Theos is starting a new research project that dives into how churches are helping refugees and other forced migrants integrate in the UK.

Migration is one of the big issues in British politics today, regularly making headlines and sparking debate across the country. It’s a topic that stirs strong opinions, and recent events have shown just how deeply it can divide us, with tensions boiling over into violent riots around immigration centres and migrant communities in the summer of 2024. 

But while much of the conversation revolves around whether we should welcome those fleeing violence, there’s a question we don’t ask nearly enough: do these forced migrants feel welcome here, and are they able to flourish in the UK? This question is becoming more pressing as the numbers grow. Since 2010, over 250,000 people have been granted asylum or resettlement in the UK, with 60,000 arriving just last year—a record number. On top of that, half a million people from Afghanistan, Hong Kong, and Ukraine have been offered safety here through humanitarian protection since 2021. 

Churches have a crucial role to play in this story. Previous research by Theos has shown that churches are key players in fostering social cohesion at a local level, and we have good reasons to believe that they are also helping migrants settle into their new communities. This is especially important because migrants tend to be more religious than the average Briton—over 80% of the UK’s foreign–born population identified with a religion in the last census, compared to just over half of those born in the UK. 

Yet, despite this, religion is often discussed in a negative light when it comes to migrant integration. Some churches that cater to specific national groups are accused of fostering social isolation, and there’s been a lot of suspicion around whether churches might be involved in so–called ‘fake conversions’ to help asylum claims. 

Our upcoming research, set to launch in early 2025, will delve into the real impact of local churches on the integration of forced migrants. We’ll also be exploring the real, practical challenges that churches face in trying to make a difference. 

Research team 

George Lapshynov

George is a Researcher at Theos. He is co–author of the Theos report Volunteering After the Pandemic: Lessons from the Homelessness Sector (with Hannah Rich) and the Theos socio–political research project Religion Counts 2024 (with Paul Bickley and Yinxuan Huang). He holds an MRes in International Relations and an MA(Hons) in History & Politics from the University of Glasgow.