Faith to Faithless is Humanists UK’s support programme for people who have left high-control religious groups. These people are often called ‘apostates’.
The service is led by apostates themselves, who have knowledge and experiences of apostate communities facing serious and systemic issues. These issues range from emotional and physical abuse from family members, friends, and peers in their community through to to homelessness, shunning, ‘honour-based’ abuse and killings, and systemic failures by statutory organisations to support apostates.
What we do
Faith to Faithless engages in several activities, over three main areas of work:
1) We provide a platform for apostate voices to be heard, and raise awareness of the issues they face so that others don’t suffer in the same ways, ensuring we have built trust within the apostate community. We do this both online, through our dedicated website www.faithtofaithless.com, and through speaker and panel events that are open to the public
2) We train statutory and support organisations like police, social services, and mental health organisations to better understand the issues apostates face, and the sorts of policy and practice implications this might have for the organisation
3) We provide an apostate support programme through facilitated peer support groups and other events.
The Faith to Faithless Helpline
Freephone: 0800 448 0748
The Faith to Faithless helpline is a groundbreaking service dedicated to supporting people who have left high-control religious groups. So called ‘apostates’ often deal with social isolation, mental health issues, discrimination, and estrangement from their communities and families. The helpline, operating three days a week and staffed by trained volunteers, offers bespoke assistance, resources, and empathetic support to a diverse group, including ex-Muslims, ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses, ex-evangelicals, and ex-Mormons. It aims to bridge the gap in understanding and support for apostates, providing a crucial lifeline for those navigating the complexities of leaving high-control religious environments.
Calls are free from all mobiles and landlines and won’t appear on itemised bills.
Wednesday 10:00 – 13:00
Thursday 16:00 – 19:00
Friday 08:00 – 11:00
Freephone: 0800 448 0748
You can also email helpline@faithtofaithless.com for support. We’ll reply during the above opening hours.
Notes
Faith to Faithless has been a programme at Humanists UK dedicated to providing specialist support to apostates since 2016. Beyond the helpline and its year-round provision of peer support from trained volunteers, the service offers awareness training to public services, including NHS divisions and police forces.
Our work has brought us into contact with tens of thousands of apostates, and we have been able to directly support over a thousand since the dedicated programme started. If you are affected by these issues as an apostate, are part of an organisation that would like to access our apostate awareness training, or would like to volunteer to help us take on this work, please contact us at info@faithtofaithless.com.
Our work is funded entirely by charitable donations.
Faith to Faithless operates under a stringent safeguarding policy, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of all those reaching out for support.
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 120,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all