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Public attitudes towards immigration and cohesion

Public attitudes towards immigration and cohesion. Kully Kaur-Ballagan. Concerns over immigration show upward trend. Q. What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today? Q. What do you see as other important issues facing Britain today?. % important issue. Crime.

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Public attitudes towards immigration and cohesion

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  1. Public attitudes towards immigration and cohesion Kully Kaur-Ballagan

  2. Concerns over immigration show upward trend Q. What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today? Q. What do you see as other important issues facing Britain today? % important issue Crime Immigration/asylum Race Relations NHS Education/Schools Defence/Foreign Policy/ Terrorism Environment Monthly Annual Source: Ipsos MORI Political Monitor Long Term Trends, http://www.ipsos-mori.com/polls/trends/issues.shtml Base c.1,000 British adults aged 18+

  3. Britons are more worried about immigration control than some European neighbours Q Which three of the following eleven topics do you find the most worrying in your country? – Immigration control Most cause for concern United Kingdom Spain USA Italy France Germany Total Source: Ipsos MORI International Social Trends Monitor, Nov 2006 Base: c.1,000 interviews in each country

  4. Areas with little or more recent migration see it as more of a problem A very big problem A fairly big problem Not a very big problem Not a problem at all Q Overall how much of a problem, if at all, do you think is immigration in Britain at the moment? Total East Midlands Eastern London North East North West Scotland South East South West Wales West Midlands Yorkshire & Humberside Base: (2,012) NB Small bases for some regions so data needs to be interpreted with caution/UK Border Agency

  5. On balance, more people think immigration is bad than good for Britain Tend to agree Neither/nor Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Strongly agree Don’t know/ refused/no opinion Q How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement? ‘Immigration is generally good for Britain’ Dec 06 June 07 32% agree 34% agree 45% disagree 48% disagree Base: c1,000 GB adults aged 16+/ UK Border Agency

  6. And fewer people think that immigrants have a good influence 43% good 34% good 48% bad 52% bad Q Overall, would you say immigrants are having a good or bad influence on the way things are going in Great Britain? % Very good % Fairly good % Fairly bad % Very bad % Don't know May 2006 October 2007 Base: 1,013 British adults 18+, 31st Oct - 1st Nov 2007/The Sun

  7. So what factors underlie these views?

  8. Dissatisfaction with government remains high Q Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way the government is dealing with immigration and asylum? Very satisfied Fairly satisfied Neither/nor Fairly dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Don’t know/ refused/no opinion Dec 06 June 07 Base All: Wave 1 (1,001); Wave 2 (1,011)/UK Border Agency

  9. Too many immigrants and not convinced of economic benefits 15 68 27 47 40 37 57 24 Q What extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with each statement? % Disagree % Agree There are too many immigrants in Britain Immigration increases crime rates in Britain Immigration is good for the economy We need more immigrants to do the jobs British people don’t want Base c1,000 GB adults aged 16+ years, fieldwork May-June 2007/UK Border Agency

  10. Even though immigrants are seen as hardworking Q Generally, do you think immigrants work harder than people born here, not as hard, or is there no difference? May 06 October 07 Don’t know Harder Harder Not much difference Not much difference Not as hard Not as hard Base: 1,013 British adults 18+, 31st Oct - 1st Nov 2007/The Sun

  11. More convinced about the diversity it brings but they should ‘abide by our rules’ Q What extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with each statement? % Disagree % Agree It is a good thing that Britain is a multicultural society Immigrants make Britain more open to new ideas and cultures People who settle in this country should have citizenship lessons about the British way of life Immigrants should be made to learn English Base c1,000 GB adults aged 16+ years, fieldwork May-June 2007/UK Border Agency

  12. Three-quarters think there is a great deal or fair amount of tension Q How much tension, if any, do you think there is in Britain between people of different races and nationalities? Don’t know 2% None at all A great deal Not very much A fair amount Base: 1,000 British adults, 11th-13th April 2008/BBC News

  13. National vs local perceptions

  14. Most see immigration as a problem at the national level Not a problem at all Not a very big problem A fairly big problem A very big problem Don’t know/ no opinion Q Overall how much of a problem, if at all, do you think is immigration in Britain at the moment? Dec 06 June 07 76% a problem 74% a problem Base All: Wave 1 (1,001); Wave 2 (1,011)/ UK Border Agency

  15. Huge difference in perceptions at local level - more so than other public services Not a problem at all Not a very big problem A fairly big problem A very big problem Don’t know/ no opinion Q How much of a problem, if at all, is it in your local area? Dec 06 June 07 18% a problem 21% a problem Base All: Wave 1 (1,001); Wave 2 (1,011)/UK Border Agency

  16. But people are noticing differences in their local area Q My area doesn’t feel like Britain any more because of immigration 2008 2005 Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Base: 1,000 British adults, 11th-13th April 2008/BBC News

  17. Whereas the picture nationally remains fairly stable Q Parts of this country don’t feel like Britain any more because of immigration 2005 2008 Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Base: 1,000 British adults, 11th-13th April 2008/BBC News

  18. Addressing issues around access to public services

  19. Impact on public services biggest concern but also issues around labour market and overall numbers Q You said that immigration in Britain is a very big/fairly big problem in Britain. Why do you say that? Wave 1 Wave 2 Abuse of/burden on public services Pressure on jobs/emp’t Lack of effective controls/ policies Too many immigrants/ asylum seekers Community tension/lack of integration General threat to way of life Crime/ASB Other Base: All who see immigration as a very or fairly big problem in Britain: Wave 1(764); Wave 2 (759)/UK Border Agency

  20. 77% 20% Only one in five think that local public services will cope with population increase Q How confident are you that public services like education and healthcare in your local area will be able to cope with the increasing population? Very confident Don’t know (3%) Fairly confident Not at all confident Not very confident Base: 503 British adults 18+, 31st Oct - 1st Nov 2007/The Sun

  21. 82% 15% And fewer still in Britain as a whole Q How confident are you that public services like education and healthcare in Britain will be able to cope with the increasing population? Very confident Don’t know (3%) Fairly confident Not at all confident Not very confident Base: 510 British adults 18+, 31st Oct - 1st Nov 2007/ The Sun

  22. Those living in areas with new migration most likely to think others get priority over services Q To what extent do you agree or disagree that some groups of people in Britain get unfair priority when it comes to public services, like housing, health services and schools? Tend to disagree Neithernor Strongly disagree Don’t know Tend to agree Strongly agree Total Far right target group A8 impact group Non-deprived BMEs BME General Base: All (1,014), December 2006 – January 2007/Commission on Integration and Cohesion

  23. Priority over services in local area – less of an issue in than in Britain Q To what extent do you agree or disagree that other people in this local area seem to get unfair priority over you when it comes to public services, like housing, health services and schools? % Strongly agree % Tend to agree % Neither/nor % Tend to disagree % Strongly disagree % Don’t know Total Far right target group A8 impact group Non-deprived BMEs BME General Base: All (1,014), December 2006 – January 2007/Commission on Integration and Cohesion

  24. And in London, which is generally more positive about immigration…

  25. Ethnic Geographic Polarisation in Inner/Outer London The higher the ethnic polarisation score of an area the more concentrated the ethnic communities are within it, the lower the score the more dispersed they are.

  26. The more different people who live nearby the lower the level of satisfaction with the area – making it tougher for public service providers

  27. Conclusions

  28. Conclusions • Immigration is one of the key issues facing Britain • Seen as much bigger problem nationally than locally, although in some areas people are noticing the changes • Immigration impacts on society (access to services, employment) and people are not convinced by its benefits • Little confidence in government and public service providers to deal with increasing numbers • In terms of impact on social cohesion - need to tackle concerns over immigration – and how this is managed at the local level – tough because migration discussed very much in national terms

  29. Thank youFor further information contact:kully.kaur-ballagan@ipsos-mori.com020 7347 3000

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