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Attitudes towards immigrants

Media, government and public attitudes towards immigration are deteriorating as Britain continues to receive increasing numbers of immigrants, particularly from the newly admitted Eastern European states to the EU (see global population movement).

What are the implications?

• Worsening xenophobic and racist attitudes if the perceived threat of terrorism continues to be exacerbated and fuelled by the media. 
• Growing competition for jobs (see labour market) may intensify resentment and impact on social cohesion.
• Resentment amongst the public about entitlements to public services, especially in places already experiencing high levels of social deprivation. (See satisfaction with public services)
• Reduction of welfare provisions and services to immigrants (see priorities for public spending)leading to growing poverty and inequality, social fragmentation, marginalisation and unrest.
• This is particularly acute amongst asylum seekers who face barriers to employment and decreasing benefits.
• Managing diversity to minimise social fragmentation in society is likely to become a bigger challenge
• Further confusion in relation to changing legislation and benefit entitlements.
• Policies on social cohesion that promote assimilation over multiculturalism.
• Changing concepts of Britishness.  
• A rise in radicalism.

Moving forward

This driver may particularly affect those organisations that deal with refugees and asylum seekers but it is likely to have implications across the whole VCS.

As the UK becomes more diverse, your organisation will need to think about the impact diversity has on the accessibility of its services. This will be particularly challenging for organisations in geographical areas that are not traditionally ethnically diverse but which absorb new immigrant communities

• For example, are you able to deliver your products and services in a number of languages?

Is your organisation clear on how the needs of your users are changing? What role does monitoring and evaluation play in your strategic planning? How could an understanding of changing need help you to develop more effective services in the future? You could think about this in two ways:

• Opportunities to improve: Should you need to change how you work or be more responsive
• Opportunities to innovate: Should you serve new or different users?

Pressure on the government to cut public spending may result in reduced funding for VCOs that work with immigrants or at worse an assumption that VCOs will fill in the gaps on behalf of the state.

• What strategies can your organisation put in place now to manage potential future changes in funding?
• Can you diversify your income sources or work in partnership to better secure your organisation's future income?

An increased need for VCOs to deliver services and support for immigrants may increase the number of volunteers needed.

• How can your organisation go about recruiting more volunteers? Should you invest in volunteer recruitment and marketing?

With increasing diversity and deteriorating attitudes towards immigrants, it is important for all VCOs to consider the broader social impacts of their organisation’s activities and their role in promoting social cohesion.

• What is your relationship with other groups and communities?  Could this be improved? 
• There is a continued need for open forums and cross-community initiatives; can your organisation play a role in these?

Negative attitudes amongst the public and portrayal in the popular press may require VCOs that work with immigrants to take on a stronger campaigning and advocacy role to combat this.

• How can your promote a more positive portrayal and understanding of immigrants in both the press and amongst the public?

Want to know more?

British Views on Immigration

Published by: MORI – a large research company with a specialism in public affairs

Date: 2003

Format: Web

What is it? A statistical analysis of British attitudes towards immigration and multi-culturalism

How useful is this? A short analysis including statistics on: the importance of immigration as a national issue; opinions on multiculturalism; Government’s control over immigration; views on asylum and immigration measures.  Differences in attitude are highlighted between people of different social class, educational experience and regions.

EU Enlargement in 2007: No Warm Welcome for Labor Migrants

Published by: IPPR – a left of centre think tank

Date: 2007

Format: Web

What is it? An article analysing the policy decisions made on migration from member states joining the EU in 2007.

How useful is this? This is a useful article on government attitudes to immigration which highlights policy tensions within the EU around mobility and migration.  It outlines the policy background to EU enlargement and looks at the 2004 enlargement experience discussing benefits and problems for both employer and employee, and old and new member states.  Drawing on the 2004 experience and other factors it discusses why Britain’s policy has changed from unrestricted to restricted for the 2007 new members states, and the possible implications this might have.

British Attitudes to Immigration February 2007: How Britain compares to the rest of Europe, and who in Britain is most concerned?

Published by: IPSOS-MORI

Date: 2007

Format: PDF (87KB)

What is it? This presentation provides statistical information on British attitudes to immigration compared to the rest of Europe.

How useful is this? This presentation is a useful source of statistics on attitudes and understanding of multiculturalism and migration across Europe.  It also contains statistics on the role of the media and profiles of national parties.