British Hindus are among Britain’s most economically active, well-educated and civic-minded communities. The 2021 Census counted just over 1 million Hindus in England and Wales (1.7% of the population), and 1.86 million people of Indian heritage (3.1%).
Behind those numbers are doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, police officers and service personnel who contribute to every part of national life. Here is what the data shows.
Caring for the nation’s health
British Hindus serve the NHS in remarkable numbers. According to the General Medical Council, 38,540 of the UK’s 409,986 registered doctors identify as Hindu: 9.4% of all doctors, more than five times the community’s share of the population.
The community is also healthy itself. 87.8% of British Hindus report good or very good health, compared with a national figure of around 75%. Traditions such as yoga, meditation and Ayurveda, rooted in Hindu practice, are now part of everyday wellbeing across Britain.
Driving the economy
Almost four in five British Hindus (77.1%) are economically active, and many run their own businesses. More than a third (34.3%) work in professional occupations such as medicine, law and teaching.
People of Indian heritage are estimated to contribute around 6% of UK GDP, roughly twice their share of the population. Indian-owned companies in Britain employ about 116,000 people and turn over more than £50 billion a year.
A culture of learning
54.8% of British Hindus hold a degree-level (Level 4 or above) qualification, against a national average of 33.8%. That is among the highest of any community in England and Wales.
The strength starts early. Pupils of Indian heritage are among the highest achievers at GCSE and A Level, and among the least likely to be suspended from school. At university they are well represented in demanding fields such as medicine, dentistry, law and engineering, feeding Britain’s skilled workforce.
Serving and strengthening communities
British Hindus and Indians serve the public across every sector. As of March 2024, 1,870 police officers and staff in England and Wales were of Indian ethnicity, and 1.24% of the UK Regular Armed Forces identify as Hindu.
The community is also notably self-reliant and law-abiding. Only 4.6% of Hindus live in social rented housing, against 16.6% nationally. Hindus make up just 0.46% of the prison population in England and Wales, well below their share of the population.
A concern we cannot ignore
Despite this record, British Hindus are too often targets of hate. In the year to March 2023, police in England and Wales recorded 286 religious hate crimes against Hindus, 4% of the total. Because many incidents go unreported, the true figure is likely higher. Tackling this is a core priority for the APPG.
Equal partners in Britain’s progress
The story these figures tell is one of contribution: to the economy, to the NHS, to classrooms and to public service. The APPG British Hindus exists to make sure that contribution is recognised in Parliament, and that British Hindus have a voice as equal partners in Britain’s future.
Data sources
ONS Census 2021 (England and Wales), General Medical Council (2025), Ministry of Justice (July 2026), Home Office hate crime statistics (2022/23), and Ministry of Defence (April 2026). Fact sheet prepared by INSIGHT UK.