Younger adults are more likely to pray than older generations, according to a survey for the Church of England published today showing that nearly half of UK adults report having ever offered up some form of prayer.

A majority of 18 to 34 year olds - 56% - say they have ever prayed, with a third (32%) reporting that they have prayed in the last month.

By contrast, a minority in the 55+ age group said they had ever prayed - at 41% - with 25% saying they had prayed in the last month.

The Savanta ComRes survey of 2,073 UK adults showed that overall nearly half (48%) said they had ever prayed with just over a quarter (28%) saying they have prayed in the last month.

Among those who had ever prayed, the most common topics prayed about were for friends and family (69%), people they know who are sick (54%) and to give thanks (51%).

The Revd Dr Stephen Hance, National Lead for Evangelism and Witness for the Church of England, said: “These findings really challenge the all-too-common assumption that young people are not interested in faith or spiritual things. “In fact they show us that - more than simply being interested in spirituality - they are already exploring it in practice, to a greater extent than their elders. “In an age when mindfulness and meditation are more popular than ever, prayer makes sense to people. “And with pressures mounting and people of every generation facing huge uncertainty, many people of all ages are drawing strength from God in prayer. “This also confirms what other research has told us, that while younger people may be under-represented in church, this isn’t indicative of a lack of interest in faith. “

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said prayer can transform lives and bring peace in a troubled world. “As Christians, prayer is the bedrock of our faith and deepens our relationship and understanding of God,” he said.