Chapter 2 - Personnel
                                   
Table 2.13 Strength of UK Regular Forces by Service and religion, at 1 April each year
The percentage of Christians serving in the Armed Forces has reduced from 89.7% in 2007 to 85.8% in 2010. The number of UK Regular Forces citing 'No Religion' has increased from 9.5% in 2007 to 12.6% in 2010. At 1 April 2010, the Army has the highest proportion of Hindus (0.6%) and Muslims (0.5%). These have increased gradually over the past 4 years from 0.2% and 0.3% respectively.
    2007 2008 2009 2010
    Number   Percentage 1 Number   Percentage 1 Number   Percentage 1 Number   Percentage 1
All Services 190 400 p     187 060 p     188 370 p     191 660 p    
                                   
  Buddhist 320 p 0.2 p 350 p 0.2 p 380 p 0.2 p 440 p 0.2 p
  Christian 168 930 p 89.7 p 161 070 p 88.5 p 161 030 p 87.1 p 162 140 p 85.8 p
  Christian Tradition2 190 p 0.1 p 210 p 0.1 p 220 p 0.1 p 250 p 0.1 p
  Hindu 300 p 0.2 p 350 p 0.2 p 540 p 0.3 p 690 p 0.4 p
  Jewish 70 p - p 70 p - p 70 p - p 80 p - p
  Muslim 360 p 0.2 p 390 p 0.2 p 500 p 0.3 p 600 p 0.3 p
  Sikh 90 p - p 90 p 0.1 p 110 p 0.1 p 120 p 0.1 p
  Other Religions3 190 p 0.1 p 460 p 0.3 p 630 p 0.3 p 870 p 0.5 p
  No Religion 17 980 p 9.5 p 19 110 p 10.5 p 21 470 p 11.6 p 23 770 p 12.6 p
  Unknown4 1 970 p *   4 960 p *   3 400 p *   2 690 p *  
                                   
                                   
38 860       38 570 p     38 340 p     38 730 p    
                                   
  Buddhist 30   0.1   40 p 0.1 p 40 p 0.1 p 40 p 0.1 p
  Christian 33 120   86.4   32 430 p 85.1 p 31 270 p 83.5 p 30 840 p 81.5 p
  Christian Tradition2 40   0.1   40 p 0.1 p 50 p 0.1 p 50 p 0.1 p
  Hindu 20   -   20 p 0.1 p 20 p 0.1 p 20 p 0.1 p
  Jewish 10   -   10 p - p 10 p - p 10 p - p
  Muslim 30   0.1   40 p 0.1 p 40 p 0.1 p 40 p 0.1 p
  Sikh 10   -   10 p - p 10 p - p 10 p - p
  Other Religions3 70   0.2   90 p 0.2 p 120 p 0.3 p 140 p 0.4 p
  No Religion 5 010   13.1   5 420 p 14.2 p 5 900 p 15.7 p 6 690 p 17.7 p
  Unknown4 510   *   470 p *   880 p *   880 p *  
                                   
                                   
Army 106 170 p     105 090 p     106 460 p     108 870 p    
                                   
  Buddhist 260 p 0.2 p 280 p 0.3 p 310 p 0.3 p 370 p 0.3 p
  Christian 96 410 p 91.3 p 92 040 p 90.1 p 93 880 p 88.8 p 95 770 p 88.1 p
  Christian Tradition2 100 p 0.1 p 120 p 0.1 p 130 p 0.1 p 140 p 0.1 p
  Hindu 250 p 0.2 p 300 p 0.3 p 480 p 0.5 p 630 p 0.6 p
  Jewish 40 p - p 40 p - p 50 p - p 50 p - p
  Muslim 270 p 0.3 p 300 p 0.3 p 410 p 0.4 p 500 p 0.5 p
  Sikh 50 p - p 60 p 0.1 p 80 p 0.1 p 80 p 0.1 p
  Other Religions3 40 p - p 270 p 0.3 p 400 p 0.4 p 580 p 0.5 p
  No Religion 8 160 p 7.7 p 8 690 p 8.5 p 9 940 p 9.4 p 10 650 p 9.8 p
  Unknown4 580 p *   2 990 p *   800 p *   110 p *  
                                   
                                   
Royal Air Force 45 370       43 390 p     43 570 p     44 050 p    
                                   
  Buddhist 30   0.1   30 p 0.1 p 30 p 0.1 p 30 p 0.1 p
  Christian 39 390   88.5   36 600 p 87.4 p 35 890 p 85.8 p 35 530 p 83.9 p
  Christian Tradition2 50   0.1   50 p 0.1 p 50 p 0.1 p 60 p 0.1 p
  Hindu 40   0.1   30 p 0.1 p 30 p 0.1 p 40 p 0.1 p
  Jewish 20   -   20 p - p 20 p - p 20 p - p
  Muslim 50   0.1   50 p 0.1 p 50 p 0.1 p 60 p 0.1 p
  Sikh 20   0.1   20 p 0.1 p 30 p 0.1 p 30 p 0.1 p
  Other Religions3 80   0.2   100 p 0.2 p 120 p 0.3 p 150 p 0.4 p
  No Religion 4 810   10.8   4 990 p 11.9 p 5 640 p 13.5 p 6 440 p 15.2 p
  Unknown4 880   *   1 490 p *   1 720 p *   1 700 p *  
Source: DASA(Quad-Service)
Religion data for all three Services is only avaliable since April 2007 following the introduction of the Joint Personnel Administration System
1. Percentages are calculated from unrounded data and are based on those with known religion only.
2. Christian Tradition includes Christian Scientist, Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), Jehovah's Witness and Unitarian religions among
    others.
3. Other Religions includes Druid, Pagan, Rastafarian, Spiritualist, Zoroastrian (Parsee), Wicca and Baha'i among others.
4. Includes those with an unrecorded religion and those who chose not to declare.