Nearly 3 in 10 British Muslims are struggling to pay household bills, yet 95% of those in financial difficulty do not ask for help, according to one of the largest ever socio-economic studies of British Muslims.

The Crisis of Belonging, published by Muslim Census in partnership with Islamic Relief UK and the National Zakat Foundation, surveyed 4,800 British Muslims, making it one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind.

The research reveals widespread hidden poverty that is largely invisible within national statistics:

29.4% of British Muslims struggled to pay at least one household bill this past year.

43% relied on borrowing — including credit cards or loans from family members – to cover the cost of living.

1 in 12 surveyed admitted to missing meals due to financial difficulty, including 6% of full-time workers surveyed.

Among Black African Muslims, 1 in 5 say they’ve gone hungry in the past year.

British Muslims are 8% poorer per person than the national average. Despite such documented hardship, the uptake of support is strikingly low:

63% of those who went hungry did not use food banks this past year.

When help was sought, people turned first to family or local councils, with Zakat* organisations utilised by just 4.2%.

Only 2% of respondents requested Zakat or emergency charitable support in the past year.

The survey identifies a lack of awareness and discomfort from respondents in asking for help as two major barriers to accessing support. And yet, whilst poverty and a need for support is widespread, generosity remains exceptionally high, with 80.7% of respondents still paying their Zakat this past year.

Zia Salik, interim director for Islamic Relief UK said: “These figures confirm our worst fears. Many in the Muslim community are being pushed deeper into poverty with fewer people willing to ask for the help that could be a vital lifeline.

“For some time now, our food bank partners who we work with across the UK, have been sounding the alarm bell as demand intensifies. Many organisations we work with have stressed that this is the worst that they have faced since covid.

“The families I have met have brought to life just how difficult the day-to-day challenge of living through this cost-of-living crisis is. But these are not just statistics, these are the real lives of families across the UK who are paying the heaviest price. As we head into Ramadan, a month when communities come together, we have an opportunity to uplift the most vulnerable in our society”.
Just 51.9% of the 4800 respondents say they strongly feel they belong in the UK — down sharply from 93% reported by Ipsos MORI survey of British Muslims in 2016. Respondents cite rising Islamophobia, political hostility, job insecurity, and feeling unwelcome as the dominant concerns.

Young Muslims are also under acute pressure, with over half of 18–24-year-olds citing job security as their biggest worry for the year ahead.

As Chief Executive of the National Zakat Foundation, Dr Sohail Hanif has real clarity on the challenging circumstances facing British Muslims:

“I travel across the country every week and meet people from many different backgrounds, faiths, and walks of life. What’s clear in the 2026 Muslim Census survey is a shared sense of uncertainty and a feeling that trust between communities has weakened in recent years. This isn’t something felt just by Muslims, but across communities more broadly. Rebuilding trust and strengthening British Muslims’ sense of belonging in the UK will take time and effort, but it’s essential if communities are to feel connected, confident, and hopeful about the future.”

The Muslim Census survey signals a growing recognition across the sector that data must drive decision-making and that understanding the realities of British Muslims is not just an academic exercise, but a prerequisite for effective charitable intervention, community support, and advocacy. The survey concludes that British Muslims are not a community in crisis, but one experiencing hidden need, masked by misleading income figures and divisive narratives in the media and British politics.