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Indians in United Kingdom
From London’s bustling suburbs to tech hubs across England, the Indian community has become one of the most influential immigrant groups in the United Kingdom.
What began as post-colonial migration has today grown into a vibrant, multi-generational diaspora shaping the UK’s economy, culture, politics, and professional landscape.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, India has the largest diaspora in the world, with around 35 million (3.5 crore) NRIs and PIOs living abroad. As per the MEA 2023 report, there are 1,864,318 Indians (18.64 lakh) residing in the United Kingdom.
Breakup of Indians in the UK
Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs): 1,495,318 (14.95 lakh)
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs): 369,000 (3.69 lakh)
According to the UK Census 2021, the Indian population stood at 1,888,641 (1.89 million). In fact, people born in India form the UK’s largest foreign-born population, estimated at around 832,000 in 2018.
The British-Indian community is the sixth-largest in the global Indian diaspora, after the U.S., Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malaysia, and Nepal.
Indians account for about 2.86% of the UK’s total population.
Indian population in the UK (Census 2021): 1,909,711 (19 lakh)
Estimated Indian population in 2026: ~2.1 million (21 lakh)
Today, British-Indians are among the most economically successful and highly educated communities in the country — contributing across healthcare, business, academia, IT, entrepreneurship, and public service.
Where Do Indians Live in the UK? (Major Regions & Cities)
Indians are widely settled across England, Wales, and Scotland, with the largest concentrations in:
| Country | Population 2021 | % of Total |
| England | 1,843,248 | 3.26% |
| Wales | 21,070 | 0.72% |
| Scotland* | 35,512 | 0.65% |
| Northern Ireland | 9,881 | 0.52% |
| United Kingdom | 1,909,711 | 2.86% |
| Region | Indians population | Percentage of Total |
| London | 656,272 | 7.5% |
| West Midlands | 276,030 | 4.6% |
| South East | 241,537 | 2.6% |
| East Midlands | 229,831 | 4.7% |
| East | 136,974 | 2.2% |
| North West | 140,413 | 1.9% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 81,322 | 1.5% |
| South West | 58,847 | 1.0% |
| North East | 22,021 | 0.8% |
Source: Census 2021 and *Census estimates for Scotland
Indians in England and Wales Cities
In 2021, there were 1,843,248 people from the Indian ethnic group in England and Wales, making up 3.1% of the total population.
There were 348 local authorities in England and Wales. Half (50.2%) of the Indian population lived in 17 of them. Leicester was home to the largest Indian population, followed by Harrow and Birmingham.
| # | Area Name | Population (2021 Cnesus) | Percentage of Total |
| 1 | Leicester | 126,421 | 34.30% |
| 2 | Harrow | 74,744 | 28.60% |
| 3 | Birmingham | 66,519 | 5.80% |
| 4 | Brent | 66,157 | 19.50% |
| 5 | Hounslow | 60,827 | 21.10% |
| 6 | Hillingdon | 57,341 | 18.70% |
| 7 | Ealing | 54,806 | 14.90% |
| 8 | Redbridge | 51,183 | 16.50% |
| 9 | Sandwell | 44,378 | 13.00% |
| 10 | Wolverhampton | 42,052 | 15.90% |
| 11 | Newham | 38,642 | 11.00% |
| 12 | Coventry | 32,096 | 9.30% |
| 13 | Barnet | 30,389 | 7.80% |
| 14 | Slough | 30,209 | 19.10% |
| 15 | Croydon | 29,563 | 7.60% |
| 16 | Bolton | 26,238 | 8.90% |
| 17 | Blackburn with Darwen | 24,389 | 15.80% |
| 18 | Buckinghamshire | 24,181 | 4.40% |
| 19 | Kirklees | 22,739 | 5.20% |
| 20 | Walsall | 22,726 | 8.00% |
Religion of Indian population in United Kingdom
British Indians have diverse religious backgrounds and although the plurality of British Indians is Hindu, the UK is home to the second-largest Sikh community outside India. There are also significant numbers of Muslim and Christian British Indians.
The majority of British Indians are of Punjabi and Gujarati descent, with smaller communities of Tamilian, Bengali, Malayali, Konkani, Marathi, and Telugu communities.
Religion Percentage of the Indian population
- Hinduism – 49.02%
- Sikhism – 22.16%
- Islam – 13.95%
- Christianity – 9.62%
- No religion – 3.13%
- Not Stated – 0.47%
- Buddhism – 0.26%
- Judaism – 0.05%
- Other religions – 1.34%
| # | Area Name | Population (2021 Cnesus | Percentage of Total |
| 1 | Leicester | 126,421 | 34.30% |
| 2 | Harrow | 74,744 | 28.60% |
| 3 | Birmingham | 66,519 | 5.80% |
| 4 | Brent | 66,157 | 19.50% |
| 5 | Hounslow | 60,827 | 21.10% |
| 6 | Hillingdon | 57,341 | 18.70% |
| 7 | Ealing | 54,806 | 14.90% |
| 8 | Redbridge | 51,183 | 16.50% |
| 9 | Sandwell | 44,378 | 13.00% |
| 10 | Wolverhampton | 42,052 | 15.90% |
| 11 | Newham | 38,642 | 11.00% |
| 12 | Coventry | 32,096 | 9.30% |
| 13 | Barnet | 30,389 | 7.80% |
| 14 | Slough | 30,209 | 19.10% |
| 15 | Croydon | 29,563 | 7.60% |
| 16 | Bolton | 26,238 | 8.90% |
| 17 | Blackburn with Darwen | 24,389 | 15.80% |
| 18 | Buckinghamshire | 24,181 | 4.40% |
| 19 | Kirklees | 22,739 | 5.20% |
| 20 | Walsall | 22,726 | 8.00% |
| 21 | Leeds | 21,087 | 2.60% |
| 22 | Preston | 19,047 | 12.90% |
| 23 | Swindon | 17,643 | 7.60% |
| 24 | Charnwood | 15,735 | 8.60% |
| 25 | Milton Keynes | 15,348 | 5.30% |
| 26 | Manchester | 14,857 | 2.70% |
| 27 | Bradford | 14,429 | 2.60% |
| 28 | Derby | 12,631 | 4.80% |
| 29 | Sutton | 12,618 | 6.00% |
| 30 | Wokingham | 12,412 | 7.00% |
| 31 | Bromley | 12,326 | 3.70% |
| 32 | Oadby and Wigston | 12,189 | 21.10% |
| 33 | Luton | 12,096 | 5.40% |
| 34 | Enfield | 11,870 | 3.60% |
| 35 | Nottingham | 11,515 | 3.60% |
| 36 | Barking and Dagenham | 11,503 | 5.30% |
| 37 | Solihull | 11,344 | 5.20% |
| 38 | Havering | 11,292 | 4.30% |
| 39 | Bexley | 10,925 | 4.40% |
| 40 | Reading | 10,777 | 6.20% |
| 41 | Trafford | 10,208 | 4.30% |
| 42 | Three Rivers | 10,166 | 10.80% |
| 43 | Tower Hamlets | 10,135 | 3.30% |
| 44 | Greenwich | 10,128 | 3.50% |
| 45 | Warwick | 10,112 | 6.80% |
| 46 | Bedford | 10,074 | 5.40% |
| 47 | Watford | 9,954 | 9.70% |
| 48 | Windsor and Maidenhead | 9,823 | 6.40% |
| 49 | West Northamptonshire | 9,661 | 2.30% |
| 50 | Merton | 9,607 | 4.50% |
| 51 | Wandsworth | 9,599 | 2.90% |
| 52 | Southampton | 9,169 | 3.70% |
| 53 | Waltham Forest | 9,134 | 3.30% |
| 54 | Cardiff | 8,837 | 2.40% |
| 55 | Hackney | 8,832 | 3.40% |
| 56 | Bristol, City of | 8,302 | 1.80% |
| 57 | Gravesham | 8,136 | 7.60% |
| 58 | Westminster | 7,965 | 3.90% |
| 59 | Dudley | 7,812 | 2.40% |
| 60 | Kingston upon Thames | 7,731 | 4.60% |
| 61 | Medway | 7,693 | 2.70% |
| 62 | Spelthorne | 7,559 | 7.30% |
| 63 | Crawley | 7,335 | 6.20% |
| 64 | North Northamptonshire | 7,325 | 2.00% |
| 65 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 7,304 | 2.40% |
| 66 | Richmond upon Thames | 7,236 | 3.70% |
| 67 | Peterborough | 7,169 | 3.30% |
| 68 | Nuneaton and Bedworth | 7,154 | 5.30% |
| 69 | Camden | 6,952 | 3.30% |
| 70 | Blaby | 6,870 | 6.70% |
| 71 | Sheffield | 6,798 | 1.20% |
| 72 | Hertsmere | 6,660 | 6.20% |
| 73 | Liverpool | 6,251 | 1.30% |
| 74 | Southwark | 6,145 | 2.00% |
| 75 | Lambeth | 6,054 | 1.90% |
| 76 | Oxford | 6,005 | 3.70% |
| 77 | Cambridge | 5,916 | 4.10% |
| 78 | Haringey | 5,838 | 2.20% |
| 79 | Rugby | 5,322 | 4.70% |
| 80 | Welwyn Hatfield | 5,211 | 4.30% |
| 81 | Dartford | 5,123 | 4.40% |
| 82 | Lewisham | 5,046 | 1.70% |
| 83 | South Gloucestershire | 4,867 | 1.70% |
| 84 | Basingstoke and Deane | 4,745 | 2.60% |
| 85 | Chelmsford | 4,728 | 2.60% |
| 86 | Epping Forest | 4,712 | 3.50% |
| 87 | Central Bedfordshire | 4,684 | 1.60% |
| 88 | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 4,678 | 1.20% |
| 89 | Reigate and Banstead | 4,637 | 3.10% |
| 90 | Telford and Wrekin | 4,559 | 2.50% |
| 91 | Gloucester | 4,481 | 3.40% |
| 92 | Stockport | 4,433 | 1.50% |
| 93 | Harborough | 4,250 | 4.40% |
| 94 | South Cambridgeshire | 4,205 | 2.60% |
| 95 | Hammersmith and Fulham | 4,100 | 2.20% |
| 96 | Islington | 4,051 | 1.90% |
| 97 | Runnymede | 4,030 | 4.60% |
| 98 | Thurrock | 3,982 | 2.30% |
| 99 | St Albans | 3,856 | 2.60% |
| 100 | Basildon | 3,855 | 2.10% |
| 101 | North Hertfordshire | 3,811 | 2.90% |
| 102 | Bracknell Forest | 3,774 | 3.00% |
| 103 | Salford | 3,744 | 1.40% |
| 104 | Tameside | 3,737 | 1.60% |
| 105 | Brighton and Hove | 3,633 | 1.30% |
| 106 | Elmbridge | 3,539 | 2.60% |
| 107 | Cheshire East | 3,480 | 0.90% |
| 108 | Rushcliffe | 3,471 | 2.90% |
| 109 | Dacorum | 3,397 | 2.20% |
| 110 | Woking | 3,358 | 3.20% |
| 111 | Kensington and Chelsea | 3,209 | 2.20% |
| 112 | Epsom and Ewell | 3,189 | 3.90% |
| 113 | Portsmouth | 3,104 | 1.50% |
| 114 | West Berkshire | 3,087 | 1.90% |
| 115 | Colchester | 3,027 | 1.60% |
| 116 | Surrey Heath | 2,941 | 3.30% |
| 117 | Guildford | 2,873 | 2.00% |
| 118 | Southend-on-Sea | 2,828 | 1.60% |
| 119 | Wiltshire | 2,810 | 0.60% |
| 120 | Middlesbrough | 2,804 | 1.90% |
| 121 | Cherwell | 2,795 | 1.70% |
| 122 | Stoke-on-Trent | 2,772 | 1.10% |
| 123 | Eastleigh | 2,634 | 1.90% |
| 124 | South Derbyshire | 2,630 | 2.50% |
| 125 | Norwich | 2,570 | 1.80% |
| 126 | Stevenage | 2,546 | 2.80% |
| 127 | Mid Sussex | 2,489 | 1.60% |
| 128 | Broxtowe | 2,390 | 2.20% |
| 129 | Ipswich | 2,366 | 1.70% |
| 130 | Warrington | 2,347 | 1.10% |
| 131 | Cheshire West and Chester | 2,338 | 0.70% |
| 132 | Wakefield | 2,291 | 0.60% |
| 133 | Doncaster | 2,279 | 0.70% |
| 134 | Swansea | 2,172 | 0.90% |
| 135 | County Durham | 2,148 | 0.40% |
| 136 | Maidstone | 2,145 | 1.20% |
| 137 | South Staffordshire | 2,121 | 1.90% |
| 138 | Rushmoor | 2,105 | 2.10% |
| 139 | Newport | 2,023 | 1.30% |
| 140 | Hinckley and Bosworth | 2,018 | 1.80% |
| 141 | Brentwood | 2,015 | 2.60% |
| 142 | Cheltenham | 2,005 | 1.70% |
| 143 | Canterbury | 1,994 | 1.30% |
| 144 | Wirral | 1,933 | 0.60% |
| 145 | Sunderland | 1,906 | 0.70% |
| 146 | Bury | 1,866 | 1.00% |
| 147 | Calderdale | 1,861 | 0.90% |
| 148 | Stafford | 1,856 | 1.40% |
| 149 | Bromsgrove | 1,854 | 1.90% |
| 150 | York | 1,853 | 0.90% |
| 151 | Stockton-on-Tees | 1,812 | 0.90% |
| 152 | Bath and North East Somerset | 1,787 | 0.90% |
| 153 | Huntingdonshire | 1,779 | 1.00% |
| 154 | Gedling | 1,755 | 1.50% |
| 155 | Ashford | 1,720 | 1.30% |
| 156 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 1,707 | 1.40% |
| 157 | Tunbridge Wells | 1,692 | 1.50% |
| 158 | Oldham | 1,676 | 0.70% |
| 159 | Test Valley | 1,666 | 1.30% |
| 160 | South Oxfordshire | 1,645 | 1.10% |
| 161 | Lancaster | 1,629 | 1.10% |
| 162 | Shropshire | 1,614 | 0.50% |
| 163 | Harlow | 1,613 | 1.70% |
| 164 | Exeter | 1,588 | 1.20% |
| 165 | Vale of White Horse | 1,587 | 1.10% |
| 166 | Tonbridge and Malling | 1,547 | 1.20% |
| 167 | North Tyneside | 1,539 | 0.70% |
| 168 | Wigan | 1,532 | 0.50% |
| 169 | Lichfield | 1,477 | 1.40% |
| 170 | East Hertfordshire | 1,442 | 1.00% |
| 171 | West Suffolk | 1,442 | 0.80% |
| 172 | Horsham | 1,417 | 1.00% |
| 173 | Plymouth | 1,403 | 0.50% |
| 174 | Broxbourne | 1,391 | 1.40% |
| 175 | Worcester | 1,336 | 1.30% |
| 176 | Sevenoaks | 1,326 | 1.10% |
| 177 | Hart | 1,318 | 1.30% |
| 178 | Rotherham | 1,312 | 0.50% |
| 179 | Tandridge | 1,300 | 1.50% |
| 180 | Kingston upon Hull, City of | 1,259 | 0.50% |
| 181 | Stratford-on-Avon | 1,239 | 0.90% |
| 182 | King’s Lynn and West Norfolk | 1,238 | 0.80% |
| 183 | East Riding of Yorkshire | 1,210 | 0.40% |
| 184 | Rochdale | 1,190 | 0.50% |
| 185 | Northumberland | 1,183 | 0.40% |
| 186 | South Ribble | 1,165 | 1.00% |
| 187 | North Lincolnshire | 1,126 | 0.70% |
| 188 | Winchester | 1,102 | 0.90% |
| 189 | Worthing | 1,097 | 1.00% |
| 190 | Somerset West and Taunton | 1,097 | 0.70% |
| 191 | Darlington | 1,086 | 1.00% |
| 192 | East Staffordshire | 1,084 | 0.90% |
| 193 | North Somerset | 1,067 | 0.50% |
| 194 | Redditch | 1,042 | 1.20% |
| 195 | East Suffolk | 1,034 | 0.40% |
| 196 | Gateshead | 1,027 | 0.50% |
| 197 | Sefton | 1,009 | 0.40% |
| 198 | South Norfolk | 977 | 0.70% |
| 199 | Rhondda Cynon Taf | 958 | 0.40% |
| 200 | Thanet | 941 | 0.70% |
| 201 | Knowsley | 936 | 0.60% |
| 202 | Dorset | 926 | 0.20% |
| 203 | Erewash | 921 | 0.80% |
| 204 | Harrogate | 913 | 0.60% |
| 205 | Eastbourne | 906 | 0.90% |
| 206 | Havant | 905 | 0.70% |
| 207 | Blackpool | 892 | 0.60% |
| 208 | Vale of Glamorgan | 892 | 0.70% |
| 209 | Ashfield | 873 | 0.70% |
| 210 | Mole Valley | 868 | 1.00% |
| 211 | South Kesteven | 865 | 0.60% |
| 212 | Herefordshire, County of | 843 | 0.50% |
| 213 | Mansfield | 839 | 0.80% |
| 214 | Braintree | 834 | 0.50% |
| 215 | Fareham | 834 | 0.70% |
| 216 | South Somerset | 808 | 0.50% |
| 217 | Tewkesbury | 798 | 0.80% |
| 218 | Waverley | 796 | 0.60% |
| 219 | Lincoln | 788 | 0.80% |
| 220 | Great Yarmouth | 786 | 0.80% |
| 221 | Cornwall | 784 | 0.10% |
| 222 | North West Leicestershire | 784 | 0.70% |
| 223 | Swale | 776 | 0.50% |
| 224 | Chorley | 747 | 0.60% |
| 225 | Arun | 727 | 0.40% |
| 226 | Sedgemoor | 725 | 0.60% |
| 227 | Wealden | 712 | 0.40% |
| 228 | South Tyneside | 703 | 0.50% |
| 229 | Chesterfield | 679 | 0.70% |
| 230 | Chichester | 624 | 0.50% |
| 231 | East Hampshire | 612 | 0.50% |
| 232 | Wychavon | 607 | 0.50% |
| 233 | Boston | 606 | 0.90% |
| 234 | Hastings | 595 | 0.70% |
| 235 | Bridgend | 588 | 0.40% |
| 236 | New Forest | 577 | 0.30% |
| 237 | Uttlesford | 572 | 0.60% |
| 238 | Carmarthenshire | 562 | 0.30% |
| 239 | St. Helens | 557 | 0.30% |
| 240 | Broadland | 554 | 0.40% |
| 241 | Dover | 550 | 0.50% |
| 242 | West Lindsey | 547 | 0.60% |
| 243 | North East Lincolnshire | 543 | 0.30% |
| 244 | Castle Point | 541 | 0.60% |
| 245 | Wrexham | 538 | 0.40% |
| 246 | East Cambridgeshire | 537 | 0.60% |
| 247 | Torbay | 527 | 0.40% |
| 248 | Neath Port Talbot | 527 | 0.40% |
| 249 | Bassetlaw | 522 | 0.40% |
| 250 | Tamworth | 506 | 0.60% |
| 251 | Barnsley | 504 | 0.20% |
| 252 | West Oxfordshire | 498 | 0.40% |
| 253 | Cannock Chase | 498 | 0.50% |
| 254 | Amber Valley | 496 | 0.40% |
| 255 | Newark and Sherwood | 496 | 0.40% |
| 256 | Folkestone and Hythe | 490 | 0.40% |
| 257 | Gwynedd | 484 | 0.40% |
| 258 | Lewes | 482 | 0.50% |
| 259 | South Holland | 467 | 0.50% |
| 260 | North Warwickshire | 463 | 0.70% |
| 261 | Tendring | 462 | 0.30% |
| 262 | Caerphilly | 456 | 0.30% |
| 263 | West Lancashire | 447 | 0.40% |
| 264 | Stroud | 440 | 0.40% |
| 265 | Rochford | 439 | 0.50% |
| 266 | Wyre Forest | 437 | 0.40% |
| 267 | Carlisle | 430 | 0.40% |
| 268 | Rother | 427 | 0.50% |
| 269 | Flintshire | 395 | 0.30% |
| 270 | Fenland | 387 | 0.40% |
| 271 | Cotswold | 387 | 0.40% |
| 272 | Ribble Valley | 385 | 0.60% |
| 273 | Fylde | 383 | 0.50% |
| 274 | Burnley | 378 | 0.40% |
| 275 | Halton | 375 | 0.30% |
| 276 | Conwy | 373 | 0.30% |
| 277 | North Kesteven | 370 | 0.30% |
| 278 | Hyndburn | 363 | 0.40% |
| 279 | Scarborough | 357 | 0.30% |
| 280 | Breckland | 342 | 0.20% |
| 281 | Gosport | 337 | 0.40% |
| 282 | Hartlepool | 335 | 0.40% |
| 283 | Denbighshire | 332 | 0.30% |
| 284 | North East Derbyshire | 327 | 0.30% |
| 285 | Ceredigion | 325 | 0.50% |
| 286 | North Devon | 324 | 0.30% |
| 287 | City of London | 321 | 3.70% |
| 288 | Mendip | 317 | 0.30% |
| 289 | Monmouthshire | 317 | 0.30% |
| 290 | Isle of Wight | 316 | 0.20% |
| 291 | Merthyr Tydfil | 308 | 0.50% |
| 292 | Melton | 306 | 0.60% |
| 293 | Adur | 303 | 0.50% |
| 294 | Malvern Hills | 300 | 0.40% |
| 295 | East Lindsey | 282 | 0.20% |
| 296 | East Devon | 273 | 0.20% |
| 297 | Bolsover | 266 | 0.30% |
| 298 | Torfaen | 254 | 0.30% |
| 299 | Selby | 246 | 0.30% |
| 300 | Pembrokeshire | 243 | 0.20% |
| 301 | Pendle | 242 | 0.30% |
| 302 | Barrow-in-Furness | 240 | 0.40% |
| 303 | Rutland | 236 | 0.60% |
| 304 | Babergh | 234 | 0.30% |
| 305 | Rossendale | 226 | 0.30% |
| 306 | Maldon | 224 | 0.30% |
| 307 | Wyre | 221 | 0.20% |
| 308 | Blaenau Gwent | 212 | 0.30% |
| 309 | Craven | 205 | 0.40% |
| 310 | Mid Suffolk | 204 | 0.20% |
| 311 | Staffordshire Moorlands | 199 | 0.20% |
| 312 | Teignbridge | 190 | 0.10% |
| 313 | Hambleton | 190 | 0.20% |
| 314 | Powys | 176 | 0.10% |
| 315 | Redcar and Cleveland | 175 | 0.10% |
| 316 | South Hams | 175 | 0.20% |
| 317 | Mid Devon | 168 | 0.20% |
| 318 | South Lakeland | 165 | 0.20% |
| 319 | Derbyshire Dales | 160 | 0.20% |
| 320 | High Peak | 140 | 0.20% |
| 321 | Forest of Dean | 139 | 0.20% |
| 322 | Eden | 133 | 0.20% |
| 323 | Copeland | 123 | 0.20% |
| 324 | North Norfolk | 110 | 0.10% |
| 325 | Allerdale | 103 | 0.10% |
| 326 | Isle of Anglesey | 94 | 0.10% |
| 327 | West Devon | 70 | 0.10% |
| 328 | Richmondshire | 68 | 0.10% |
| 329 | Torridge | 66 | 0.10% |
| 330 | Ryedale | 52 | 0.10% |
| 331 | Isles of Scilly | 0 | 0.00% |