Church Attendance Survey Retracted: Fraudulent Data

0:00On March 26, a report suggesting a big jump in young adults attending church in England and Wales has been pulled back. It claimed that just 4% of 18 to 24-year-olds went monthly in 2018, but that shot up to 16% by 20. 24. The Bible Society released it last year based on a Yuga of Survey. The findings spread quickly through Christian circles, sparking talks and parliament, news stories, and even church conferences celebrating the trend. But experts raised red flags early, noting a clash with long-term surveys like the British Social Attitudes data and Church of England stats, which show steady drops in attendance. Yuga's review uncovered fraudulent answers from some respondents chasing cash rewards, with quality checks skipped due to human error. The firm apologized fully, praising the Bible Society for reporting the data as given. The Bible Society expressed frustration over the assurances they received, while academics

1:00who flagged issues feel a mix of relief and annoyance. This pulls back the curtain on how tricky survey data can be.