The local challenges of migrant workers

Gill Green

Senior Research Manager

Crossing Borders

Coverage

• Why this is an issue now

• Why a local understanding matters

• Key challenges

• A framework for local responses

• The Commission’s future role

Migration - the driver of population change

Change will continue Agricultural and food

industry changes Ageing local populations Ageing workforce in key

employment sectors Foreign students Changes in available

migrant workforce

Why now?

The recent impact of accession states was considerable...

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

NI N

um

ber

s is

sued

(00

0s)

EU - Accession states

EU - other

Europe outside EU

Asia & Middle East

Africa

Americas

Australasia & Oceania

New national insurance numbers to foreign citizens

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

EU - Accession states

EU - other

Europe outside EU

Asia & Middle East

Africa

Americas

Australasia & Oceania

..... though migration from other parts of the world is still high and increasing

Why now?

Key issue: challenge of unexpected change –

• in speed, • scale and • rapid geographic

spread of migrant workers

NI Nos issued to foreign nationals as a % working age pop

Why now?

National data for local planning remains poor

• Inherent difficulties

• OPCS Methodology

• Settlement knowledge.....

Predictable unpredictabilit

y

Local understanding matters

Local circumstances affect where migrant workers live and work

Local understanding

Availability of cheap (rented)

housing

What kind of local low paid, hard to fill

Jobs?

Transport:entry ports

Links from housing to work

Personal links

Arun

Frequency of workers living in Arun who are employed at this

postcode

Frequency of workers resident at this postcode

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved Audit Commission 10043998 (2007).

Where A8 nationals living in Arun DC

work (based on 2005-6 WRS data)

Chichester DC

Worthing DC

Horsham DC

Arun DC

....issues can be cross boundary, cross service and cross provider

Local understanding

Gender, ethnicity and occupation splits vary – impact will be affected; responses should be tailored

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

East MidlandsEngland One district council in the East Midlands

FemaleMale

Source: WRS statistics. These are based on employer postcode, not residence.

Local understanding

Change can be unsettling and brings local tensions and challenges

• Concerns about competition and exploitation in local labour and housing markets

• Neighbourhoods with (increases in) poorly managed houses in multiple occupation and high turnover, creating issues for other residents

• Increase in communication difficulties• Lack of expertise and experience for service staff• Some service pressures • Social/behaviour issues; younger age group, often (more) single

men, poor housing, limited money...• Destitution for some

Local challenges

Community leadership means helping to manage the consequences of change for the benefit of the whole community

• Establishing who new residents are, and making links • Ensuring employers, agencies and landlords comply

with standards• Communication - helping new arrivals to integrate• Minimising local tensions • Meeting the diverse needs of new residents, if

necessary by modifying services

Responses

1. You can get a handle on local change

Pool intelligence – don’t chase perfect numbers

Engage with migrant workers and those closer to them – employers, agencies, landlords, voluntary and faith groups...

See data and information section at

www.audit-commission.gov.uk/migrantworkers/

Responses

2. Raise standards

• Joint action – with fire, police, GLA, unions, advice agencies...

• Key responsibility for housing/caravan standards

Responses

A mainly private sector housing issue ...35% were sharing a room with more than one person, 20% with 3 or more, 6% with 5 and more...half were sharing a bathroom with 4 or more other people (London Catholic diocese survey, 2006)

2. Raise standards

• Joint action – with fire, police, GLA, unions, advice agencies...

• Key responsibility for housing/caravan standards

• LAs are employers and commissioners

....would you meet the good migrant worker employer checklists ?

Responses

3. Improve communication

• Includes communicating with own staff and with existing residents

• Supporting newcomers to learn basic English helps them to help themselves

Responses

English matters - for newcomers and existing residents

JRF report on the experiences of Central and East European migrants, May 2007

‘English language proficiency was a key factor in whether migrants had received the information they needed, the extent of their social contact with British people and how they felt treated by them’

MORI what works in building cohesion-spring 2007

‘The most effective initiatives include ..providing English language training’

London Catholic diocese survey, 2006

Levels of English proficiency correlate with pay

Responses

3. Improve communication• Includes communicating with own

staff and with existing residents

• Supporting newcomers to learn basic English helps them to help themselves – but some translation/interpretation will still be needed

• Multi pronged and constant – turnover means need repetitive ‘tourist’ communications as well as longer term engagement

Responses

4. Minimise local tensions

• Act on ‘small’ issues

• Educate/inform new and existing

communities

• Promote positives

• Widen tension monitoring in CDRP;

anticipate flashpoints & have

contingency plans

Responses

5. Think diversity - modify services

• Information– For someone not familiar with the English system?

• Individual services e.g. libraries....– Book stocks?

• Accessibility – Opening hours/interpretation options? – Proof of residence needed to join?

• Strategy reviews? – Housing strategy, especially for private rented?– Planning strategy – caravan sites/temporary

accommodation ?

Responses

National and regional developments& sharing of good practice

• Increase in regional level coordination

• CLG funded project that includes:– mentoring programme – toolkit of case studies and guidance

• DfES training/support planned for school EAL

• Developments following Commission for Integration and Cohesion– Key role for local area agreements and local partnerships– ‘The Audit Commission should ensure that locally determinedintegration and cohesion measures are clearly incorporated intothe Comprehensive Area Assessment regime’

The future

Further information and support

• Report – Crossing Borders – www.audit-commission.gov.uk

• AC Web pages – www.audit-commission.gov.uk/

migrantworkers/• IDeA toolkits etc on cohesion and migration pages • IDeA discussion forum on Communities of Practice

www.communities.idea.gov.uk