National Secular Society

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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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Language English
Country United Kingdom
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Peer cites NSS report in debate on threats to democracy

| National Secular Society
National Secular Society research on the role of religion in public life has been cited in a House of Lords debate on threats to democratic institutions. Cross bench peer Kishwer Falkner (pictured) quoted findings from the NSS's 2026 'Britons and Secularism' report, which was co-authored with the polling agency More in Common.
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Reform UK councillors try to end Islamic prayers before meetings

| National Secular Society
Reform UK councillors have attempted to end prayers before meetings at Bolton Council – despite Reform introducing Christian prayers at other councils. At a council meeting on Wednesday, Reform group leader Cllr Trevor Jones moved a motion to "review the practice of including prayers as part of the formal proceedings of Full Council meetings". Labour-run Bolton Council holds prayers according to the religion of the chaplain appointed by the mayor.
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Council rethinks faith school takeover amid widespread opposition

| National Secular Society
Surrey County Council (SCC) is reconsidering proposals for a Church of England takeover of a nonreligious school amid widespread parental opposition. Earlier this year, SCC consulted on plans which would see the nonreligious Merrow Junior School merged with Merrow CofE Controlled Infant School. Despite Merrow Junior School being the larger of the two schools, the resulting school would be a Christian faith school called Merrow CofE Primary School.
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Faith school “reluctant” to meet standards that go against religion

| National Secular Society
Leaders at an independent faith school remain "reluctant" to meet standards they view as "incompatible with their faith", a new Ofsted report has found. Beis Medrash Elyon, an independent Orthodox Jewish school in London, fails to meet required standards in five of the six areas assessed by Ofsted. The school has never passed an Ofsted inspection, despite opening in 2014.
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Research: High-performing faith schools admit fewer deprived pupils

| National Secular Society
Faith schools are overrepresented among schools where disadvantaged pupils excel – but they are admit fewer pupils eligible for free schools meals, a social enterprise charity has found. A report from Teach First, which aims to end educational inequality, has highlighted the role religiously selective admissions may play in high-performing faith schools' low uptake of children from deprived backgrounds.
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Safeguards needed to protect children from antisemitism, NSS warns

| National Secular Society
Religious education, collective worship and hosting external religious groups can be vehicles for antisemitism without safeguards in place, the National Secular Society has warned. The Department for Education has launched an independent review into antisemitism in schools and colleges in England. The review aims to inform "practical recommendations" for the department and sector leaders on "how to effectively prevent, identify and respond to antisemitism and other forms of hatred and prejudice".
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End collective worship laws, NSS urges Welsh Government

| National Secular Society
The National Secular Society has urged the Welsh Government to abolish laws requiring daily acts of collective worship in schools. The law in England and Wales requires children at all state-funded schools to "each school day take part in an act of collective worship". Even in schools with no religious character, the worship must be "wholly or mainly of a Christian character".
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NSS event explores what cohesion strategy means for secularism

| National Secular Society
The National Secular Society has held an online event for its members on the Government's new social cohesion strategy and its proposed definition of "anti-Muslim hostility". "Secularism and Social Cohesion" took place last Monday. NSS chief executive Stephen Evans was joined by academic and author Steven Greer to discuss the implications of the strategy for secular values and free expression. The event was hosted by NSS engagement officer Fódhla Brady.
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Success! No more UK blasphemy laws

| National Secular Society
Dear Paul Today, the UK became one step closer to ending its last blasphemy laws. That’s because the Northern Ireland Assembly has just accepted an amendment to the Justice Bill from Connie Egan to remove the offences of ‘blasphemy’ and ‘blasphemous libel’ from the statute books. The move follows extensive campaigning on our part – including writing to ministers urging them to include this change in the bill. We were instrumental in the abolition of similar laws in England, Scotland and Wales.
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Success! NSS welcomes “historic” vote to end blasphemy laws in the UK

| National Secular Society
The National Secular Society has welcomed a "historic" vote which brings the UK one step closer to ending blasphemy laws. MLAs in Northern Ireland have voted to support an amendment to the Justice Bill to abolish the common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel. MLAs voted 57 in favour, 24 against. NI is the last UK nation to retain blasphemy laws: they were abolished in England and Wales in 2008 and in Scotland in 2021.
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