Theresa May's Christian faith is helping her to make difficult decisions over Brexit, she revealed in an interview with The Times.

The Prime Minister said negotiating the UK's exit from the European Union is what keeps her awake at night. But in a candid and personal interview she said belief in God helps guide her instincts towards what is right.

May, the daughter of a Church of England clergyman, spoke openly about her Anglican faith as well as her enjoyment of fashion and deep love for her husband Philip.

She said the issues around Brexit were "hugely challenging" and complex. "It's not so much about how do you steel yourself, it's about, 'Are you doing the right thing?'" she said.

"I suppose there is something in terms of faith, I am a practising member of the Church of England and so forth, that lies behind what I do.

"It's not like I've decided to do what I'm going to do and I'm stubborn. I'll think it through, have a gut instinct, look at the evidence, work through the arguments, because you have to think through the unintended consequences.

"But ultimately, if you've done all that and you believe it's the right thing to do, then you should go and do it – but sometimes it is difficult."

May said her father had instilled in her a sense of duty from an early age through his work as a parish priest.

"What came out of my upbringing was a sense of service," she said. "My father would be out and about visiting people. I'd go with him on odd occasions, but he'd come back and talk about what was happening.

"I remember one Christmas there had been a great car crash and a couple of families in the village had lost members of their families. That Christmas Day, after he'd done his services, my father went out and visited them and took them presents. I was about nine at the time, and because he was out doing his job, visiting those families, I didn't get my presents until six o'clock in the evening."

The Conservative leader brushed off suggestions her party was the "nasty party" and said: "it's important that we have an economy that provides for everyone".