Hinduism in The United Kingdom

Hinduism was the religion of 558,342 people in the United Kingdom according to the 2001 census but an estimate in a British newspaper in 2007 has put the figure as high as 1.5 Million.

UK-wide Hindu organisations include The National Council of Hindu Temples UK, the oldest UK-wide Hindu organisation comprising over 300 Hindu Temples and Hindu Faith Organisations, The Hindu Council UK representing almost 400 affiliated cultural and religious organisations of various Hindu denominations including temples and The Hindu Forum of Britain, with nearly 300 member organisations. Some of the most notable Hindu-based organisations in the UK include the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Swaminarayan (BAPS), the Chinmaya Mission, Ramakrishna Mission and Sai Organisation, each having large followings.

Slough Hindu Temple was built by the Slough Hindu Cultural Society - formally opened in 1981 - it was the first purpose-built Hindu Temple in the British Isles.

Most Hindus in the UK live in England, with half living in London alone, but small communities also exist in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. For details of Hinduism in each country of the United Kingdom, see:

• Hinduism in England
• Hinduism in Northern Ireland
• Hinduism in Scotland
• Hinduism in Wales