More than one in five Brits insist their house is haunted, while one in twenty believe there is a presence in their place of work, according to a new study.

Researchers surveyed the nation into all things paranormal, and discovered, as many as 69 percent believe ghosts, spirits and apparitions are real – and not just figments of our imagination.

In fact, according to the study, 38 percent are convinced they have seen something ghostly that unnerved them, with 51 percent of those insisting the presence was friendly.

Is Your House Haunted?

When it comes to their own homes, a fifth (21 percent) of respondents insist a spirit resides there, while one in ten (10 percent) believe a family member’s house is haunted.

More than one in 20 (6 percent), believe a neighbour’s house harbours a paranormal presence while the same number are adamant their office is haunted, and 4 percent even believe their car is haunted.

Additionally, 15 percent of Brits say they have woken in the middle of the night to see a ghostly figure sitting on the end of their bed, while 9 percent have felt a sudden or unexpected chill.

A further one in 20 (5 percent) insist they have been comforted by a presence or spirit.

New Supernatural Thriller

The survey was commissioned by Paramount+ to celebrate the launch of new supernatural thriller, The Burning Girls which is available to watch now.

Londoners (75 percent) are most likely to believe in the paranormal, followed by Mancunians (70 percent), while residents from Edinburgh (47 percent) and Cambridge (54 percent) are the least likely to believe.

The Burnings Girls sees Reverend Jack Brooks (Samantha Morton) and her daughter Flo (Ruby Stokes) move to the sleepy village of Chapel Croft, unaware of its dark secrets. After strong advice not to delve into the village’s past, Jack begins to question the disappearance of two teenage girls, who vanished thirty-years ago.

CJ Tudor, author of The Burning Girls and Executive Producer on the series, said: “I’ve always found belief in the supernatural interesting, and it’s intriguing that so many Brits are believers – with many claiming to have had their own experiences. The idea of things we don’t understand or there being something ‘other than this world’ will always fascinate people and draw them into stories which examine those beliefs.”

Do you Sleep with the Lights Off?

As many as 15 percent of those polled are routinely afraid to turn the lights off before going to bed, while 12 percent have walked a different route home at night to avoid walking past a spooky place or building.

The data also revealed 8 percent of Brits have been terrified to go to the loo on their own in someone else’s creepy house, whilst one in 10 (5 percent) have even dumped a partner because they thought where they lived was spooky.

Overall, as many as 30 percent believe the town they live in to be haunted, while 17 percent of those polled have been spooked by local ghost tales about where they live.

I’m a Ghost Hunter 

16 percent of Brits say they would go out and hunt the ghost if there was paranormal activity in their town, while a tenth (nine percent) admit they would leave the area immediately. An entrepreneurial nine percent would start a tour guide business.

More than half of those polled (58 percent) believe ghosts will visit someone who wronged them when they were alive, with 56 percent believe people can be possessed by evil spirits.

And according to the data, the nation’s passion for ghosts can even be seen in our TV and film choices with 69 percent admitting they love watching shows about the paranormal. Modern Brits (18 to 29 years old) are most likely to tune into a spooky show (77 percent) with over 60s, the least likely (57 percent).

The Burning Girls is available to watch now exclusively on Paramount+.

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Note: This research of 2,000 Britons was commissioned by Paramount+ and conducted by Perspectus Global in September 2023. This article contains affiliate links, meaning that if you shop using the links I share, I receive a small income at no extra cost to yourself. Thank you for supporting SpookyMrsGreen!

About Paramount+ 

Paramount+ is a global digital subscription video streaming service from Paramount that features a mountain of premium entertainment for audiences of all ages. Internationally, the streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including SHOWTIME®, BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel™, in addition to a robust offering of premier local content. The service is currently live in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia, Italy, Ireland and South Korea.  

For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com