National Secular Society
Non-profit
We believe religion should be separated from the state and individuals should have freedom of and from religion. Secularism is an essential element in a cohesive society where citizens are valued equally.
The National Secular Society champions the separation of religion and state and equal respect for everyone's human rights so no one is disadvantaged, nor privileged, because of their beliefs.
We campaign for a secular state in which all citizens are free to practise their faith, change it, or have no faith at all. We promote secularism as the surest guarantor of religious freedom and the best means to foster a fair and open society, in which people of all religions and none can live together as equal citizens. Source
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Media Outlet details
| Scope | National |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Country | United Kingdom |
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Recent Articles
Search ArticlesChristian charity: Judaism contains “demonic cults”
The National Secular Society has reported a Christian charity to the regulator after its trustee promoted antisemitism, anti-Muslim hostility, and homophobia. Emmanuel Free Church of England, Morecambe is registered under the charitable purpose 'the advancement of religion', amongst other charitable purposes. Charities are legally required to act for the public benefit and are entitled to generous tax breaks.
School system reforms ‘must end’ faith-based admissions, NSS says
Planned education reforms should include abolishing religiously selective admissions, the National Secular Society has said. Responding to a call for evidence by the House of Commons Education Committee, the NSS highlighted the "significant and growing body of evidence" that faith schools, particularly those which use religiously selective admissions, perpetuate unfairness against those most disadvantaged in our society.
Government-backed report omits faith school discrimination evidence
A Government-backed report into the educational outcomes of white working class children has omitted evidence of discrimination by faith schools. The Independent Inquiry into White Working-Class Educational Outcomes (IIWWCEO) was established to assess why working class educational performance falls behind that of other large demographic groups, and how this trend can be reversed.
Reports: Religious homophobia fuelling conversion therapy
New reports by the anti-LGBT abuse charity Galop and the Church of England show religious homophobia is fuelling so-called gay conversion therapy. The Galop report found religious-based conversion practices represent a "significant risk" to gay people. The report analysed case note data from almost 200 Galop clients between 2022 and 2025. It found individuals in religious communities face "disproportionate risk" of conversion therapy.
NSS: end ban on Catholic and Jewish PMs advising on clergy
The National Secular Society has called for an end to the ban on Catholic and Jewish prime ministers advising on Church of England appointments. Due to the Church of England's established status, prime ministers play a formal constitutional role advising the Crown on senior appointments within the Church. But under the law, a prime minister or lord chancellor who is Catholic or Jewish is prohibited from doing so. No other religious groups are subject to such an explicit statutory restriction.
Scrap £86m plan for Catholic ‘super-school’, NSS urges council
The National Secular Society has urged a Welsh council to scrap its plan to build a new Catholic 'super-school' that would cost taxpayers almost £86 million. Flintshire County Council is proposing to build a new 3-18 through school on the site of an existing voluntary aided (VA) Catholic school, and to close a number of local Catholic schools.
NI: Survivors of clerical child abuse call for public inquiry
Victims and survivors of clerical child abuse in Northern Ireland have called for a public inquiry following the publication of a damning report. 'Investigation into Experiences of Victims and Survivors of HCCA' (Historical Clerical Child Abuse), authored by Professor Tim Chapman, was published last week by the Northern Ireland Executive.
Charity law is enabling religious homophobia
To tackle hatred and violence against gay people, we must crack down on homophobia in religious charities, says Megan Manson. Brandenburg Gate after the terrorist attack on the Berlin Pride on July 25, 2026. The horrific Islamist attack on Berlin's Pride festival this weekend, which left one dead and 29 injured, is a brutal reminder that religious homophobia is still rampant. It's easy to fall into complacency when it comes to civil rights – and gay rights are no exception.
Should religious groups enjoy a ‘confessional’ exemption from mandatory reporting of abuse?
A mandatory reporting law imposes a legal obligation on specified individuals or groups, usually known as "mandated reporters", to report known or suspected cases of abuse to the statutory authorities. In 2022 the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) for England and Wales recommended that a mandatory reporting law for suspected child sexual abuse be introduced to cover 'regulated' settings, including churches.
The CofE is keen on social justice - until it comes to Church schools
These days, the established Church doesn't matter much to British people. Less than 2% of England's population attend CofE Sunday services. And a YouGov poll this year found 70% of British adults care little or not at all about the Church of England much. In response, the CofE is trying desperately to demonstrate its relevance to British society – not least in the hope of justifying its increasingly outdated privileges within our constitution.