The Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR) has released a new report examining how many Jews in the United Kingdom celebrate Purim, finding that just under half of British Jews marked the festival in some way in 2025.
The study, titled “Masks and noisemakers: The celebration of Purim among Jews in the UK," was authored by Dr. David Graham and is based on data collected in the summer of 2025 as part of JPR’s Jews in Uncertain Times Survey. The survey drew on responses from 4,822 UK residents aged 16 and above who self-identify as Jewish.
According to the findings, 49% of respondents reported celebrating Purim in the previous year. The report notes that, compared to other Jewish festivals, Purim is among the least widely observed. It is celebrated at broadly similar levels to Succot (50%), but by fewer people than those who reported attending a Pesach seder (84%) or lighting Chanukah candles at least once (89%) in the same period.
The survey explored celebration of Purim in various forms, including hearing the megillah, dressing up, or attending a Purim meal or party.
No significant difference was found between men and women in Purim participation, with 49% of both groups reporting that they celebrated the festival. However, age was strongly associated with celebration rates. Among respondents aged 16-29, 63% reported celebrating Purim, compared to fewer than four in ten among those aged 60 and above.
Household structure also emerged as a significant factor. Those living alone were the least likely to celebrate (38%), while participation increased with household size, reaching 73% among five-person households and becoming almost universal in households of seven or more people.
The presence of school-age children in the home was closely linked to celebration rates. Among households with school-age children, 70% reported celebrating Purim, compared with 44% of households without such children. Celebration was more common in households where children attend Jewish schools than in those where children attend non-Jewish schools. For example, among households with primary-age children, 94% of those with children in Jewish schools celebrated Purim, compared to 70% of those with children in non-Jewish schools. A similar pattern was found among households with secondary-age children.
Synagogue affiliation and self-assessed religiosity were also strongly associated with Purim observance. Among respondents who were not synagogue members, 27% reported celebrating Purim, compared with 61% of synagogue members and 67% of those who attend or feel they belong to a synagogue without formal membership.
Self-described religiosity showed a clear gradient, with 17% of those identifying as having “very weak" religiosity celebrating Purim, rising to 92% among those with “very strong" religiosity. By denominational identity, 19% of secular or cultural Jews reported celebrating Purim, compared with 48% of Reform/Progressive Jews, 59% of those identifying as Traditional, and nearly all Orthodox (99%) and Haredi (100%) respondents.
The report concludes that while Purim is observed by around half of Jews aged 16 and above in the UK, its celebration is particularly shaped by life stage and household context. Younger adults and families with children are significantly more likely to participate, and observance is closely tied to synagogue engagement and broader patterns of religious affiliation.
The data were drawn from JPR’s research panel, with survey responses collected between June 8 and July 20, 2025. Additional comparative data on Rosh Hashana were taken from a 2022 survey wave. All data were weighted by age, sex, geography and synagogue membership.
JPR is a London-based research organization, consultancy and think tank focused on advancing the prospects of Jewish communities in the United Kingdom and across Europe. The report was published in February 2026.