Brits among the least likely to say religion is important

Britons are among the least likely in the world to say religion is important to them, a new survey reveals.

Just 30 per cent of British people agree that religion or faith is significant for them, compared to 53 per cent globally.

The UK is joined at the bottom of the table with notoriously secular countries such as Sweden on 29 per cent, Belgium on 27 per cent and Japan down at 22 per cent.

The poll also said Britons were among the least likely to say they were interested in spirituality.

It highlighted that only 40 per cent of Britons said they were interested in having a more spiritual dimension to their lives with only Poland, Belgium, Germany, Sweden and Japan having a lower rate of interest.

The findings from Ipsos-Mori's global trends survey highlight a growing pessimism about the future despite rapid economic growth.

Chief executive of Ipsos Mori's Ben Page says: 'What this latest Global Trends survey should remind us is that despite increasing longevity, rising incomes in emerging markets, more connectivity, computing power and storage than we could ever have imagined, the human condition is one of anxiety and striving for more.

'There is a growing gulf between the generations in terms of opportunities, there is a sense of pessimism about the future in western Europe and there are increasing demands on our time leading to a battle for attention.'

Britons are particularly gloomy, the poll also reveals, with just eight per cent thinking their healthcare will improve in the coming years.

The results were compiled after online surveys with 18,180 people aged 16-64 in 23 countries in September and October last year.