“Migrant flood
did zilch for UK”
View from the streets:
public perceptions of migrants
in the UK
Chris Attwood
Home Office, UK
“Immigration has
made Britain a
stronger country”
“Time to explode
the great
immigration myths”
“Mass immigration ‘has
made the UK’s poor
even poorer’”
“The NHS hospital
where 80 per cent
of babies have
foreign mothers“
Negative perceptions of immigration in UK
consistently high
… and some of highest levels of concern about
immigration in Europe
Percentage giving “immigration” as
one of two most important issues
facing country
Concern about immigration across selected
European countries, 2009
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Ireland
Germany
France
Spain
Netherlands
Greece
Sweden
Italy
Finland
Cyprus
Denmark
Austria
Belgium
Malta
UK
EU average
Source: Eurobarometer
Public concern has grown with increasing
immigration
Immigration and asylum applications (thousands)
A8 accession
600
40
Immigration
35
30
400
25
Rise in
asylum
applications
300
20
15
Percentage concerned
Asylum
applications
Percentage
concerned
500
Correlation between
rising immigration and
public concern over the
long term. Short term
change can be affected
by many things
Sharp rises in concern
coincide with rise in
asylum applications and
A8 accession
200
10
100
5
0
0
2009 (YE Jun)
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
Source: ONS and Ipsos MORI
In Feb 2011, 75% of
people thought
immigration was a very
or fairly big problem for
the UK, an increase
from 69% in Aug-Sept
2009 .
But the story is more complex ….
… and there’s a strong locality effect
Do you feel that immigration should be…
Do you feel immigration should be ….
London
39
South East
25
25
52
26
North West
55
South West
56
North East
18
24
23
57
Yorkshire and Humber
58
East of England
59
WALES
0%
10%
Source: DCLG Citizenship Survey 2007-8
20%
22
Inc re a s e d a
lo t
14
26
13
16
30%
19
40%
50%
60%
70%
11
22
21
11
3 2
12
80%
R e m a in t he
same
15
13
65
R e duc e d a
lit t le
Inc re a s e d a
lit t le
16
25
3 1
3 1
25
53
R e duc e d a
lo t
15
29
West Midlands
4
3 3
25
53
ENGLAND - ALL
15
25
59
East Midlands
7
90%
3 1
100%
However, public are less concerned about
migration at a local than national level
Percentage believing migration is a problem in Britain
and in their local area
100
In Britain
90
76
80
74
74
72
69
70
74
% 70
60
In your local
area
50
40
30
20
24
21
18
15
16
18
26
10
0
Feb-11
Sep-09
Mar-09
Sep-08
Jan-08
Jun-07
Dec-06
Source: UK Border Agency/MORI Public attitudes to Immigration Tracking
Survey
Public are generally
negative about
migration, but
evidence suggests
actual experiences
may be more positive
12.4% of the population in England were born outside the UK,
although this varies considerably across local authorities
Annual Population Survey data for the
year ending June 2009, shows that
almost a third (32%) of those born
outside the UK lived in just 20 London
Local Authorities.
Westminster, Newham and Brent had
the highest concentration, with over
50% of their population born abroad
In England as a whole 75% of the
foreign born lived in 30% of Local
Authorities. Places like West Devon,
South Staffordshire, Great Yarmouth
and Hartlepool have a very low share
of the foreign born in their total
population
Source: Annual Population Survey
A8 migrants work in rural areas with little or no
previous experience of migration, potentially causing
challenges for local communities
2%
2%
1%
2%
Estimated
increase in the
proportion of nonUK born residents
in each country
and region,
between 2004 and
2009.
2%
In 2010 23 % of Polish-born population
lived in London, but they are also
widely dispersed across the UK (ONS)
A8 migrants live in areas with little or no
previous experience of migration where
the impacts on communities and public
services can be more strongly felt.
South Holland 7%
East Cambridgeshire 8%
2%
1%
3%
2%
2%
1%
4%
‘Hot spots’ such as South Holland and
East Cambridgeshire saw some of the
biggest increases of the proportion of
non UK-born residents between 2004
and 2009
Concerns about impacts of immigration are important
at both local and national levels ….
National
Local
Abuse of/burden
on public
services
44%
36%
32%
28%
Pressure on
jobs/employment
28%
20%
Too many
immigrants/asylum
seekers
Lack of effective
controls/policies
General
threat to way
of life
Community
tension/lack of
integration
Crime/ASB
23%
4%
14%
23%
8%
19%
5%
9%
MORI (2009), UK Border Agency: Public Attitudes to Immigration
Tracking, Wave 6.
Most factors contributing to concern
are perceived at national more than
local level
Pressure on jobs is felt to be nearly
as important at local as at national
level
However, perceived threat to way of
life and community tension are felt to
be more important locally than they
are nationally
…. but public do acknowledge some of the positive
impacts of immigration
But…
People are concerned about pressure on jobs
at a local level
Public are concerned that immigration is too
high and that the country is ‘full’
Many people believe that migrants place a
strain on public services
Some people believe that migration threatens
British culture
MORI, 2009; IPPR, ‘Communicating Migration’, 2009.
There is an acknowledgement that certain
sectors are dependant on migrant labour and
that migrants fill jobs British workers don’t
want to do.
They recognise the contribution of earlier
migrants and the need for some continued
migration
The majority still think that migrants should be
able to access these services after a defined
time or subject to certain criteria.
There is an acknowledgement of the cultural
contribution of more established migrant
groups. Migrant groups perceived as more
‘similar’ and being willing to integrate are more
likely to be accepted by public.
Policy response: limiting net non-EEA migration
UK’s Coalition Government committed to reduce net migration across
routes to fulfil our political commitments, protect economic growth and
tackle abuse in the education sector.
Introduction of an annual limit of
20,700 skilled non-EU migrant
workers, restricted to graduate
level occupations
Tier 1 to be restricted to
entrepreneurs, investors and 1,000
people of exceptional talent
New criteria for intra-company
transferees, ensuring that longer
term workers are specialists or
managers
Tougher entrance criteria for
students, limits on work
entitlements and closure of the
post-study work route
The Government is currently consulting on wider proposals around family
and settlement.
Chris Attwood
Home Office Science, UK: Migration and Border Analysis
chris.attwood@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Media reporting may also increase concern over the
shorter term
News events and
media handling also
have a great capacity
to influence public
opinion – usually by
increasing rather than
decreasing concern
50
15 new asylum
accommodation
centres announced
(May 02)
45
DC Oake
murdered by
asylum seeker
(Jan 03)
40
Anthony Walker
murdered in
Liverpool
(July 05)
35
% concerned
9/11
Election
30
25
20
15
10
Racially
motivated
disturbances in
Burnley, Oldham
and Bradford
(Jun-Jul 01)
NASS dispersal
begins (Apr 00)
Macpherson
report
(Feb 99)
5
0
Source: Ipsos MORI Issues Index
A8 accession and
media reporting
around this
(Apr 04)
7/7
Illegals: “Haven’t
the faintest”
(Apr 06)
FNPs furore
(Apr 06)
Election
Sangatte
in news during
2002
Channel Tunnel
clandestine entry
(Sep 01)
Highest ever quarterly
asylum intake
(Feb 03)
Sometimes public
concern spikes
because of shocking
events, sometimes
because of reporting
on numbers