Humanists UK

The organisation's Articles of Association sets out its charitable aims as:

• The advancement of Humanism, namely a non-religious ethical lifestance the essential elements of which are a commitment to human wellbeing and a reliance on reason, experience and a naturalistic view of the world.
• The advancement of education and in particular the study of and the dissemination of knowledge about Humanism and about the arts and science as they relate to Humanism.
• The promotion of equality and non-discrimination and the protection of human rights as defined in international instruments to which the United Kingdom is party, in each case in particular as relates to religion and belief.
• The promotion of understanding between people holding religious and non-religious beliefs so as to advance harmonious cooperation in society.{{Cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/BHA-Articles-of-Association.pdf|title=BHA Articles of Association}}

Reflecting these, Humanists UK's 2021–2025 strategy defines its remit as:

{{quote|By advancing the humanist approach to life, we inspire and support non‑religious people to be happy, confident, and ethical, and we work with them for a better society.|Humanists UK strategy, 2021–2025}}

It defines its three strategic outcomes as:

1. More people knowing what humanism is and more people with humanist beliefs and values identifying themselves as humanists
2. More non-religious people living happier, more confident, and more ethical lives
3. More people enjoying greater freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of choice over their own lives

These three strands cover, broadly speaking, Humanists UK's education work, interfaith dialogue, and public awareness campaigns; the charity's support programmes offering direct support, including pastoral support and humanist ceremonies; and its public policy agenda, which includes lobbying on human rights and equalities issues.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/about/our-strategy/|title=Our strategy|work=Humanists UK|accessdate=9 December 2024}}

The organisation traces its origins to the Union of Ethical Societies, which was founded in 1896 under the leadership of American-born Stanton Coit. The Union brought together the numerous ethical societies existing in Britain.{{cite book |last=Spiller|first=G.|date= 1934|title=The Ethical Movement in Great Britain. A Documentary History|location=|publisher=London: The Farleigh Press|url=https://archive.org/details/ethicalmovementi029667mbp}} Amongst the important founding figures was Lady Elizabeth Swann (who presided over the inaugural conference). Other figures included the feminist writer Zona Vallance (its first Secretary), executive committee member May Seaton-Tiedeman (also a suffragist and divorce law campaigner){{Cite ODNB |last=Moyse |first=Cordelia |date=10 December 2020 |orig-date=23 September 2004 |title=Tiedeman, May Louise Seaton- (1862–1948), campaigner for divorce law reform |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-62692 |access-date=2024-11-25 |language=en |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/62692|isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 }} and the writer and critic Leslie Stephen (father of Virginia Woolf).{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2020/08/03/countdown-to-125th-humanists-uk-anniversary/|title=Countdown to 125th Humanists UK anniversary|work=Humanists UK|access-date=2 September 2020|date=3 August 2020}} Stephen served multiple terms as President of the West London Ethical Society.{{cite book|title=Leslie Stephen's life in letters: a bibliographical study|last=Fenwick|first=Gillian|page =125|year=1993}}

The Union of Ethical Societies changed its name to the Ethical Union in 1920 and was incorporated in 1928. In 1963 H. J. Blackham became the first executive director.{{cite journal |journal= New Humanist |title= Would life be better if we knew all the answers? |date= March–April 2009 |page= 3}}

In this period, the Ethical Union's projects focused on addressing legal and social barriers to non-religious people, as well as the needs of the urban poor, racial minorities, and elderly. Such projects included the Humanist Housing Association founded in 1955 (which exists today as Origin Housing),{{cite web|url=https://heritage.humanists.uk/humanist-housing-association/|title=Humanist Housing Association|work=Humanist Heritage|publisher=Humanists UK|access-date=9 December 2024}} the Agnostics Adoption Society, later known as the Independent Adoption Society (IAS) founded in 1963 (made obsolete in the 1980s by non-discrimination laws),{{cite web|url=https://heritage.humanists.uk/agnostics-adoption-society/|title=Agnostics Adoption Society

|work=Humanist Heritage|publisher=Humanists UK|access-date=9 December 2024}} and the Humanist Counselling Service in 1960 (partially subsumed by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy),{{cite web|url=https://heritage.humanists.uk/article/history-of-humanist-care/|title=History of Humanist Care

|work=Humanist Heritage|publisher=Humanists UK|access-date=9 December 2024}} and the umbrella network Secular Organisations for Sobriety (providing evidence-based, non-religious alternatives to the twelve-step programmes).

The Ethical Union became the British Humanist Association (BHA) in 1967, during the Presidency of philosopher A. J. Ayer.{{cite web |url= https://humanism.org.uk/about/our-history-since-1896/ |title= Our History since 1896 |access-date= 2 November 2013}} This transition followed a decade of discussions which nearly prompted a merger of the Ethical Union with the Rationalist Press Association and the South Place Ethical Society. In 1963 the first two went as far as creating an umbrella Humanist Association of which Harold Blackham was the executive director.

In the 1960s, the organisation campaigned for reform of the Education Act 1944's clauses on religion in schools and it was active in the campaign to legalise abortion and homosexuality. It supported repeal of Sunday Observance laws and the end of theatre censorship, the provision of family planning on the NHS and other reforms. More generally the BHA aimed to defend freedom of speech, support the elimination of world poverty and remove the privileges given to religious groups. It was claimed in 1977 that the BHA aimed "to make humanism available and meaningful to the millions who have no alternative belief."

File:'No Prayer Breakfast' event run by the British Humanist Association.jpg and Polly Toynbee, taking part in a No Prayer Breakfast event at the Labour Party Conference in 2012]]

The local ethical societies united in 1896 had (mainly during the 1950s) renamed themselves as humanist groups and their number grew over time, becoming today's network of affiliated local humanist groups. A network of celebrants able to conduct non-religious funerals, weddings, naming ceremonies and same sex affirmations (before the law allowing gay civil partnerships) was also developed and continues today as Humanist Ceremonies.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/ceremonies |title=Humanist Ceremonies | Non-Religious Ceremonies & Celebrations |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |access-date=14 October 2013}}

Social concerns persisted in the BHA's programme. The BHA was a co-founder in 1969 of the Social Morality Council (later transmuted into the Norham Foundation), which brought together believers and unbelievers concerned with moral education and with finding agreed solutions to moral problems in society.{{cite web |url= https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200203/jtselect/jtrights/117/117ap07.htm |title=Memorandum from the British Humanist Association |author= |date= 9 June 2003|website= |publisher= UK Parliament|access-date= 21 September 2024}} The BHA was active in arguing for voluntary euthanasia and the right to obtain an abortion. It has always sought an "open society". It is credited with substantially popularising the salience and use of the concept in Britain. In 1969 it held an influential conference, Towards an Open Society, at the Royal Festival Hall.{{cite web|title=Towards an Open Society|url=https://heritage.humanists.uk/towards-an-open-society/|work=Humanist Heritage|publisher=Humanists UK|accessdate=5 May 2021}}

Throughout the period, the number of people professing no religion grew steadily. This led to the creation of new programmes, as well as older programmes becoming redundant due to market forces stepping in or government action. For example, growing numbers of non-religious people led to numerous new housing associations forming which did not impose religious restrictions on who could use their services. The Humanist Housing Service was spun off from the BHA and acquired by a commercial provider. Meanwhile, the BHA's adoption service, whose focus had been non-discriminatory and interracial adoption, became obsolete following national anti-racism legislation. Still, new services came into being to suit the needs of the times, including the Humanist Bereavement Project. The Humanist Counselling Service, whose early work had been subsumed by the development of the BACP, was restarted in the 1990s response to growing awareness of discrimination and mistreatment of non-religious prisoners, hospital patients, and armed forces members in chaplaincy-based support services. This programme was re-established in 2016 as the Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network, together with other projects under a "Humanist Care" programme group. Humanist Care's other service reflected the changing demographics. Faith to Faithless was founded by ex-Muslim humanists to provide specialist support to people leaving high-control religions and cults, who are sometimes labelled apostates and subjected to shunning and honour-based violence.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2017/01/16/bha-announces-faith-to-faithless-integration-and-new-support-services-for-apostates/|title=BHA announces Faith to Faithless integration and new support services for 'apostates'|date=16 January 2017|accessdate=9 December 2024|work=Humanists UK}}

The BHA also campaigned for reform of BBC broadcasting policy, including preferential treatment of religions and "religious privilege" in broadcast scheduling.{{Cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/human-rights-and-equality/broadcasting/|title=Broadcasting}} Throughout the period, it told the BBC that its policy banning non-religious people from appearing on the Thought for the Day slot in Radio 4's Today programme was discriminatory. In April 2009 a "breakthrough" in the BHA's campaign saw Andrew Copson invited to participate as a humanist representative in the BBC's short-lived Standing Conference on Religion and Belief when it replaced the Central Religious Advisory Committee.{{cite web |url=http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9277 |title='Breakthrough' in religious broadcasting as humanist appointed to consultative committee |publisher=Ekklesia |access-date=14 October 2013 |archive-date=20 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520225109/http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9277 |url-status=dead }}

In May 2017, the BHA changed its operating name to Humanists UK. Its chief executive, Andrew Copson, said that the change followed "a long, evidence-driven process with focus groups of non-religious people across the UK and research involving over 4,000 of our supporters... Humanists UK represents not just a new logo, but a totally new, friendly look that captures the essence of humanism: open, inclusive, energetic, and modern, with people and their stories placed first and foremost...".[https://humanism.org.uk/2017/05/22/bha-becomes-humanists-uk/ "BHA becomes Humanists UK", Humanists UK, 22 May 2017]. Retrieved 23 May 2017

By the 2020s, Humanists UK had achieved several key victories in relation to its service provision. Following changed NHS England and prison service guidelines on pastoral care, non-religious pastoral carers were embedded in many NHS trusts and local prisons as an example of best practice, and Humanists UK was an integral part of the spiritual care sector.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2024/02/09/humanists-uks-clare-elcombe-webber-elected-chair-of-uk-body-for-hospital-chaplaincy-and-pastoral-support/|title=Humanists UK's Clare Elcombe Webber elected chair of UK body for hospital chaplaincy and pastoral support|date=9 February 2024|accessdate=9 December 2024|work=Humanists UK}}{{cite web|title=New NHS guidelines mandate equality in non-religious and religious pastoral care|url=https://humanists.uk/2023/08/03/new-nhs-guidelines-mandate-equality-in-non-religious-and-religious-pastoral/|date=3 August 2023|accessdate=9 December 2024|work=Humanists UK}} In 2023, the Ministry of Defence awarded Humanists UK endorsing authority status to provide humanist pastoral carers to serve alongside religious chaplains in the army, navy, and air force.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2023/11/30/armed-forces-to-recruit-first-non-religious-pastoral-officers/|title=Armed forces to recruit first non-religious pastoral officers|date=30 November 2023|accessdate=9 December 2024|work=Humanist UK|publisher=Humanists UK}} The Welsh Parliament also appointed a humanist pastoral carer to Welsh politicians, reflecting the significant non-religious population in Wales.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2023/10/03/humanist-pastoral-carer-hired-for-senedd/|date=3 October 2023|accessdate=9 December 2024|title=Humanist pastoral carer hired for Senedd|work=Humanists UK}}

During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, Humanists UK was part of the Government's moral and ethical advisory group, on the basis that humanists conducted a more significant share of British funerals than many religions. At the peak of the first national lockdown, Humanists UK organised a virtual "national memorial ceremony" led by its then-President Alice Roberts, Mark Gatiss, Joan Bakewell and others.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2020/06/15/humanist-national-memorial-ceremony-to-mark-three-months-since-lockdown/|title=Humanist National Memorial Ceremony to mark three months since lockdown|date=15 June 2020|accessdate=9 December 2024|work=Humanists UK}} Humanist funeral celebrants and pastoral carers were designated as "key workers" during lockdowns in the United Kingdom, and Humanists UK directed thousands of its members towards volunteering with mutual aid programmes and food banks,{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2024/02/15/humanists-in-the-community-new-study-to-measure-contributions-of-non-religious/|title=Humanists in the community: new study to measure contributions of non-religious|date=15 February 2024|work=Humanists UK|accessdate=9 December 2024}} and in support of the Covid vaccine rollout.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2021/06/02/humanists-and-christians-urge-as-many-as-possible-to-get-vaccinated-against-covid-19/|title=Humanists and Christians urge as many as possible to get vaccinated against Covid-19|date=2 June 2021|accessdate=9 December 2024|work=Humanists UK}} Humanists UK's Chief Executive was also invited by NHS England to lead a national ceremony of commemoration for NHS staff in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2021/07/03/humanists-uk-chief-executive-leads-nhs-england-national-memorial-to-workers-who-died-during-pandemic/|title=Humanists UK Chief Executive leads NHS England national memorial to workers who died during pandemic|work=Humanists UK|accessdate=9 December 2024|date=3 July 2021}}

A number of perennial humanist campaigns saw success or significant progress in the late 2010s and early 2020s, including the legal recognition of humanist weddings in Northern Ireland and Jersey. Humanists UK also counted other wins around organ donation registers across the UK,{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2020/09/07/humanists-uk-celebrates-organ-donation-week-and-new-organ-donation-laws/|work=Humanists UK|access-date=9 December 2024|title=Humanists UK celebrates Organ Donation Week and new organ donation laws}}{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2023/06/01/northern-ireland-humanists-welcome-opt-out-organ-donation-law/|title=Northern Ireland Humanists welcome opt-out organ donation law|work=Humanists UK|access-date=9 December 2024}} same-sex marriage and legal abortion in Northern Ireland{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2019/10/21/extraordinaryday-as-northern-ireland-legalises-abortion-same-sex-marriage/|title='Extraordinary' day as Northern Ireland legalises abortion, same-sex marriage|work=Humanists UK|access-date=9 December 2024}} (later itself conducting the first same-sex marriages),{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2020/02/11/equality-for-lgbt-couples-as-northern-ireland-sees-first-legal-same-sex-marriage/|title=Equality for LGBT couples as Northern Ireland sees first legal same-sex marriage|work=Humanists UK|access-date=9 December 2024}} legal changes to allow early stage at-home terminations of pregnancy,{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2022/08/30/at-home-abortions-become-permanently-available-in-england-and-wales/|title=At-home abortions become permanently available in England and Wales|date=30 August 2022|work=Humanists UK|access-date=9 December 2024|publisher=Humanists UK}} and the creation of Safe Access Zones around abortion clinics in response to rising levels of harassment experienced there.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2024/10/31/abortion-safe-access-zones-come-into-force-in-england-and-wales/|title=Abortion safe access zones come into force in England and Wales|date=31 October 2024|work=Humanists UK|access-date=9 December 2024}} A major legal win concerning Religious Education curriculums in 2022 also led to humanists joining most Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education as full members.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2024/09/04/unprecedented-surge-in-humanists-on-religious-education-councils-after-high-court-win/|title=Unprecedented surge in humanists on Religious Education councils after High Court win|date=4 September 2024|work=Humanists UK|access-date=9 December 2024}}

In 2021, Humanists UK celebrated its 125th anniversary. It launched a new [https://heritage.humanists.uk/ Humanist Heritage website], cataloguing much of its 125-year history and the wider history of humanism in the UK,{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2021/04/28/new-resource-unearths-the-uks-humanist-history-as-humanists-uk-celebrates-125-years/|title=New resource unearths the UK's humanist history as Humanists UK celebrates 125 years|date=28 April 2021|accessdate=5 May 2021|work=Humanists UK}} and received cross-party video messages of congratulations from the Leader of the Opposition and Labour, Sir Keir Starmer; the First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon; from the leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Edward Davey; the co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, Siân Berry; and a warm letter of thanks from the Conservative UK Government.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2021/05/05/party-leaders-give-thanks-to-humanists-at-humanists-uk-125th-anniversary/|title=Party leaders give thanks to humanists at Humanists UK 125th anniversary|date=5 May 2021|accessdate=5 May 2021|work=Humanists UK}}

In 2025, Humanists UK announced that it had completed a merger with the Rationalist Association after "more than a century" of close collaboration. This change saw Humanists UK take over the RA's responsibilities as the publisher of New Humanist magazine, transforming New Humanist into "the UK's newest major print publication", with more than 26,000 print subscribers and an online readership of more than 130,000.{{cite news|url=https://humanists.uk/2025/03/13/new-humanist-magazine-joins-humanists-uk/|title=New Humanist magazine joins Humanists UK|date=13 March 2025|accessdate=13 March 2025|work=Humanists UK}}

Humanists UK continues to work closely with Conway Hall Ethical Society (formerly the South Place Ethical Society), the UK's other longstanding humanist charity.

The organisation opposes faith schools because "The majority of the evidence [...] points towards their being an unfair and unpopular part of our state education system which the majority of people in Britain want them phased out."{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10342489/Faith-schools-protests-dragging-children-into-ideological-battleground-bishop.html |title= Faith schools protests dragging children into ideological 'battleground' – bishop |date= 30 September 2013 |access-date= 5 November 2013 |work= The Telegraph |first= John |last= Bingham |location=London}} In addition, they argue that faith schools are "exclusive, divisive and counter intuitive to social cohesion" and blame religious admissions procedures for "creating school populations that are far from representative of their local populations in religious or socio-economic terms."{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/religion-and-schools/faith-schools |title='Faith' schools » British Humanist Association |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |access-date=14 October 2013}}

While the organisation is opposed to faith schools receiving any state funding whatsoever, it supports the Fair Admissions Campaign which has a more limited scope because "it furthers our aims of ending religious discrimination and segregation in state schools; and secondly because we know how important this particular topic is."{{cite web|title=Fair Admissions Campaign|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/schools-and-education/faith-schools/fair-admissions-campaign/|publisher=British Humanist Association|access-date=2 November 2013}} The organisation campaigns for reform of Religious Education in the UK including a reformed subject covered by the national curriculum which is inclusive of non-religious viewpoints, such as "Belief and Values Education". They believe that "all pupils in all types of school should have the opportunity to consider philosophical and fundamental questions, and that in a pluralist society we should learn about each other's beliefs, including humanist ones".{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/religion-and-schools/religious-education |title=Religious Education » British Humanist Association |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |access-date=14 October 2013}}

Humanists UK President-elect Alice Roberts was criticised for sending her child to a faith school,{{cite news |last=Hellen |first=Nicholas |date=11 November 2018 |title=Stop funding faith, says BBC presenter Alice Roberts with children at church school |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/stop-funding-faith-says-bbc-presenter-with-children-at-church-school-08xx2r7g2 |work=The Times |access-date=8 April 2020 }} despite Humanists UK's campaign against state-funded religious schools. She responded that this was the very point of the campaign: that she, like many other parents, had little choice over where to send her child{{cite news |last=Hellen |first=Nicholas |date=8 December 2018 |title=Thousands of children given faith schools against parents' wishes |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/thousands-of-children-given-faith-schools-against-parents-wishes-q6s632wxp |work=The Times |access-date=18 December 2020 }} and that she would have preferred a non-faith school option local to her.{{cite news |date=18 November 2018 |title=Response to Sunday Times piece regarding Alice Roberts |url=https://humanism.org.uk/2018/11/18/response-to-sunday-times-piece-regarding-alice-roberts/

|work=Humanists UK |access-date=18 December 2020 }}

Humanists UK also support humanist volunteers on the local Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education which currently determine the Religious Education syllabus for each local authority. Educational issues have always featured prominently in Humanists UK campaigns activities, including efforts to abolish compulsory daily collective worship in schools and to reform Religious Education so that it is "Objective, Fair and Balanced" (the title of an influential 1975 booklet) and includes learning about humanism as an alternative life stance.

The organisation opposes the teaching of creationism in schools. In September 2011, Humanists UK launched their "Teach evolution, not creationism" campaign,{{cite web |url= http://evolutionnotcreationism.org.uk/ |title= Teach evolution, not creationism! |access-date= 2 November 2013}} which aimed to establish statutory opposition to creationism in the UK education system.{{cite web |url= http://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/bha-british-humanist-association/article/bha-government-changes-rules-to-require-free-schools-to-teac |title= BHA: Government changes rules to require Free Schools to teach evolution |date= 30 November 2012 |work= British Humanist Association |publisher= politics.co.uk |access-date= 2 November 2013 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131103133137/http://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/bha-british-humanist-association/article/bha-government-changes-rules-to-require-free-schools-to-teac |archive-date= 3 November 2013 |df= dmy-all }} The Department for Education amended the funding agreement for free schools to allow the withdrawal of funding if they teach creationism as established scientific fact.{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/jan/15/free-schools-creationism-intelligent-design | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=Jamie | last=Doward | title=Richard Dawkins celebrates a victory over creationists | date=15 January 2012}} In 2019, Humanists UK's Wales Humanists branch revived the campaign in partnership with David Attenborough after the Welsh Department of Education omitted to include similar safeguards against teaching creationism in schools.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-49579519|title=Scientists want creationism teaching ban in Welsh schools|work=BBC News Online|access-date=5 November 2019|date=5 September 2019}}

Humanists UK has long campaigned in opposition to collective worship laws in the UK which require all schools to hold school assemblies "of a broadly Christian character". In 2019, the charity backed two parents to take a human rights challenge to those laws, arguing that the state had a duty to treat non-religious pupils equally and by effectively isolating those who withdraw from compulsory worship, discrimination occurs.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/jul/29/parents-launch-court-action-over-christian-school-assemblies|last=Sherwood|first=Harriet|work=The Guardian|access-date= 5 November 2019|date=29 July 2019|title=Parents launch court action over Christian school assemblies}} Later that year, Humanists UK launched a new website, [https://assembliesforall.org.uk/ Assemblies for All], which compiles school assembly resources from NGOs, charities, government sources, the BBC, and businesses to make it possible for teachers and school leaders to put on "inclusive assemblies" on diverse topics – including the environment, mental health, and public holidays – as opposed to the collective worship required by law.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/nov/03/humanists-uk-secular-school-assemblies-for-all|title=Humanists UK launch religious-free assembly materials for schools|date=3 November 2019|access-date=5 November 2019|work=The Guardian|last=McDonald|first=Henry}}

Through its education website Understanding Humanism, the charity also provides resources to teachers who want to include humanist perspectives and information about humanism in lessons.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2016/05/10/bha-launches-new-website-providing-free-resources-to-help-re-teachers-teach-about-humanism/|title=BHA launches new website providing free resources to help RE teachers teach about Humanism|access-date=5 November 2019|date=10 May 2016|work=Humanists UK}}

{{Main|Constitution of the United Kingdom|constitutional reform in the United Kingdom|reform of the House of Lords}}

{{See also|Separation of church and state}}

The organisation campaigns for a secular state, which it defines as "a state where public institutions are separate from religious institutions and treat all citizens impartially regardless of their religious or non-religious beliefs."{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/constitutional-reform |title=Constitutional reform » British Humanist Association |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |access-date=14 October 2013}} It points to issues such as the joint role of the British monarch (both Supreme Governor of the Church of England and Head of State), the reserved places for bishops in the House of Lords, the status of the Church of England (the officially established church{{cite web |url=http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/history/ |title=The History of The Church of England |publisher=Cofe.anglican.org |access-date=14 October 2013 |archive-date=21 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221212004/http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/history |url-status=dead }}), and other "discriminations based on religion or belief within the system" such as those in education and Public Services.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/public-service-reform |title=Public service reform » British Humanist Association |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |access-date=14 October 2013}}

File:Richard Dawkins speaking at the British Humanist Association Annual Conference.jpg accepting the Services to Humanism award at Humanists UK Annual Conference in 2012]]

Humanists UK has supported the rights for those who need assistance in ending their own lives, and lobbied parliament for a change in the law,{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23506186 |title= Right-to-die campaigners Nicklinson and Lamb lose battle |date= 31 July 2013 |access-date= 5 November 2013 |work= BBC News}} on behalf of Tony Nicklinson and Paul Lamb, in their 'Right to Die' legal cases.{{cite web |url= http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/05/assisted-dying-isnt-contested-religious-grounds-its-about-power-paternalism-and-con |title= Assisted dying isn't contested on religious grounds – it's about power, paternalism and control |date= 14 May 2013 |access-date= 5 November 2013 |first= Nelson |last= Jones |work= New Statesman}} In 2014, it intervened in a Supreme Court case in which the court stated it would rule again on a potential declaration of incompatibility between restrictions on the right to die and the Human Rights Act should Parliament fail to legislate decisively.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/public-ethical-issues/assisted-dying/| work=British Humanist Association | title=Assisted dying | access-date=20 October 2016}} In February 2019 they helped form the Assisted Dying Coalition, a group of like-minded campaign groups seeking to legalise assisted dying for the terminally ill or incurably suffering.{{cite web |title=UK's first Assisted Dying Coalition formed to campaign for millions who want right to die |url=http://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/humanists-uk/article/uk-s-first-assisted-dying-coalition-formed-to-campaign-for-m |website=politics.co.uk |access-date=11 February 2019 |archive-date=10 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210182650/http://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/humanists-uk/article/uk-s-first-assisted-dying-coalition-formed-to-campaign-for-m |url-status=dead }}

Persistent campaigns include defending legal abortion in Great Britain and securing its decriminalisation and its legalisation in Northern Ireland,{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/public-ethical-issues/sexual-and-reproductive-rights/ |title=Sexual and reproductive rights » British Humanist Association |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |access-date=13 October 2016}} defending embryonic stem cell research for medical purposes,{{cite web| url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/public-ethical-issues/human-tissues/ | work=British Humanist Association | title=Human tissues | access-date=20 March 2013}} challenging the state funding of homeopathy through the National Health Service,{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/public-ethical-issues/homeopathy/|title=Homeopathy » British Humanist Association |access-date=13 October 2016 | publisher= humanism.org.uk}} and calling for consistent and humane law on the slaughter of animals.{{cite web| url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/public-ethical-issues/animal-welfare/ | work=British Humanist Association | title=Animal welfare | access-date=20 March 2013}} It has also campaigned for 'opt-out' organ donor registers to improve the availability of life-saving organs in the UK; Wales became the first part of the UK to adopt such a register in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/public-ethical-issues/organ-donation/|title=Organ donation|work=British Humanist Association|access-date=13 October 2016}} Jersey followed in 2019, to be followed by England in 2020.

The organisation also campaigns on marriage laws, demanding full equality for same-sex and humanist marriage ceremonies throughout the UK. Humanists UK had been providing same-sex wedding ceremonies for decades, and had strongly supported legalising same-sex marriage years in advance of eventual UK and Scottish legislation.{{cite news|last=Lennard|first=Derek|work=HumanistLife|publisher=British Humanist Association|date=4 April 2014|access-date=12 August 2015|url=http://humanistlife.org.uk/2014/04/04/galhas-journey-to-success/|title=Galha's journey to success}}{{cite news|last=Copson|first=Andrew|author-link=Andrew Copson|work=PinkNews|title=Humanists have always been champions of LGBT rights|date=21 June 2015|access-date=12 August 2015|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/06/21/comment-humanists-have-always-been-champions-of-lgbt-rights/}} In 2013, it secured an amendment to the same sex-marriage bill to require UK Government to consult on letting humanist celebrants conduct legal marriages. Though the consultation result strongly indicated that legalisation should go ahead, ministers have so far declined to use the order-making powers to effect the change. It also campaigns for same-sex and humanist marriages in Northern Ireland.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/marriage-laws |title=Marriage laws » British Humanist Association |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |access-date=13 October 2016}} In 2017, it supported a humanist couple to challenge Northern Ireland's refusal to give legal recognition to humanist marriages through the High Court in Belfast,{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2017/05/23/friday-hearing-in-northern-ireland-couples-case-for-legal-humanist-marriage/|title=Friday hearing in Northern Ireland couple's case for legal humanist marriage|work=Humanists UK|access-date=26 May 2017|date=23 May 2017}} which resulted in legalisation of humanist marriages in Northern Ireland in June 2017.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2017/06/09/success-couple-win-challenge-to-lack-of-legal-recognition-of-humanist-marriages-in-northern-ireland/|title=Success! Couple win challenge to lack of legal recognition of humanist marriages in Northern Ireland|work=Humanists UK|access-date=9 June 2017|date=9 June 2017}} After campaigning to legalise same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland, it celebrated its success with a promotional billboards across Belfast emblazoned, 'Love wins for everybody', advertising humanist ceremonies.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2019/11/05/humanists-launch-northern-irelands-first-billboards-advertising-legal-same-sex-marriages/|title=Humanists launch Northern Ireland's first billboards advertising legal same-sex marriages|work=Humanists UK|date=5 November 2019|access-date=5 November 2019}}

The charity has been consistently supportive of LGBT rights across its history. It was also among the first organisations to protest Section 28 in the late 1980s, and was one of the most vocal and longstanding advocates of a ban on gay conversion therapy, which it denounces as "religious pseudoscience" with harmful consequences. This eventually led to a 2018 commitment from the UK Government to ban the practice.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/human-rights-and-equality/conversion-therapy/|title=Ending 'conversion therapy'|work=Humanists UK|access-date=5 November 2019}} Its humanist celebrants conducted non-legal partnership/wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples for many decades prior to the law changing.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/human-rights-and-equality/same-sex-marriages/|title=Same-sex marriages|work=Humanists UK|access-date=5 November 2019}}

Many of its campaigns are based on free speech and human rights legislation and it has based much of its campaigning on the Human Rights Act 1998.{{cite web |url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/human-rights/human-rights-act-1998-and-the-meaning-of-public-authority |title=Meaning of 'Public Authority' » British Humanist Association |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |access-date=14 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115090714/http://www.humanism.org.uk/campaigns/human-rights/human-rights-act-1998-and-the-meaning-of-public-authority/ |archive-date=15 January 2013 }} In 2008, the blasphemy law was repealed, an issue over which Humanists UK had long campaigned.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/free-speech/Blasphemy |title=Blasphemy » British Humanist Association |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |access-date=14 October 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/6539 |title=New Commons push for an end to Britain's blasphemy laws |publisher=Ekklesia |access-date=14 October 2013 |archive-date=3 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103111801/http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/6539 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3753408.stm |title=UK | Q & A: Blasphemy law |publisher=BBC News |date=18 October 2004 |access-date=14 October 2013}}{{cite web|author=Peter Tatchell |url=http://newhumanist.org.uk/548 |title=Blasphemy Law is dead | Rationalist Association |publisher=Newhumanist.org.uk |date=11 July 1977 |access-date=14 October 2013}} It sought unification of existing anti-discrimination legislation and contributed to the Discrimination Law Review which developed the Equality Act 2006 and then the Equality Act 2010.{{cite web

|url = https://humanism.org.uk/site/cms/contentViewArticle.asp?article=2136

|title = Working towards a Single Equality Act: The Government's Equalities Review and Discrimination Law Review

|publisher = The British Humanist Association

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071026081224/http://www.humanism.org.uk/site/cms/contentviewarticle.asp?article=2136

|archive-date = 26 October 2007

|df = dmy-all

}}

{{Blockquote|The BHA's thorough research helped many of us to make informed and better-argued contributions to debates, particularly on complex ethical issues which arise in this House by the year. In the field of human rights, the BHA also helped us to refine the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill, the Equality Act 2006 and, of course, the current Equality Bill, which I trust will be passed in the last days of this Parliament without too much compromise. Some noble Lords with whom we have differed may feel that we humanists have had too much to say in controversies about education, but we make no apology for trying to improve the teaching on sex in schools, nor for our opposition to the teaching of creationism as science.|Lord Macdonald of Tradeston expresses gratitude for the BHA in Parliament, 18 March 2000{{cite hansard |jurisdiction=United Kingdom |title=British Humanist Association: Reports |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2010-03-18/debates/10031838000669/BritishHumanistAssociationReports |house= House of Lords|date=18 March 2000 |volume=718 |speaker=Gus Macdonald |position= Life peer}}

}}

In January 2008 Humanists UK (known as the BHA at the time) and the National Secular Society approached the Scouts Association about a conflict between the claims of inclusivity on their website and their oath.{{cite news |url= https://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/humanists-uk/article/bha-scouts-honour |title= BHA: Scouts' honour? |work= Politics.co.uk |date= 31 January 2008 |access-date= 19 December 2020 |archive-date= 27 September 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200927202300/https://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/humanists-uk/article/bha-scouts-honour |url-status= dead }} In February 2008 journalists Bryan Appleyard and Deborah Orr criticised both Humanists UK and the National Secular Society for the (ultimately successful) campaign to end discrimination against non-religious children in the Scouts' Oath of Allegiance.{{cite web |url= http://bappleyard.blogspot.co.uk/2008/02/oh-grow-up.php |title= Oh Grow Up! |date= 1 February 2008 |first= Bryan |last= Appleyard}}{{cite news |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/deborah-orr/deborah-orr-labour-promised-social-justice-along-with-economic-competence-it-failed-777229.html |first= Deborah |last= Orr |title= Labour promised social justice along with economic competence. It failed ... |work= The Independent |location=London |date=2 February 2008}} In April 2008 Jonathan Petre, The Daily Telegraph religious affairs journalist, countered this position pointing out that the Scout Oath of Allegiance was discriminatory.{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1577146/Scout%27s-oath-%27is-religious-discrimination%27.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080519182902/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1577146/Scout%27s-oath-%27is-religious-discrimination%27.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 19 May 2008 |title= Scout's oath 'is religious discrimination' |first= Jonathan |last= Petre |work= Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=12 April 2008}} After consultation with Humanists UK over a five-year period, Girlguiding UK in June 2013 and eventually the UK Scout Association in October 2013 recognised the discrimination and amended their oaths to accommodate non-religious young people from 1 January 2014.{{cite news |url= https://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2013/10/08/scouts-offer-atheist-options-but-cling-to-christian-oath |title= Scouts offer atheist options – but cling to Christian oath |work= Politics.co.uk |date=8 October 2013}}{{cite news |last=Vesterinen |first=Anna |date=8 October 2013 |title=Scouts unveil new secular pledge|url=https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/4366/scouts-unveil-new-secular-pledge |work=New Humanist |access-date=18 December 2020 }}

In the 2020s, Humanists UK was one of the charities at the forefront of campaigns to defend the Human Rights Act and the freedom to instigate judicial review from threats of being watered down or repealed.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2020/10/27/restricting-judicial-review-risks-undermining-fundamental-freedoms-warns-humanists-uk/|title=Restricting judicial review risks undermining fundamental freedoms, warns Humanists UK|work=Humanists UK|access-date=9 February 2021|date=27 October 2020}} It assembled a large civil society coalition of charities, trade unions, and human rights organisations speaking in defence of the present settlement.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2020/10/19/over-100-organisations-come-together-to-protect-human-rights-and-access-to-law/|title=Over 100 organisations come together to protect human rights and access to law|work=Humanists UK|access-date=9 February 2021|date=27 October 2020}}

{{Redirect|Resolution Revolution|the song by the Linda Lindas|Resolution/Revolution}}File:Ariane Sherine and Richard Dawkins at the Atheist Bus Campaign launch.jpg

On 21 October 2008, Humanists UK lent its official support to Guardian journalist Ariane Sherine as she launched a fundraising drive to raise money for the UK's first atheist advertising campaign, the Atheist Bus Campaign. The campaign aimed to raise funds to place the slogan "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life" on the sides of 30 London buses for four weeks in January 2009. Expecting to raise £5,500 over six months, the atheist author Richard Dawkins agreed to match donations up to £5,500 to make £11,000 total.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7681914.stm | work=BBC News | title='No God' slogans for city's buses | date=21 October 2008 | access-date=27 April 2010}} The campaign raised more than £153,000,{{cite web|author=British Humanist Association |url=http://www.justgiving.com/atheistbus |title=Atheist Bus Campaign Official is fundraising for British Humanist Association |publisher=Justgiving.com |access-date=14 October 2013}} enabling a nationwide advertising campaign to be launched on 6 January 2009.

On 8 January 2009 Christian Voice announced they had made an official complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority asserting that the Atheist Bus slogan broke rules on "substantiation and truthfulness".{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7818980.stm | work=BBC News | title='No God' campaign draws complaint | date=8 January 2009 | access-date=27 April 2010}} In total the ASA received 326 complaints about the campaign, with many claiming that the wording was offensive to the religious,{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7842769.stm |title= Atheist ads 'not breaking code' |date= 21 January 2009 |access-date= 2 November 2013 |work= BBC News}} however Humanists UK contested the complaint and commented on the plausibility of the ASA making a claim as to the "probability of God's existence".{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/news/view/203 |title=Stephen Green challenges Atheist Bus adverts: BHA responds » British Humanist Association |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |date=8 January 2009 |access-date=14 October 2013}} Robert Winston criticised the campaign as "arrogant".{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theoneshow/backstage/2009/02/what-did-you-think-of-the-show-82.html |title=The One Show – Backstage Blog: What did you think of the show? (03/02/09) |publisher=BBC |date=3 February 2009 |access-date=14 October 2013}} The ASA ruled that the slogan was not in breach of advertising code.

In 2011, Humanists UK campaigned to get atheists, agnostics and other non-believers to tick the "no religion" box in response to the optional religion question in the 2011 census (as opposed to writing in either a joke religion like "Jedi" or ticking the religion one grew up in). Humanists UK believed the question was worded in such a way as to increase the number of currently non-religious or nominally religious people who list the religion they grew up in rather than their current religious views, and thus the results would have been skewed to make the country seem more religious than it actually is. Humanists UK believes that this supposed overstatement of religious belief creates a situation where "public policy in matters of religion and belief will unduly favour religious lobbies and discriminate against people who do not live their lives under religion".{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12637201 |title=Humanist religious question census campaign launched |date= 4 March 2011 |access-date= 2 November 2013 |publisher= BBC News |first= John |last= McManus}}

Posters for the campaign which used the slogan "If you're not religious, for God's sake say so" were refused by companies owning advertising hoardings in railway stations following advice from the Advertising Standards Authority who believe the adverts had "the potential to cause widespread and serious offence".{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/mar/04/humanist-census-posters |title= Humanist census posters banned from railway stations |first= Alan |last= Travis |work= The Guardian |date= 4 March 2011 |access-date= 2 November 2013 |location=London}}

The Census results for England and Wales showed that 14.1 million people, about a quarter of the entire population (25%), stated they had no religion at all, a rise of 6.4 million since the 2001 census. Humanists UK said the fall in the number of Christians from 72% to below 60% was "astounding", and calculated that they could be in a minority by 2018.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/dec/11/census-religion-decline-rise-born-abroad|title=Census reveals decline of Christianity – Guardian|access-date=12 December 2012|publisher=Guardian | location=London| date=12 December 2012|first=Robert|last=Booth}}

Set up in 2010, the Resolution Revolution campaign aims to "[recast] the tired old New Year resolution – so often about breaking a negative habit – as a pledge to do something positive for others".{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/mortarboard/2010/dec/07/christmas-in-the-classroom | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=Joanne | last=Knowles | title=A new twist on New Year's resolutions | date=6 December 2010}} Participation is open to all and not restricted to humanists or the non-religious.{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12049142 |title= Humanists call for new year resolutions to help others |date= 30 December 2010 |access-date= 5 November 2013 |first= John |last= McManus |work= BBC News}}

{{Blockquote|New Year is a time for renewal – but beyond diets and gyms, not just for ourselves. Resolution Revolution is a humanist social action initiative, turning good intentions outwards to others. The more people that get involved, even in a small way, the bigger the impact is. Spending cuts don't make a cohesive society, but generous actions do.|Polly Toynbee{{cite web |url=https://humanism.org.uk/news/view/714 |title=Resolution Revolution encourages us to make 'social resolutions' this New Year |access-date=14 May 2011}}}}

In 2014, Humanists UK launched two public awareness campaigns. The first, called "That's Humanism!", was an Internet-based campaign revolving around four videos on humanist responses to ethics, happiness, death, and the scientific method, as narrated by its distinguished supporter, Stephen Fry. The videos, which were widely shared on social media, were intended to introduce non-religious people who were humanist in their outlook to the existence of a community of like-minded people living their lives on the basis of reason and empathy.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/stephen-frys-humanist-secret-of-happiness-is-the-best-thing-youll-watch-today-9214536.html|title=Stephen Fry's humanist secret of happiness is the best thing you'll watch today|work=The Independent|last=Selby|first=Jenn|access-date=13 October 2014|date=25 March 2014}} The second campaign, called "Thought for the Commute", was a London Underground campaign featuring posters depicting humanist responses from Virginia Woolf, George Eliot, Bertrand Russell and A.C. Grayling to the question "What's it all for?" The campaign intended to be a positive introduction to Humanism for commuters, as well as to highlight the exclusion of humanist voices from BBC slots such as Thought for the Day. After announcing that it intended to replicate it in other UK cities,{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/whats-the-point-of-it-all-british-humanist-association-gives-commuters-the-answer-9747559.html|title=British Humanist Association launches Tube poster campaign as antidote to Thought for the Day|last=Lusher|first=Adam|work=The Independent|access-date=13 October 2014|date=22 September 2014}}{{cite news|last=Bingham|first=John|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11113611/Where-is-my-train-and-where-are-we-all-going-Humanists-urge-commuters-to-ponder-meaning-of-life.html|date=22 September 2014|access-date=13 October 2014|title=Where is my train and where are we all going? Humanists urge commuters to ponder meaning of life}} the campaign moved to bus posters in Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool for four weeks in November and December 2014, this time depicting humanist responses from Jim Al-Khalili, Jawaharlal Nehru, Natalie Haynes and Russell once again.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2014/11/13/thought-commute-bus-poster-campaign-launches-across-manchester-liverpool-birmingham/|title='Thought for the Commute' bus poster campaign launches across Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham|date=13 November 2014|access-date=29 December 2014|work=British Humanist Association}}

{| class="wikitable"

|+

|#

| colspan="2" |President

|Year(s) of Presidency

|Source

|-

|1

| colspan="1" |Dr. John Stuart MacKenzie

|

|1918–1921

| rowspan="16" |Annual Reports{{cite archive|item=Annual Reports of the Union of Ethical Societies|item-url=https://internetserver.bishopsgate.org.uk/Details/archive/110028005|item-id=|date=1913–1946|page=|pages=|fonds=|series=Congress Minutes and Papers, 1913-1991|file=Minute Book|collection=British Humanist Association|collection-url=https://internetserver.bishopsgate.org.uk/Details/archive/110012192|institution=Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives|location=London|oclc=|accession=|ref=BHA/1/1/1}}

|-

|2

|J. A. Hobson

|File:J. A. Hobson.jpg

|1921

|-

|3

|Professor John Henry Muirhead

|

|1922

|-

|4

|Professor Leonard Trelawny Hobhouse

|File:Leonard Trelawny Hobhouse, c1910.jpg

|1923

|-

|5

|Professor Graham Wallas

|File:Graham Wallas, c1920s.jpg

|1924

|-

|6

| colspan="1" |Dr. Felix Adler

|File:Felix Adler MET ap15.81.jpg

|1925–1926

|-

|7

| colspan="1" |Professor Frederick Soddy

|File:Frederick Soddy.jpg

|1927–1928

|-

|8

| colspan="1" |Professor Gilbert Murray

|File:Gilbert Murray.jpg

|1929–1930

|-

|9

| colspan="1" |Lord Snell

|File:ירושלים - הרי סנל חבר ועדת החקירה - ב"כ הפועלים-JNF018734.jpeg

|1931–1932

|-

|10

| colspan="1" |Dr. George Peabody Gooch

|File:George Gooch.png

|1933–1934

|-

|11

| colspan="1" |Professor G. E. Moore

|File:1914 George Edward Moore (cropped).jpg

|1935–1936

|-

|12

| colspan="1" |Dr. Cecil Delisle Burns

|File:C. Delisle Burns.jpg

|1937–1938

|-

|13

| colspan="1" |Dr. Stanton Coit

|File:Stanton Coit 001.jpg

|1939–1940

|-

|14

| colspan="1" |Professor Susan Stebbing

|

|1941–1942

|-

|15

| colspan="1" |Professor John Laird

|

|1943–1944

|-

|16

| colspan="1" |H. N. Brailsford

|

|1945–1946

|-

|17

| colspan="1" |Sir Richard Gregory

|

|1947–1950

| rowspan="5" |Annual Reports{{cite archive|item=Annual Reports of the Ethical Union|item-url=https://internetserver.bishopsgate.org.uk/Details/archive/110028006|item-id=|date=1946–1967|page=|pages=|fonds=|series=Congress Minutes and Papers, 1913-1991|file=Minute Book|collection=British Humanist Association|collection-url=https://internetserver.bishopsgate.org.uk/Details/archive/110012192|institution=Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives|location=London|oclc=|accession=|ref=BHA/1/1/2}}

|-

|18

| colspan="1" |Lord Chorley

|File:Professor Theodore Chorley, 1978.jpg

|1951–1953

|-

|19

| colspan="1" |Professor Morris Ginsberg

|File:Morris Ginsberg , c1923.jpg

|1954–1957

|-

|20

| colspan="1" |Sir Julian Huxley (to May 1965)

|File:Julian Huxley 1-2.jpg

|1958–1965

|-

|21

| colspan="1" |Professor Sir A. J. Ayer (to January 1970)

|

|1966–1969

|-

|22

| colspan="1" |Sir Edmund Leach

|

|1970–1971

| rowspan="5" |Annual Reports{{cite archive|item=Annual Reports|item-url=https://internetserver.bishopsgate.org.uk/Details/archive/110028382|item-id=|date=1964–1991|page=|pages=|fonds=|series=Congress Minutes and Papers, 1913-1991|file=Minutes|collection=British Humanist Association|collection-url=https://internetserver.bishopsgate.org.uk/Details/archive/110012192|institution=Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives|location=London|oclc=|accession=|ref=BHA/1/1/3}}

|-

|23

| colspan="1" |George Melly

|File:George Melly e 1978.jpg

|1972–1973

|-

|24

| colspan="1" |Harold Blackham

|File:Harold Blackham (1974).jpg

|1974–1976

|-

|25

| colspan="1" |James Hemming

|

|1977–1980

|-

|26

| colspan="1" |Sir Hermann Bondi

|

|1981–1999

|-

|27

| colspan="1" |Claire Rayner

|

|1999–2004

|{{Cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2010/10/12/news-672/|title=BHA Mourns Claire Rayner (1931-2010)|website=Humanists UK|language=en|access-date=28 April 2020}}

|-

|28

| colspan="1" |Linda Smith

|

|2004–2006

|{{Cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2006/02/28/news-185/|title=BHA mourns Linda Smith, BHA President 2004-2006|website=Humanists UK|language=en|access-date=28 April 2020}}

|-

|29

| colspan="1" |Polly Toynbee

|File:National Poverty Hearing Polly Toynbee.jpg

|2007–2012

|{{Cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/about/our-people/patrons/polly-toynbee/|title=Polly Toynbee|website=Humanists UK|language=en|access-date=28 April 2020}}

|-

|30

| colspan="1" |Jim Al Khalili

|File:Jim Al-Khalili Royal Society.jpg

|2013–2016

|{{Cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2012/12/14/jim-al-khalili-named-president-elect-of-british-humanist-association/|title=Jim Al-Khalili named President-elect of British Humanist Association|website=Humanists UK|language=en|access-date=28 April 2020}}

|-

|31

| colspan="1" |Shaparak Khorsandi

|File:Shappi Khorsandi.jpg

|2016–2018

|{{Cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2015/12/14/shappi-khorsandi-named-new-president-of-the-british-humanist-association/|title=Shappi Khorsandi named new President of the British Humanist Association|website=Humanists UK|language=en|access-date=28 April 2020}}

|-

|32

| colspan="1" |Alice Roberts

|File:12 01 2016 Alice headshot.jpg

|2019–2022

|{{Cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2018/11/11/acclaimed-scientist-and-broadcaster-alice-roberts-appointed-president-of-humanists-uk/|title=Acclaimed scientist and broadcaster Alice Roberts appointed President of Humanists UK|website=Humanists UK|language=en|access-date=28 April 2020}}

|-

|33

| colspan="1" |Adam Rutherford

|File:Adam_Rutherford_QED_02.jpg

|2022–present

|{{Cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2022/03/05/adam-rutherford-named-next-president-of-humanists-uk/|title=Scientist, writer, and broadcaster Adam Rutherford named next President of Humanists UK|website=Humanists UK|language=en|access-date=6 June 2022}}

|}

Prior to the creation of a president of the Union of Ethical Societies in 1918, and that of chair in 1916, several others held the equivalent role of Chair of the Annual Congress. The very first of these was a woman, the philanthropist and activist Lady Elizabeth Swann, who was the wife of a prominent liberal MP. She presided over the founding Congress of the Union in 1896. Other early chairs of the Annual Congress included then-future Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald (1900-1901 and again in 1903).{{cite archive|item=Papers of Individual Members and Humanists|item-url=https://internetserver.bishopsgate.org.uk/Details/archive/110028673|item-id=|date=1887–1999|page=|pages=|fonds=|series=Papers of Stanton Coit|file=Minutes|collection=British Humanist Association|collection-url=https://internetserver.bishopsgate.org.uk/Details/archive/110012192|institution=Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives|location=London|oclc=|accession=|ref=BHA/1/14}}

In April 2011, it was announced that Professor A.C. Grayling would succeed Polly Toynbee as president of Humanists UK in July 2011.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/news/view/781 |title=Anthony Grayling named new British Humanist Association President » British Humanist Association |publisher=Humanism.org.uk |date=4 April 2011 |access-date=14 October 2013}} However, in June Humanists UK announced that Professor Grayling had decided not to take up that position, because of what he described as "controversy generated by activities in another area of my public life." Humanists UK stated that Polly Toynbee would continue as president until a new appointment was made later in 2011;{{cite web |url= https://humanism.org.uk/2011/06/17/news-781-2/ |title= Anthony Grayling has decided not to take office as BHA President |date= 17 June 2011 |access-date= 2 November 2013}} she remained president for a further 18 months until in December 2012 it was announced that physicist Jim Al-Khalili would become president in January 2013.{{cite web |url= https://humanism.org.uk/2012/12/14/jim-al-khalili-named-president-elect-of-british-humanist-association/ |work= British Humanist Association |title= Jim Al-Khalili named President-elect of British Humanist Association |date= 14 December 2012 |access-date= 2 November 2013}}

• Andrew Copson – Chief Executive
• Richy Thompson – Director of Public Affairs and Policy{{cite web|title=Richy Thompson appointed new BHA Director of Public Affairs and Policy|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2017/03/01/richy-thompson-appointed-new-bha-director-of-public-affairs-and-policy/|website=British Humanist Association|access-date=12 March 2017}}
• Liam Whitton - Director of Communications and Development
• Ann-Michelle Burton - Head of People
• Luke Donnellan – Director of Understanding Humanism
• Deborah Hooper - Head of Ceremonies
• Clare Elcombe Webber – Director of Humanist Care
• Catriona McLellan – Director of Operations
• Andrew West – Director of IT{{cite web |url= https://humanism.org.uk/about/our-people/staff/ |title= Staff > British Humanist Association |access-date= 18 March 2019 |work= British Humanist Association}}

The charity also has a staff member each based in Wales and Northern Ireland, who coordinate its national sections (or branches) Wales Humanists and Northern Ireland Humanists. These officers are in turn supported by national committees of volunteers whose advice assists the charity's service delivery in those countries, strategic litigation, and lobbying on devolved issues at the Northern Ireland Assembly and Senedd.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2017/05/11/humanists-celebrate-vision-of-a-more-secular-northern-ireland/|title=Humanists celebrate vision of a more secular Northern Ireland|work=Humanists UK|access-date=3 July 2017|date=11 March 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2016/11/30/nearly-a-million-welsh-adults-have-a-humanist-approach-to-life-yougov-research-shows/|title=Nearly a million Welsh adults have a humanist approach to life, YouGov research shows|date=30 November 2016|access-date=3 July 2017|work=Humanists UK}}

{{Main|Humanist celebrant}}

Humanist equivalents of otherwise religious celebrations are conducted by humanist celebrants, trained and accredited by Humanists UK across England, Wales and Northern Ireland,{{cite web |url= https://humanism.org.uk/ceremonies |title= Humanist Ceremonies |access-date= 2 November 2013 |work= British Humanist Association}}{{cite web |url= http://humanistni.org/dynamic_content.php?id=106 |title= Humani: The humanist association of Northern Ireland |access-date= 2 November 2013 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131019071859/http://humanistni.org/dynamic_content.php?id=106 |archive-date= 19 October 2013 |df= dmy-all }} while the Humanist Society Scotland performs similar ceremonies in Scotland.{{cite web |url= http://www.humanism-scotland.org.uk/content/ceremonies/ |title= Humanist Ceremonies and Celebrants |access-date= 2 November 2013 |work= Humanist Society Scotland |archive-date= 30 October 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131030081738/http://www.humanism-scotland.org.uk/content/ceremonies/ |url-status= dead }} Non-religious funerals are legal within the UK;{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/atheism/ritesrituals/funerals.shtml |title= BBC – Religions – Atheism: Funerals |access-date= 2 November 2013}} more than 8,000 funerals are carried out by humanist celebrants in England and Wales each year.{{cite web |url= https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2012/may/14/good-death-ritual-religious |title= What is a good death? Ritual, whether religious or not, still counts|author= Matthew Engelke| date=14 May 2012|access-date= 2 November 2013 |work= The Guardian}} Between 600 and 900 weddings and 500 baby namings per year are also conducted by Humanists UK-accredited celebrants.{{cite journal |journal= New Humanist |page= 14 |first= Sally |last= Feldman |title= Oh, Happy Day |date= September–October 2013}} In England and Wales, a humanist wedding or partnership ceremony must be supplemented by a process of obtaining a civil marriage or partnership certificate through a Register Office to be legally recognised, but can be led by a Humanist celebrant.{{cite web |url= https://humanism.org.uk/ceremonies/humanist-weddings |title= Humanist Weddings and Partnership Celebrations |access-date= 2 November 2013 |work= British Humanist Association}}

The humanist funeral for former Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan at the Welsh Assembly was conducted by a Humanists UK celebrant, Lorraine Barrett and was the first national funeral in the United Kingdom to be led by a humanist celebrant.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2017/05/31/public-humanist-funeral-for-rhodri-morgan-at-national-assembly-for-wales/|title=Public humanist funeral for Rhodri Morgan at National Assembly for Wales|date=31 May 2017|access-date=31 May 2017|work=Humanists UK}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-40099436|work=BBC Wales News|title=Rhodri Morgan funeral to be held at the Senedd, Cardiff|date=31 May 2017|access-date=31 May 2017}}

Since 2018, Humanists UK celebrants have been able to conduct legally recognised marriages in Northern Ireland. This came about after Humanists UK supported a court case centring around its patrons, couple Laura Lacole and Eunan O'Kane.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2018/08/22/first-legal-humanist-marriages-in-northern-ireland-since-court-ruling-to-occur-this-weekend/|title=First legal humanist marriages in Northern Ireland since Court ruling to occur this weekend|work=Humanists UK|date=22 August 2018|access-date=22 August 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/humanist-wedding-4195219-Aug2018|title=The North's first legal humanist weddings take place this weekend|work=TheJournal.ie|date=25 August 2018|access-date=28 August 2018}}

{{Main|Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network}}

Humanists UK maintains a network of roughly 150 trained and accredited volunteers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland who go into hospitals, hospices, prisons, universities, and other settings to provide like-minded comfort and support to non-religious people during times of distress, much like a traditional religious chaplain. This network is known as the Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network. The project was initiated by data evidence which suggested that non-religious patients and inmates often refused support from a chaplain if they were themselves non-religious. Since 2014, the National Offender Management Service has recognised the legal right of prisoners to access non-religious pastoral carers,{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/human-rights-and-equality/chaplaincy-and-pastoral-support/|title=Chaplaincy and pastoral support|work=Humanists UK|access-date=3 July 2017}} and since 2015, NHS England has recommended that every hospital in England offers a voluntary or employed non-religious carer.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/community/humanist-pastoral-support/|title=Humanist Pastoral Support|access-date=3 July 2017|work=Humanists UK}} In 2018, Lindsay van Dijk was appointed as the first humanist to lead an NHS chaplaincy team at the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS trust, which includes the world-renowned spinal injuries unit at Stoke Mandeville hospital.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/apr/09/nhs-appoints-humanist-to-lead-chaplaincy-team-lindsay-van-dijk|title=NHS appoints humanist to lead chaplaincy team|last=Sherwood|first=Harriet|date=9 April 2018|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=25 August 2018}} The current chair of NRPSN is Amy Walden.{{cite web |title=Board structure |url=http://nrpsn.org.uk/structure/ |website=Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network |access-date=21 March 2019}}

File:Young Humanists.png

Young Humanists is the organisation's youth wing, which launched early in 2015 with a number of events in cities across the UK.{{Cite journal |last=Fuller |first=Alice |date=25 March 2015 |title=Gemeinschaft schaffen im Humanismus |url=http://www.diesseits.de/menschen/kommentar/1427238000/gemeinschaft-schaffen-humanismus |journal=Diesseits |publisher=Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands |access-date=10 August 2015 |language=de |archive-date=10 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110145625/http://www.diesseits.de/menschen/kommentar/1427238000/gemeinschaft-schaffen-humanismus |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://younghumanists.org.uk/launch/ |title=Launch |work=Young Humanists website |publisher=BHA |date=2015 |access-date=10 August 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717191143/http://younghumanists.org.uk/launch/ |archive-date=17 July 2015 }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/YoungHumanists/posts/1501610463426664 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/1501541203433590/1501610463426664 |archive-date=26 February 2022 |url-access=limited|title=Welcome and thanks |author=Alice Fuller |work=Facebook |date=7 October 2014 |access-date=10 August 2015}}{{cbignore}}

Numerous prominent people from the worlds of science, philosophy, the arts, politics, and entertainment are publicly aligned with Humanists UK, including Professor Alice Roberts, Tim Minchin, Stephen Fry, Matty Healy, Sandi Toksvig, Philip Pullman, and Dan Snow.{{cite web |url= https://humanism.org.uk/about/people/patrons |title= Patrons |access-date= 19 February 2015 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In the 20th century, key members of Humanists UK's "advisory council" included Karl Popper, Vanessa Redgrave, Harold Pinter, E M Forster, Bertrand Russell, John Maynard Smith, Harry Kroto, Ludovic Kennedy, Jacob Bronowski, and Barbara Wootton.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/humanism/the-humanist-tradition/20th-century-humanism/|title=20th century Humanism|work=Humanists UK|access-date=25 August 2017}}

Humanists UK is a founding member of Humanists International, and the European Humanist Federation.{{cite web |url= https://humanism.org.uk/about/our-affiliations |title= Our Affiliations |access-date= 2 November 2013}}

In September 2008, Humanists UK joined with religious organisations, teachers' unions, and other human rights campaigns groups to found the Accord Coalition, a diverse coalition made up of groups that oppose religious segregation in education.{{cite web |url= http://accordcoalition.org.uk/our-members/ |title= Our Members |access-date= 2 November 2013 |date= 18 August 2010 |work= Accord Coalition}}

Humanist Students is a national federation of atheist, humanist, secularist, and skeptic societies at universities and is part of Humanists UK. Its elected delegates traditionally, alongside members of Young Humanists, represent Humanists UK at Young Humanists International events.{{cite web |url= http://ahsstudents.org.uk/about/what-we-do/ |title= AHS >> What We Do |access-date= 2 November 2013 |archive-date= 3 November 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131103105630/http://ahsstudents.org.uk/about/what-we-do/ |url-status= dead }}

Humanists UK has traditionally worked closely with the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, which was founded by the president of Birmingham Humanists, sexologist Martin Cole, in 1968. Humanists UK was a founding member of the BPAS "We Trust Women" coalition, which campaigns for the full decriminalisation of abortion throughout the UK.{{cite web|url=https://www.wetrustwomen.org.uk/the-coalition/|title=We Trust Women: The Coalition|work=We Trust Women|publisher=British Pregnancy Advisory Service|access-date=25 August 2017|archive-date=28 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828093905/http://www.wetrustwomen.org.uk/the-coalition/|url-status=dead}}

The organisation supports a network of affiliated humanist groups throughout the UK and aims to encourage local campaigning, charity work, socialising, and events on a local level, and provides resources to assist the creation and running of such groups. Some of these groups are formally partnered with Humanists UK, which entitles them to added staff and promotional support, while others maintain a looser affiliate agreement. As of 2017, the number of partner groups stands at 47, with 15 affiliates.{{cite web |url= https://humanism.org.uk/community/local-groups/ |title= Local Groups |work= British Humanist Association |access-date= 4 March 2017}}

The charity has also sponsored philosophical debates{{Cite web|url=https://iai.tv/video/a-touch-of-evil|title=A Touch of Evil|website=iai.tv}} at HowTheLightGetsIn Festival.

Humanists UK runs a prestigious annual events programme, including the Darwin Day Lecture (on themes connected with Darwin's work and humanism), the Rosalind Franklin Lecture (commemorating women in humanism), the Voltaire Lecture (on humanism more generally), the Bentham Lecture (co-hosted with University College London's philosophy department), the Holyoake Lecture (held in Manchester and covering humanism and political thought), and an annual convention which moves around the UK from year to year.

Past speakers at these events include top scientists, authors, and academics, including Steven Pinker, Brian Cox, Richard Dawkins, Robert Hinde, AC Grayling, Natalie Haynes, Bonya Ahmed, Bettany Hughes, Alice Roberts, Nick Cohen, Ludovic Kennedy, Michael Foot,{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2018/04/12/do-no-harm-henry-marsh-gives-the-2018-voltaire-lecture/|title='Do No Harm': Henry Marsh gives the 2018 Voltaire Lecture|work=Humanists UK|date=12 April 2018|access-date=12 April 2018}} Lawrence Krauss, Eugenie Scott, Adam Rutherford, Tom Blundell, and Jerry Coyne,{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2018/02/09/2018-darwin-day-lecture-explores-origins-of-human-morality/|title=2018 Darwin Day Lecture explores origins of human morality|work=Humanists UK|date=9 February 2018|access-date=12 April 2018}} Anne Glover, Angela Saini, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore,{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2018/03/08/under-wraps-angela-saini-gives-rosalind-franklin-lecture-on-the-policing-of-womens-sexuality/|title='Under wraps': Angela Saini gives Rosalind Franklin Lecture on the policing of women's sexuality|work=Humanists UK|date=8 March 2018|access-date=12 April 2018}} Jim Al-Khalili, Owen Jones, and Kate Pickett.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2016/10/19/owen-jones-delivers-the-holyoake-lecture-2016/|title=Owen Jones delivers the Holyoake Lecture 2016|work=Humanists UK|date=19 October 2016|access-date=12 April 2018}}

File:Alf Dubs receiving Humanist of the Year award.jpg

From 2011 Humanists UK presented an annual award for special contributions to Humanism. It is known as the Humanist of the Year Award, having been known prior to 2014 as the Services to Humanism Award. The award was customarily presented during Humanists UK annual conference (or, in 2014, the UK-hosted World Humanist Congress). Since 2016 it has been presented at a special reception event. Past winners are:

• 2011: Philip Pullman, Services to Humanism Award{{cite web|title=Philip Pullman awarded for services to Humanism|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2011/06/18/news-832/|website=British Humanist Association|access-date=7 March 2017}}
• 2012: Richard Dawkins, Services to Humanism Award{{cite web|title=Richard Dawkins awarded for services to Humanism|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2012/06/11/news-122-5/|website=British Humanist Association|access-date=7 March 2017}}
• 2013: Terry Pratchett, Humanist of the Year Award{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2013/06/10/terry-pratchett-receives-2013-services-to-humanism-award/|title=Terry Pratchett receives 2013 Services to Humanism Award|date=13 June 2013|website=Humanists UK|access-date=11 February 2019}}{{cite web|title=BHA mourns patron Terry Pratchett|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2015/03/12/bha-mourns-patron-terry-pratchett/|website=British Humanist Association|access-date=7 March 2017}}
• 2014: Gulalai Ismail{{cite web|title=Gulalai Ismail wins International Humanist of the Year Award|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2014/08/09/gulalai-ismail-wins-international-humanist-year-award/|website=British Humanist Association|access-date=8 March 2017}} and Wole Soyinka,{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2014/08/10/wole-soyinka-wins-international-humanist-award/|title=Wole Soyinka wins International Humanist of the Year Award|access-date=9 June 2020|date=10 August 2014|work=Humanists UK}} International Humanist of the Year Award (both presented as part of World Humanist Congress)
• 2015: Alice Roberts, Humanist of the Year Award{{cite web|title=Alice Roberts wins Humanist of the Year at BHA Annual Conference 2015|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2015/06/20/alice-roberts-wins-humanist-of-the-year-at-bha-annual-conference-2015/|website=British Humanist Association|access-date=7 March 2017}}
• 2016: Lord Dubs, Humanist of the Year Award{{cite web|title=Lord Dubs awarded Humanist of the Year 2016|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2016/11/27/lord-dubs-awarded-humanist-of-the-year-2016/|website=British Humanist Association|access-date=7 March 2017}}{{cite web|title=Lord Alf Dubs awarded Humanist of the year 2016|url=http://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/bha-british-humanist-association/article/lord-alf-dubs-awarded-humanist-of-the-year-2016|website=Politics|access-date=7 March 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309063045/http://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/bha-british-humanist-association/article/lord-alf-dubs-awarded-humanist-of-the-year-2016|archive-date=9 March 2017}}
• 2017: Joan Bakewell, Humanist of the Year Award{{cite web|title=Joan Bakewell wins Humanist of the Year 2017|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2017/11/27/joan-bakewell-wins-humanist-of-the-year-2017/|work=Humanists UK|access-date=27 November 2017|date=27 November 2017}}
• 2018: Northern Ireland Humanist Campaigners (Laura Lacole, Eunan O'Kane, Steven McQuitty, Ciaran Moynagh, Caolfhionn Gallagher QC, Janet Farrell, and Sarah Ewart accepting), Humanists of the Year Award.{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2018/11/26/northern-ireland-marriage-and-abortion-rights-campaigners-win-2018-humanist-of-the-year-award/|work=Humanists UK|access-date=26 November 2018|date=26 November 2018|title=Northern Ireland marriage and abortion rights campaigners win 2018 Humanist of the Year Award}}

Earlier awardees include A. J. Ayer, Leo Igwe, Polly Toynbee, and Julian Huxley.

• All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group
• Atheist, Humanist, and Secular Students
• Disestablishmentarianism
• LGBT Humanists UK
• Non-Prophet Week
• Separation of church and state (UK)

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://humanism.org.uk/ Humanists UK website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110716154408/http://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=1240 Archives of the BHA at Bishopsgate Library]

{{European Humanist Federation}}

{{Abortion in the United Kingdom}}

{{Authority control}}

*

Category:Charities based in England

Category:European Humanist Federation

Category:Humanist associations

Category:Organisations based in the London Borough of Islington

Category:Organizations established in 1896

Category:Secular humanism

Category:Secularism in the United Kingdom

Category:Secularist organizations

Category:1896 establishments in the United Kingdom