UK's NHS spends at least £32m a year employing religious personnel

Figures obtained through the UK's Freedom of Information Act reveal that the UK's National Health Service spends upwards of £32 million a year employing hospital chaplains and other religious personnel. The National Secular Society claims this figure is actually closer to £40 million.

According to a money.com.uk article, "These religious provisions, funded by taxpayer money, could instead be used to pay for 1,300 extra nurses or 2,645 cleaners."

The NSS is calling on Health Minister Ben Bradshaw to reallocate the funds, and believes religious institutions -- not the taxpayer -- should foot the £32m a year bill.