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Christians are less likely to have a degree

By Daily Telegraph Reporter

CHRISTIANS are less likely to have a high-level qualification such as a degree than the overall population, census figures shows.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the census revealed “stark inequalities” in levels of education, home ownership and good health across religious groups in England and Wales.

When asked about education, more than half (54.8 per cent) of people identifying as Hindu told the census they have a higher-level qualification, such as a degree or NVQ level 4 to 5, compared with just under a third of people who said they were Muslim (32.3 per cent) or Christian (31.6 per cent).

This category had the largest variation across religious groups, with the percentage for the Hindu group being 21.0 points higher than that for the overall population, while the Christian group is 2.2 points lower.

Groups with the highest percentages for no qualifications were Muslim (25.3 per cent), Sikh (22.4 per cent) and Christian (20.8 per cent). Factors affecting the trends can “often overlap”, as for example those in poor health or caring for others may be less able to work or gain education, while “income, where people live, and cultural background, will also have an influence on outcomes”, the ONS said.

Some of the difference results from the age profile of religious groups but other factors are likely to have contributed, including income, employment and cultural background, according to the ONS.

The census took place in England and Wales on March 21 2021 and included questions on housing, education and wellbeing, as well as asking everyone to indicate which group best described their religion.

People identifying as Christian are most likely to live in households that own their home outright (36.0 per cent), with no outstanding mortgage or loan repayments – 8.9 percentage points higher than the overall population (27.1 per cent).

Christians also have a median average age of 51 years, compared with 40 years for the overall population, suggesting “that they may have had time to pay off a mortgage or loan”, the ONS said.

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2023-03-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://dailytelegraph.pressreader.com/article/281754158571814

Daily Telegraph