Majorities of the public in six Western European countries say they pay the church tax Currently pay the church tax
Even though most Western Europeans are not very religious, and those who live in countries with a church tax can opt out of paying it, support for the tradition remains strong in the region, according to a new Pew Research Center report, based on a 2017 survey of 15 countries. The study examines public attitudes toward church taxes by comparing the views of Western Europeans who say they pay such taxes with those who have opted out.
Six of 15 surveyed Western European countries have a mandatory church tax for members of religious groups. They are Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland.
While the rules for administering the tax or fee vary from country to country, each nation generally assesses a portion of the income (or taxes paid) of taxpayers who are members of the country’s larger churches. While most registered Christians – and, in some countries, members of other religious groups – must pay the tax, people have the option of avoiding the tax by deregistering from their church. The money collected usually pays for church expenses, including clergy salaries, maintaining buildings and funding church charities.
Sizable majorities of adults in all six countries with a mandatory tax say they pay it. Eight-in-ten Danes and roughly three-quarters of Austrians (76%) and Swiss (74%) say they pay the tax. In each country, a small share of adults – ranging from 8% in Switzerland to 20% in Finland – say they used to pay the tax but no longer do so.
Majorities of the public in six Western European  | countries say they pay the church tax  | % who say they  | Used to pay Never  | but stopped paid  | Currently pay the church tax  | Denmark  | 80%  | 10%  | 9%  | Austria  | 13  | 76  | 10  | Switzerland  | 74  | 8  | 16  | Germany  | 71  | 11  | 18  | Finland  | 71  | 20  | 8  | I Sweden  | 68  | 18  | 10  | Note: Don it know/refused responses are not shown.  | Source: Survey conducted April-August 2017 in 15 countries See Methodology for details  | In Western European Countries With Church Taxes, Support for the Tradition Remains  | Strong  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 