Astrology Statistics UK: 2026 Data on Belief in Star Signs

How many people in the UK believe in astrology?

There is no single number — and that’s the most important thing to understand about UK astrology belief. When YouGov asked whether horoscopes can predict the future, just 8% of Britons said yes; when the question broadened to whether star signs can “tell you something” about a person, it rose to 20% (YouGov, 2015). A 2022 YouGov survey found 15% think a person’s star sign genuinely impacts their personality (YouGov, 2022). But ask instead whether your star sign’s personality description fits you, and the figure jumps to 41% (BRIN / YouGov). The honest answer to “how many Britons believe in astrology?” is: it depends what you mean by believe.

The “belief gap”

The astrologer and academic Nicholas Campion calls this range the “belief gap” — the zone of doubt between deep and shallow commitment. In his research, around 98% of one group knew their sun sign, 45% thought it described their personality, 25% said it can make accurate forecasts, and 20% thought the stars influence life on Earth; broader historic surveys have put “belief in astrology” as high as 73%, while Gallup-style questions have returned about 25% (Campion, via The Conversation). In other words, depending on the question, UK belief in astrology sits somewhere between roughly 8% and 73%.

Who believes? Gender predicts belief better than age

Gender

The clearest and most consistent divide is gender. In YouGov’s 2022 survey, 22% of women versus just 9% of men said star signs genuinely affect a person’s character, and in the BRIN/YouGov study women were more than twice as likely as men (55% vs 26%) to say their star sign’s characteristics described them. Three in ten Britons describe themselves as spiritual, again skewed female (35% of women vs 22% of men) (YouGov, 2022).

Age

YouGov’s own conclusion is that gender, rather than age, is the better predictor of spiritual belief in Britain (YouGov, 2022). The age picture is mixed rather than a simple “young people are replacing religion with astrology”: regular horoscope reading does skew younger — around 43% of 18–24s read one monthly or more (BRIN / YouGov) — but self-described spirituality is spread fairly evenly across ages, with older Britons if anything slightly more likely to call themselves spiritual (YouGov, 2022).

Reading habits and awareness

Astrological awareness is near-universal even where belief is shallow: over 90% of Britons can name their star sign, with only about 2% unsure. Regular engagement, though, is a minority habit — around 7% read a horoscope daily, 15% weekly and 13% monthly, while 39% never do, and regular readers are disproportionately women and under-25s (BRIN / YouGov).

Does astrology have a scientific basis?

No. Controlled studies have found no evidence supporting astrology’s claims, and it is not regarded as a science. In a YouGov cross-check experiment, respondents were shown an identical personality profile and horoscope prediction presented as personal to their star sign — 39% said the profile matched their own personality, but far fewer (13%) thought the prediction was accurate, a neat illustration of the “Barnum effect” that helps explain astrology’s appeal (BRIN / YouGov).

Frequently asked questions

What percentage of British people believe in astrology?

There is no single figure: it ranges from about 8% (horoscopes predicting the future) to 41% (star sign description fits your personality) to over 70% on the broadest measures — a range researchers call the “belief gap” (YouGov; Campion).

Do more women than men believe in astrology in the UK?

Yes, sharply. In YouGov’s 2022 survey 22% of women versus 9% of men said star signs genuinely affect character, and women were more than twice as likely (55% vs 26%) to say their star sign describes their personality.

Is astrology more popular with young people in the UK?

Horoscope reading skews younger — around 43% of 18–24s read one at least monthly — but self-described spirituality is fairly even across ages. YouGov’s conclusion is that gender predicts belief better than age.

How many Britons read their horoscope?

Over 90% know their star sign, but regular reading is a minority habit: about 7% read a horoscope daily, 15% weekly and 13% monthly, while 39% never do (BRIN / YouGov).

About this data

Produced by the editorial team at TarotCards.io, home to free tarot readings and astrology guides. Every figure is drawn from a named primary source, listed below, and the page is reviewed twice a year.

Related guides

• Astrology Statistics (US)
• Belief in Astrology by Country
• Tarot Statistics (UK)
• Best Places to Stargaze in Every US State

Sources & references

1. YouGov UK — “8% of Britons believe horoscopes can predict the future” (star signs telling you something; 2015)
2. YouGov UK — “What spiritual beliefs do Britons hold?” (star-sign impact 15%; gender gap; spirituality; 2022)
3. British Religion in Numbers / YouGov — “Who Believes in Horoscopes?” (personality-fit 41%; reading habits; awareness; Barnum experiment)
4. Nicholas Campion (The Conversation) — “How many people actually believe in astrology?” (the belief gap)