A new poll suggests that nearly half of UK adults have planned to attend a church service or event this Christmas, with Gen Z leading the trend. 

It found 45 per cent of respondents said they planned to attend church over Christmas, which is up from 40 per cent the previous year. Gen Z respondents have led the way, with 60 per cent saying they would attend.  

Among non-Christians, attendance intentions rose from 30 per cent to 34 per cent. They were most likely to report leaving church feeling joyful, peaceful or hopeful. 

The charity said the findings reveal about the importance of church at Christmas time.  

Stuart Lee, Tearfund’s director of global fundraising and communications said: “These figures underline something deeply significant: churches remain at the heart of community life at Christmas.  

“People are turning to their local churches for spiritual connection and for practical help. From food banks to warm spaces, churches are stepping in where they are needed most.” 

Respondents cited tradition, atmosphere and spiritual reflection as key reasons for attending. Of those planning to go, 39 per cent said it was part of their Christmas tradition, while more than a quarter viewed the season as a meaningful time for spiritual reflection.  

The poll also pointed to the scale of practical support offered by churches, with 42 per cent of adults revealing they or someone they knew had been supported by a church at Christmas. 

This included access to food banks, warm spaces and free meals. Nearly a quarter said they or someone they knew had received a free Christmas Day meal from a church. 

Lee said Tearfund saw the same pattern globally, describing church partners in the Central African Republic (CAR) whose Christmas attendance doubled or tripled as communities gathered for food, unity and hope.  

Pastor Raymond, who had served a rural church in the CAR. for 16 years, said: “The community comes to us, and during this celebration, our membership swells from 80 to 200. Currently, the children are preparing a play, which will mark the start of Christmas celebrations.  

“Many people come to this celebration, and we support them with food and drink.

“We often face challenges. If food is insufficient, we often prioritize guests and sometimes church members miss out.” 

When speaking to Premier Christian News, Lee said that churches understood their communities and the work isn’t limited to Christmas day.  

 He said churches remained present “long after Christmas was over”.