Migration, Communities and Services: learning from the project

Christine WhiteheadLSE London

Migration and the Transformation of LondonLSE London 27th June 2014

Migrants Use of Services• If we need the labour, international migrants

are relatively cheap compared to internal migrants in terms of the use of public services

• They live in smaller homes at higher densities• They use less educational facilities• They use fewer health services• And much more• Over time their use converges to that of local

households with similar attributes

Exceptions• Language issues• Excessive turnover issues –especially in

education• Costs associated with NOT using services – TB;

A and E • In service terms better if they come; stay quite

a while; and then go home happily to build links with their colleagues in London

• The rich country/poor country story

Migrants Use of Housing

• The household projections assume that migrants behaviour is exactly the same as indigenous households with the same attributes

• So they overestimate the number of households• Importance of turnover not simply net changes(not

well understood) and specifics of immigration• Variations since 2000 in types of migrants – refugees

/economic; initial migrant/family members; non-European/European; rich countries/poor countries

But Migrant Housing Demand a Major Source of Local Tension

• Refugees take priority – but moved out of London (tho they come back later?) • Major issue: large families needing limited numbers of larger social homes• Once eligible for Housing Benefit, other migrant groups may apply for social

housing • After 3 years in some places migrants (defined as born abroad) are

disproportionately in social housing• But this is the same across Europe among poorer migrant and indeed ethnic

minority households• Concentrations of poverty and ethnic groups by tenure and location - but

more mixed in London• Insider/outside issues in terms of attitudes –little distinction between

migration and ethnicity; some evidence of more established migrants being as anti or more anti new groups; do people care if the person moving in is from abroad; from elsewhere in the UK or indeed elsewhere in London?

Social Housing: Migrants and EthnicityCountry Proportion of ethnic minorities/immigrants in overall

population

Percentage of all immigrants/minorities who live

in social housing

Percentage of social housing residents who are from a minority or immigrants

Austria11% non-Austrian citizens; 18% with foreign origins (2010)

20+%* 6%

Czech Republic 3% (2012) n.a. n.a.

Denmark Immigrants and their children: about 10% 60% About 25% (immigrants and their children)

England10% of heads of household are from an ethnic minority; 7.5% of UK residents were born abroad

27% (minorities) 16% (minorities)

France 30% (foreign-born) 2x share in population

Germany 9% (immigrants) Varies by region and city Particularly high in Berlin and Munich

Hungary**

Ethnic minorities: approximately 600-800,000 Roma (Dupcsik 2009) and 237,000 other minorities (Census 2001) – altogether about 8-10% of population. Immigrants: 2.9% of population in 2001 was born abroad, 80% reported they were of Hungarian ethnicity (Gödri, 2009)

Data available only for Roma: 12% (UNDP/WB/EC)

Share of Roma among social tenants is around 25-30%, in terms of housing units 20-25% (estimates)

Ireland 10% born abroad Not available Not available

Netherlands23% of housing stock occupied by households with non-Dutch head

51% of immigrants 31%

Scotland All minority ethnic: 2% 17% 1.4%

Spain Immigrants 11.22% as of end-2011 Not available Not available

Sweden15% of overall population; up to 89% in particular neighbourhoods.

Varies by region Over 30% in metropolitan areas; 15% elsewhere

Community• Role of the private rented sector and high rates of

turnover in generating higher costs to community and services

• Policy pressures to move out of London if benefit dependent (and Housing Benefit goes far above median incomes in many central areas)

• Aspirant households – families take part in community activities etc, discouraged households less involved – are migrant households any different?

• Speed of change – turning to David……..