|access-date=3 November 2013|archive-date=14 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314003716/http://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/seven-wonders-of-london-baps-shri-swaminarayan-hindu-mandir|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since 2009, Diwali has been celebrated every year at [[10 Downing Street]], the residence of the UK Prime Minister.<ref>{{cite news|last=PTI|title=Brown celebrates Diwali at 10, Downing Street, in a 'historic' first|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Brown-celebrates-Diwali-at-10-Downing-Street-in-a-historic-first/articleshow/5134278.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104183112/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-10-17/uk/28096259_1_diwali-downing-street-joginder-sangar|url-status=live|archive-date=4 November 2013|access-date=3 November 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=17 October 2009}}</ref><ref name="auto"/>

===Hindu Council UK===
The Hindu Council UK is an umbrella organisation for Hindus living in the United Kingdom, and is one of several groups representing Hindus that are influential at the national level.<ref name="Zavos2010">{{cite journal |last1=Zavos |first1=John|title=Situating Hindu nationalism in the UK: Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the development of British Hindu identity|journal=Commonwealth & Comparative Politics |volume=48 |issue=1|year=2010|pages=2–22 |issn=1466-2043 |doi=10.1080/14662040903444475|s2cid=153791094}}</ref><ref name="Zavos2012" /> It was set up in 1994. According to the Council's then-General Secretary, it faced opposition from the [[Sangh Parivar]] when it was founded.<ref name="Zavos2010"/> It collaborated with the [[Department for Communities and Local Government]] to explore how [[caste]] influenced public life in the UK.<ref name="Zavos2010"/> A debate on religious conversion hosted on its website reflected a [[Hindutva|Hindu nationalist]] perspective, and included contributors from the [[Vishva Hindu Parishad]].<ref name="Zavos2010"/>

==Demographics==
[[File:Hindus in the United Kingdom, 2021 UK census.png|thumb|Distribution of British Hindus by local authority, 2021 census]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;"
|+ Hindus in the United Kingdom by region and country
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Regions of England|Region]] / [[Countries of the United Kingdom|Country]] 
! colspan="2" |[[2021 United Kingdom census|2021]]{{refn|2021/22: England and Wales,<ref>{{Cite web |title=TS030 - Religion Edit query|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/c2021ts030|access-date=2022-11-29|website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref> Northern Ireland,<ref name="MS-B21">{{Cite web |date= |title=MS-B21: Religion - full detail |url=https://www.nisra.gov.uk/system/files/statistics/census-2021-ms-b21.xlsx |website=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.}}</ref> and Scotland<ref name="Scot_22">[https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/2022-results/scotland-s-census-2022-ethnic-group-national-identity-language-and-religion/#contents "Scotland's Census 2022 - Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion"]. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.</ref>}}
! colspan="2" |[[2011 United Kingdom census|2011]]{{refn|2011: England and Wales,<ref>{{Cite web |title=KS209EW (Religion) - Nomis - 2011 |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks209ew |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref> Northern Ireland,<ref>{{cite web |title=Census 2011: Religion: KS211NI (administrative geographies) |url=http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/public/Theme.aspx?themeNumber=136&themeName=Census%202011 |publisher=nisra.gov.uk |access-date=18 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225122750/http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/public/Theme.aspx?themeNumber=136&themeName=Census%202011 |archive-date=25 February 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ni2011">{{cite web|title=Census 2011: Religion - Full Detail: QS218NI - Northern Ireland|url=http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/Download/Census%202011_Excel/2011/QS218NI.xls|publisher=nisra.gov.uk|access-date=1 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110173315/http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/Download/Census%202011_Excel/2011/QS218NI.xls|archive-date=10 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> and Scotland<ref>{{cite web |title=Scotland's Census 2011: Table KS209SCa |url=http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/censusresults/release2a/scotland/KS209SCa.pdf |publisher=scotlandcensus.gov.uk |access-date=26 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110172330/http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/censusresults/release2a/scotland/KS209SCa.pdf |archive-date=10 November 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
! colspan="2" |[[2001 United Kingdom census|2001]]{{refn|2001: England and Wales,<ref>{{Cite web |title=KS007 - Religion - Nomis - 2001 |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/ks007 |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref> Northern Ireland<ref>{{cite web |title=Census 2001: Religion (administrative geographies) |url=http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/public/Theme.aspx?themeNumber=135&themeName=Census%202001 |publisher=nisra.gov.uk |access-date=18 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225121003/http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/public/Theme.aspx?themeNumber=135&themeName=Census%202001 |archive-date=25 February 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nisra.gov.uk/Census/2001%20Census%20Results/Key%20Statistics/KeyStatisticstoOutputAreaLevel.html |title=Table KS07c: Religion (full list with 10 or more persons) |publisher=nisra.gov.uk |access-date=18 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225191541/http://www.nisra.gov.uk/Census/2001%20Census%20Results/Key%20Statistics/KeyStatisticstoOutputAreaLevel.html |archive-date=25 February 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Scotland<ref>{{cite web|title=Summary: Religious Group Demographics|url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/Equalities/DataGrid/Religion/RelPopMig|publisher=scotland.gov.uk|access-date=18 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122071712/http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/Equalities/DataGrid/Religion/RelPopMig|archive-date=22 January 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
|-
!Number
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!Number
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!Number
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
|'''{{flagicon|England}} [[Religion in England|England]]'''
| '''1,020,533'''
| '''1.8%'''
| '''806,199'''
| '''1.5%'''
| '''546,982'''
| '''1.1%'''
|-
| —[[Greater London]]
| 453,034
| 5.1%
| 411,291
| 5.0%
| 291,977
| 4.1%
|-
| —[[South East England|South East]]
| 154,748
| 1.7%
| 92,499
| 1.1%
| 44,575
| 0.6%
|-
| —[[East Midlands]]
| 120,345
| 2.5%
| 89,723
| 2.0%
| 66,710
| 1.6%
|-
| —[[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]]
| 88,116
| 1.5%
| 72,247
| 1.3%
| 56,668
| 1.1%
|-
| —[[East of England|East]]
| 86,631
| 1.4%
| 54,010
| 0.9%
| 31,386
| 0.6%
|-
| —[[North West England|North West]]
| 49,749
| 0.7%
| 38,259
| 0.5%
| 27,211
| 0.4%
|-
| —[[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
| 29,243
| 0.5%
| 24,074
| 0.5%
| 15,797
| 0.3%
|-
| —[[South West England|South West]]
| 27,746
| 0.5%
| 16,324
| 0.3%
| 8,288
| 0.2%
|-
| —[[North East England|North East]]
| 10,924
| 0.4%
| 7,772
| 0.3%
| 4,370
| 0.2%
|-
|'''{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Religion in Scotland|Scotland]]'''{{Efn|name=Census2021/22|Scotland held its census a year later after the rest of the United Kingdom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, data shown is for 2022 as opposed to 2021.}}
| '''29,929'''
| '''0.6%'''
| '''16,379'''
| '''0.3%'''
| '''5,564'''
| '''0.1%'''
|-
|'''{{flagicon|Wales}} [[Religion in Wales|Wales]]'''
| '''12,242'''
| '''0.4%'''
| '''10,434'''
| '''0.3%'''
| '''5,439'''
| '''0.2%'''
|-
| '''[[Religion in Northern Ireland|Northern Ireland]]'''
| '''4,190'''
| '''0.2%'''
| '''2,382'''
| '''0.1%'''
| '''825'''
| '''0.05%'''
|-
!'''{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Religion in the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]'''
! '''1,066,894'''
! '''1.6%'''
! '''835,394'''
! '''1.3%'''
! '''558,810'''
! '''1.0%'''
|}
===Population===
{{Historical populations
|title       = Historical Population
|type        = 
|footnote    = Religious Affiliation was not recorded in the census prior to 2001.
|align       = right
|width       = 
|state       = 
|shading     = 
|pop_name    =
|percentages = 
|source      =
|1961|30,000
|1971|138,000
|1981|278,000
|1991|397,000
|[[2001 United Kingdom census|2001]]|558,810
|[[2011 United Kingdom census|2011]]|835,394
|[[2021 United Kingdom census|2021]]|1,066,894}}
According to the 2021 Census, Hindus in England and Wales enumerated 1,032,775, or 1.7% of the population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Religion, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021 |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref> Northern Ireland recorded a population of 4,190, or 0.2% of the population.<ref name="MS-B21"/> The equivalent census was recorded a year later in Scotland with a population of 29,929, making up 0.6% of the population.<ref name="Scot_22"/> The local authorities with the highest number of Hindus were: [[London Borough of Harrow|Harrow]] (67,392: 25.8% of the population), [[Leicester]] (65,821: 17.9%), [[London Borough of Brent|Brent]] (52,876: 15.6%), [[London Borough of Redbridge|Redbridge]] (34,372: 11.1%) and [[London Borough of Hillingdon|Hillingdon]] (33,020: 10.8%).<ref>{{cite web |title=Religion, 2021, local authorities in England and Wales |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/dvc2206/fig2/datadownload.xlsx |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=29 November 2022}}</ref>

In the 2011 census, Hinduism was followed by 1.5% of the population of England, 0.34% in Wales and 0.31% in Scotland.<ref>{{Cite web|last=ONS|date=2010-07-02|title=Release Edition Reference Tables|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160107070948/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-01-07|access-date=2021-04-24|website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=2011 Census: Key Results from Releases 2A to 2D|url=https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/2011-census-key-results-from-releases-2a-to-2d/|access-date=2021-06-11|website=Scotland's Census|language=en}}</ref>
Nearly half of the 817,000 Hindus living in England and Wales were residents of the [[London]] metropolitan area.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home - Office for National Statistics|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/|access-date=2021-04-24|website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref> About 300,000 British Hindus of all ages were born in the UK.<ref name="sfhindu"/>

The Hindu population in the UK is predominantly urban, and has relatively higher representation in the professional and managerial positions.<ref name=rb6>Robert Berkeley, [http://www.runnymedetrust.org/uploads/publications/pdfs/ConnectingBritishHindus-2006.pdf Connecting British Hindus - An enquiry into the identity and public policy engagement of British Hindus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414230058/http://www.runnymedetrust.org/uploads/publications/pdfs/ConnectingBritishHindus-2006.pdf |date=2016-04-14 }} Runnymede Trust, Hindu Forum of Britain (2006)</ref>

===Ethnicity===
[[File:Hindus in England and Wales.png|thumb|Ethnic composition of British Hindus, 2021 census<ref name="RM031_21">{{cite web |title=RM031: Ethnic group by religion |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/RM031/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/24813f2b-1853-4d45-a2cf-ec5124ffc082#get-data |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=28 March 2023}}</ref>]]

In the 2021 census for England and Wales, 77.2% of Hindus identified as [[British Indian|Indian]], 0.7% as either [[British Pakistani|Pakistani]] or [[British Bangladeshi|Bangladeshi]], 15.6% were of [[British Asians|other Asian heritage]], 1.1% were of [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed heritage]], 0.7% as [[White people in the United Kingdom|White]], 0.2% identified as [[Black British people|Black]] and the remaining 4.5% identified with other ethnic groups.<ref name="RM031_21"/> The main places of birth were in [[South Asians in the United Kingdom|South Asia]] at 528,096 (51.1% of the total Hindu population), the United Kingdom at 360,772 people (34.9%), South and Eastern Africa at 106,361 (10.3%), other parts of Europe at 14,300 (1.4%) and [[British East and Southeast Asian|East and Southeast Asia]] at 9,767 (0.9%). Among individual countries outside of the UK, the countries of: India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Nepal, Uganda, Mauritius and Tanzania made up the most common countries of birth for Hindus residing in England and Wales.<ref>{{cite web |title=Country of birth (extended) and religion |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/RM031/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/2667ef12-ec2e-44e7-a356-aeca1205bf53#get-data |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=28 March 2023}}</ref>

According to census records from 2011, 95.6% of the Hindus in England and Wales are ethnically Asian, with the 4.4% of the remainder being as follows: White 1.47%, Mixed 1.19%, Black 0.67% and other ethnicities 1% (including 0.13% Arab).<ref name="ons.gov.uk">{{Cite web|url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/business-transparency/freedom-of-information/what-can-i-request/previous-foi-requests/population/ethnicity-and-religion-by-age/dc2201ew---ethnic-group-and-religion.xls|title=UK Government Web Archive|website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}</ref>

A very large proportion of [[Hindus]] in the [[United Kingdom]] are ethnically Asian, mainly [[Indians in the United Kingdom|Indians]] whose ancestors immigrated to the [[United Kingdom]] for employment or took asylum due to poverty, discrimination and persecution.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Robinson|first=Lena|date=2005-09-01|title=South Asians in Britain: Acculturation, Identity and Perceived Discrimination|url=https://doi.org/10.1177/097133360501700206|journal=Psychology and Developing Societies|language=en|volume=17|issue=2|pages=181–194|doi=10.1177/097133360501700206|s2cid=145467823|issn=0971-3336}}</ref>

=== Converts ===
Famous converts to Hinduism include:

* Lead Guitarist of the Beatles, [[George Harrison]] converted to Hinduism in the mid 1960s. Upon his death in 2001, he was cremated per Hindu rituals and his ashes consecrated into river Ganges.<ref>{{cite book | last=Tillery | first=Gary | title=Working class mystic : a spiritual biography of George Harrison | publisher=Quest Books/Theosophical Pub. House | year=2011 | isbn=978-0-8356-0900-5 | pages=91–148}}</ref>
* Philosopher [[John Levy (philosopher)|John Levy]] also converted to Hinduism.
* Novelist [[Christopher Isherwood]], converted to Hinduism and remained a Hindu until his death.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Christopher Isherwood|url=http://www.isherwoodfoundation.org/biography.html|access-date=2021-06-06|website=www.isherwoodfoundation.org|archive-date=2017-06-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170627074926/http://www.isherwoodfoundation.org/biography.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Hindu scholar Krishna Dharma (formerly Kenneth Anderson), converted to Hinduism in 1979.
* In September 2006, Rev. [[David Ananda Hart]] made headlines when he converted to Hinduism whilst still remaining a priest of the [[Church of England]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2006-09-13|title=British priest in Kerala in conversion debate|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/british-priest-in-kerala-in-conversion-debate/article3074555.ece|access-date=2021-06-06|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Society==
===Politics===
[[File:Official Portrait of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.jpg|thumb|upright|British Hindu [[Rishi Sunak]] became [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]] in 2022]]
In the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]], eight Hindu MPs (five [[Conservative Party(UK)|Conservative]] and three [[Labour Party(UK)|Labour]]) were elected to Parliament.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Record number of Muslim MPs elected|url=https://muslimnews.co.uk/newspaper/home-news/record-number-muslim-mps-elected/|access-date=2021-06-06|website=The Muslim News}}</ref>

During the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]], ''[[The Times of India]]'' reported that supporters of [[Narendra Modi]]'s ruling [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) were actively campaigning for the Tories in 48 marginal seats,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/bjp-supporters-start-campaign-for-tories-in-uk-general-election/articleshow/71911496.cms |title=BJP support group bats for Tories in 48 key UK seats |date=5 November 2019 |newspaper=The Times of India |access-date=1 December 2019}}</ref> and the ''[[Today (BBC Radio 4)|Today]]'' programme reported that it had seen [[WhatsApp]] messages sent to Hindus across the country urging them to vote Conservative.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2019/11/whats-behind-labour-partys-rift-hindu-voters |title=What's behind the Labour Party's rift with Hindu voters? |date=27 November 2019 |newspaper=New Statesman |access-date=1 December 2019}}</ref><ref name="BBCHindu">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50382791 |title=General election 2019: Labour seeks to calm Hindu voters' anger |date=12 November 2019 |work=BBC News |access-date=1 December 2019}}</ref> Some British Indians spoke out against what they saw as the BJP's meddling in the UK election.<ref name="HS">{{cite news |first=Haroon |last=Siddique |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/11/british-indians-warn-hindu-party-not-to-meddle-in-uk-elections |title=British Indians warn Hindu nationalist party not to meddle in UK elections |date=11 November 2019 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> The [[Hindu Council UK]] has been strongly critical of Labour, going as far as to say that Labour is "anti-Hindu"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/jeremy-corbyn/news/108229/fresh-blow-labour-hindu-council |title=Fresh blow for Labour as Hindu Council claims party discriminates against community |date=27 November 2019 |website=Politics Home |access-date=1 December 2019}}</ref> and objected to the party's condemnation of the [[Government of India|Indian government]]'s [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|actions in the disputed territory of Kashmir]].<ref name= "BBCHindu" />

In 2022, [[Rishi Sunak]] became the first practicing Hindu British Prime Minister, as well as the first non-white Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-25 |title='Historic moment' as Rishi Sunak becomes first British Asian prime minister |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rishi-sunak-first-british-asian-prime-minister-b2209433.html |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>

===Economics===
The 2021 census for England and Wales recorded 66.9% of Hindus either owning their home with a mortgage (43.6%) or outright (23.3%). 27.6% rent privately or live rent free and the remaining 5.5% live in [[Public housing in the United Kingdom|social housing]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Religion and tenure of household |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/RM134/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/a3171dc1-9548-4b7b-b0ac-48ef1b3c5394#get-data |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=28 March 2023}}</ref>

Hindus are on average the second wealthiest religious group after [[Jews|Jewish people]] in the UK. Employees who identified as Hindu have consistently had the second-highest median hourly earnings; in 2018, this was £13.80.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/articles/religioneducationandworkinenglandandwales/february2020#economic-activity | title=Religion, education and work in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics }}</ref>

==Discrimination and stereotyping==
{{See also|Hinduphobia}}

A report authored by Robert Berkeley of [[Runnymede Trust]] states that the Hindu community groups and organizations in the United Kingdom face systematic disadvantage and discrimination.<ref name=rb6/> They face a legacy of inequality, targeting and stereotyping in daily life and by the media, which has left the Hindu community isolated, with a limited capacity to engage with other communities, or address the problems they face.<ref name=rb6/><ref>{{cite book | last=Dias (Editor: Charles Westin) | first=Nuno | title=Identity processes and dynamics in multi-ethnic Europe | publisher=Amsterdam University Press | location=Amsterdam | year=2010 | isbn=978-90-8964-046-8 | pages=179–180}}</ref>

Scholars state that the Hindu community in the United Kingdom, and Europe in general, has faced discrimination in immigration policies adopted by the local governments.<ref>{{cite book | last=Skutsch | first=Carl | title=Encyclopedia of the world's minorities | publisher=Routledge | location=New York | year=2005 | isbn=978-1-57958-470-2 | page=554}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Weller | first=Paul | title=Religious discrimination in England and Wales | publisher=Home Office, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate | location=London | year=2001 | isbn=978-1-84082-612-8}}</ref> In local councils, construction or expansion permits for Hindu temples and community centers have been turned down for years, while Muslim mosques and Christian churches have been approved by the same councils and built.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Paul Weller et al. (2015)|title=Religion or Belief, Discrimination and Equality: Britain in Global Contexts|date=21 May 2015|publisher= Bloomsbury Academic|isbn=978-1474237512|pages=178–180}}</ref> The discrimination suffered by Hindu communities from the local council officials in Britain has been described by Paul Weller as follows,

{{Cquote|Neighbourhood traffic and parking issues continued to be reported as a problem. For example, a leader of the Hindu community told us that his temple was not given permission or space for worshippers to park outside the temple during festivals – which occurred only a few times a year. By contrast, he drew attention to parking restrictions have been lifted every Friday for the local mosque and identified this as unfair. A Hindu woman in another field research location, described problems with securing planning permission to build an extension and car park for her local temple. She contrasted this with the experience of Muslims who, according to her, had been allowed to build a mosque on "each and every road".|Paul Weller et al. (2015), ''Religion or Belief, Discrimination and Equality: Britain in Global Contexts'', [[University of Derby]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Weller |first1=Paul |author2=Kingsley Purdam; Nazila Ghanea-Hercock; Sariya Contractor |year=2015 |title=Religion or Belief, Discrimination and Equality: Britain in Global Contexts |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=978-1474237512|page=161}}</ref>
}}

Nearly 50% of Hindu children, both boys and girls, in British schools have reported to being victims of bullying for being Hindu and their religious heritage.<ref>{{cite book | last=Gelfand| first=Michele | author-link=Michele J. Gelfand | title=Handbook of Advances in Culture and Psychology, Volume 5 | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=2015 | isbn=978-0-19-021897-3 | page=175|display-authors=etal}}</ref><ref>E Nesbitt (1993), Gender and religious tradition: The role learning of British Hindu children, Gender and Education, 5(1): 81-91</ref> However, Claire Monks et al. note that children of various races and religions report being victims of bullying in British schools as well.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Monks| first=Claire P. | title=Peer victimization in multicultural schools in Spain and England | journal=European Journal of Developmental Psychology | volume=5 | issue=4 | year=2008 | pages=507–535 |display-authors=etal | doi=10.1080/17405620701307316| s2cid=145614268 }}</ref>

The Hindu community in the United Kingdom is not unique in suffering discrimination and stereotyping.<ref name=rb6/><ref name=pi8/> The similarly small Jewish community of the United Kingdom, and in recent years the much larger Muslim community of the United Kingdom, has also expressed similar concerns. New legislation and institutions to understand and respond to religious discrimination are being debated by British politicians.<ref name=rb6/><ref name=pi8/>

Private golfing, country clubs and other social clubs in Britain have routinely discriminated against and denied entry to Hindus – in addition to Sikhs, Muslims, women, Africans and other minorities after asserting "freedom of association" principle,<ref>{{cite book | author=Lindblom | title=Non-governmental organisations in international law | publisher=Cambridge University Press | location=Cambridge New York | year=2005 | isbn=978-0-521-85088-9 | pages=169–183}}</ref> and parts of EU-wide law to limit this practice were adopted in the United Kingdom in 1998.<ref>{{cite book | last=Thane | first=Pat | author-link = Pat Thane |title=Unequal Britain equalities in Britain since 1945 | publisher=Continuum | year=2010 | isbn=978-1-84706-298-7 | pages=58–68}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Jacobsen | first=Knut | title=South Asians in the diaspora histories and religious traditions | publisher=Brill | location=Leiden Boston | year=2004 | isbn=978-90-04-12488-2}}</ref> In some instances of Islamist terrorism, such as after the [[7 July 2005 London bombings]], Hindus along with Sikhs of the United Kingdom became more targeted and vulnerable for backlash than Muslims.<ref name=pi8>Paul Iganski (2008), Hate crime and the city, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|9781861349408}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060316212629/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050909/asp/nation/story_5216557.asp 7/7 backlash against Hindus and Sikhs], The Telegraph; Quote - "There have been 932 hate crimes against Indians, predominantly Hindus and Sikhs, compared with around 600 such instances against Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslims".</ref>

In October 2018, it was reported that [[Conservative Party (UK)]] London mayoral candidate [[Shaun Bailey (London politician)|Shaun Bailey]] had written a pamphlet, entitled ''No Man’s Land'', for the [[Centre for Policy Studies]]. In it, Bailey argued that accommodating Hindus "[robs] Britain of its community" and is turning the country into a "crime riddled cess pool". He also claimed that [[South Asians]] "bring their culture, their country and any problems they might have, with them" and that this was not a problem within the black community "because we’ve shared a religion and in many cases a language".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-10-04|title=Tory London mayoral candidate claimed celebrating Hindu and Muslim festivals has turned Britain into 'cesspool of crime'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservative-london-candidate-mayor-shaun-bailey-hindu-muslim-festival-crime-a8566341.html|access-date=2021-06-06|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref> In the pamphlet, Bailey had confused the [[Hindu]] religion and the [[Hindi]] language: "You don’t know what to do. You bring your children to school and they learn far more about [[Diwali]] than [[Christmas]]. I speak to the people who are from [[London Borough of Brent|Brent]] and they’ve been having Hindi <small>(sic)</small> days off."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/anti-hindu-muslim-views-return-to-haunt-london-mayor-candidate-shaun-bailey/story-woCY6o4owDF4Yp9lnOxNBM.html|title=Anti-Hindu, Muslim views return to haunt London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey|last=Sonwalkar|first=Prasun|date=4 October 2018|website=[[Hindustan Times]]|language=en|access-date=4 October 2018}}</ref> The Conservative Party Deputy Chairman, [[James Cleverly]], defended Bailey and insisted he was misunderstood, and that he was implying black boys were drifting into crime as a result of learning more about Hinduism rather than "their own Christian culture".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/oct/04/tory-concerns-shaun-bailey-remarks-london-mayoral-race |title=Tory deputy chairman admits concerns about Shaun Bailey remarks |last=Sabbagh |first=Dan |date=4 October 2018 |website=The Guardian |language=en |access-date=4 October 2018}}</ref> However, the anti-racism [[Hope Not Hate]] campaign group called Bailey's comments "grotesque".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-45734837|title=Tory London mayor candidate's comments 'Islamophobic'|date=4 October 2018|website=BBC News|language=en|access-date=4 October 2018}}</ref> The comments were condemned by the [[Hindu Council UK|Hindu Council of the United Kingdom]] who expressed "disappointment at the misrepresentation of our faith" by Bailey.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hindus in the UK|url=https://www.facebook.com/HindusinUK/posts/2272356569472453 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/788110531230405/2272356569472453 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|access-date=2021-06-06|website=www.facebook.com|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In April 2023 the [[Henry Jackson Society]] did an investigation on Anti-Hindu hate in schools, according to the report 51% of parents of Hindu pupils state that their child had experienced anti-Hindu hate in schools while less than 1% of schools surveyed reported any anti-Hindu related incidents in the last five years. They also found that many Muslim students have bullied their Hindu classmates on religious grounds, [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] reported quoting the study, claimed that Muslim pupils called for Hindus to convert or face "threats of hell for disbelievers" using terms such as "[[Kafir|kaffir]]". In one example a child "was harassed and told that if they convert to Islam, their life will become so much easier" and another was told: "You aren't going to survive very long... If you want to go to paradise, you'll have to come to Islam... Hindus are the herbivores at the bottom of the food chain, we will eat you up." Another parent said children were told to watch videos of an Islamic preacher and to "convert because Hinduism makes no sense", The Telegraph reported. According to the think tank, religious education was "fostering discrimination" against Hindus with inappropriate references to the Indian caste system and misconceptions over the worship of deities which students felt made "a mockery of them".<ref>https://henryjacksonsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/HJS-Anti-Hindu-Hate-in-Schools-Briefing-final.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ibtimes.sg/muslim-students-harass-hindu-classmates-uk-forces-them-convert-islam-report-69911 | title=Muslim Students Harass Hindu Classmates in UK; Force Them to Convert to Islam: Report | date=19 April 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/muslim-pupils-tell-hindu-classmates-in-uk-to-convert-report/articleshow/99612666.cms?from=mdr | title=Muslim pupils tell Hindu classmates in UK to convert: Report | newspaper=The Economic Times | date=19 April 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/04/18/muslim-pupils-hindu-convert-islam-bullying/ | title=Muslim pupils tell Hindu classmates to convert to Islam to avoid bullying | newspaper=The Telegraph | date=18 April 2023 | last1=Johnston | first1=Neil }}</ref>

==British Overseas Territories==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! '''Territory'''
! '''Percent'''
!Ref.
|-
| '''[[Hinduism in the West Indies|Anguilla]]'''
| '''0.42%'''
|<ref>{{Cite web|title=Demographics of Anguilla|url=http://gov.ai/statistics/census/Demography%20%26%20Culture%20tables.htm|access-date=2021-06-11|website=gov.ai|archive-date=2007-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124150450/http://gov.ai/statistics/census/Demography%20%26%20Culture%20tables.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| '''[[Hinduism in the West Indies|Bermuda]]'''
| '''0.2%'''
|{{cn|date=March 2024}}
|-
| '''[[Hinduism in the West Indies|British Virgin Islands]]'''
| style="background: #00A300" |'''1.88%'''
|<ref>{{Cite web|others=[[Politics of the British Virgin Islands|Government of British Virgin Islands]]|title=Population Demographics of British Virgin Islands|url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/sources/census/wphc/BVI/VGB-2016-09-08.pdf|access-date=11 June 2021|website=Statistic Department}}</ref>
|-
| '''[[Hinduism in the West Indies|Cayman Islands]]'''
| style="background: lightgreen" |'''0.8%'''
|<ref>{{Cite web|title=The 2010 Caymon Islands Census|url=https://www.eso.ky/UserFiles/File/The%202010%20Cayman%20Islands%20Census%20Report.pdf|access-date=11 June 2021|website=ESO.ky}}</ref>
|-
| '''[[Hinduism in Gibraltar|Gibraltar]]'''
| style="background: #00A300" |'''2%'''
|{{cn|date=March 2024}}
|-
| '''[[Hinduism in the West Indies|Montserrat]]'''
| style="background: lightgreen" |'''0.8%'''
|<ref>{{cite web|title=2000 Round of Population and Housing Census Sub-project|url=http://www.caricomstats.org/Files/Publications/NCR%20Reports/Montserrat.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331192516/http://www.caricomstats.org/Files/Publications/NCR%20Reports/Montserrat.pdf|archive-date=2016-03-31|access-date=2015-05-20|publisher=Caricomstats.org}}</ref>
|-
| '''[[Hinduism in the West Indies|Turks and Caicos Islands]]'''
| '''Unknown'''
|<ref>{{cite web|date=January 2015|title=India - Turks and Caicos Islands Relations|url=https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/Turk_and_Caicos_Islands_Jan2015.pdf|access-date=January 26, 2018|publisher=Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India}}</ref>
|}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Hinduism|United Kingdom}}
{{Col div|colwidth=20em}}
* ''[[Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]''
* [[Hindu Council UK]]
* [[Hinduism by country]]
* [[Hinduism in England]]
* [[Hinduism in Gibraltar]]
* [[Hinduism in Northern Ireland]]
* [[Hinduism in Scotland]]
* [[Hinduism in the British Virgin Islands]]
* [[Hinduism in the Republic of Ireland]]
* [[Hinduism in the West Indies]]
* [[Hinduism in the West]]
* [[Hinduism in Wales]]
* [[List of Hindu temples in the United Kingdom]]
* [[Persecution of Hindus]]
* [[Religion in the United Kingdom]]
* [[Sanskara (rite of passage)]]
* [[Sanskrit in the West]]
* [[Vedanga]]
* [[Vivaha]]
{{Colend}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150715024122/http://www2.derby.ac.uk/multifaith-new/hinduism Hinduism – Hindu Origins and Key Organisations in the UK]—[[University of Derby]]
* [https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/factsheets/hinduism-in-the-uk/ Factsheet: Hinduism in the UK]—Religion Media Centre

{{Hinduism in Europe}}
{{Hindu temples in the United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Hinduism in the United Kingdom| ]]
[[Category:Indian diaspora in the United Kingdom]]