More Than Half of Britons Say Islam ‘Not Compatible’ with British Values, Survey Finds
Concerns over integration and public perception fuel ongoing debate on community cohesion and extremism
A new nationwide survey has revealed that a majority of the British public believe Islam is fundamentally incompatible with British values, raising fresh questions about integration, public sentiment, and the fight against extremism.
According to data from YouGov, 53% of Britons say they believe Islam clashes with British values, while just 25% view the two as generally compatible. A further 22% said they were unsure.
The findings come amid heightened concern over community division and follow years of national debate around immigration, extremism, and multiculturalism.
The poll also found that 41% of respondents believe Muslim immigrants have a negative impact on the UK, significantly higher than the numbers who said the same about other religious groups. Only 15% expressed similar views about Hindu immigrants, 14% about Sikhs, 13% about Jews, and 7% about Christians.
Just 24% of Britons believe Muslim immigrants have a positive impact on the country — the lowest proportion among all religious categories surveyed.
While the figures point to persistent scepticism and unease among the wider population, there are clear generational divides. Younger people were found to be less likely to view Islam negatively or to associate Muslim immigration with harm to British society, suggesting that attitudes may shift over time.
The research was commissioned ahead of the UK’s largest annual Muslim convention, hosted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which is expected to attract over 40,000 attendees.
The results also reignite a broader discussion on the challenge of countering extremism without alienating mainstream Muslim communities. Experts argue that breaking the cycle of mutual mistrust requires more than rhetoric — it demands genuine partnerships between government, local communities, and faith groups.
Despite past government efforts to promote “British values” and tackle extremism, these results suggest that divisions remain stark — and that both policy and public debate must do more to build unity without resorting to generalisations or fear.