UK & World News
- 11 December 2012, 18:48
Census: Rise In Immigrants Boosts Population
There has been a large rise in the number of migrants living in England and Wales, according to the results of the 2011 census.
Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that the population of England and Wales now stands at 56.1 million people - a rise of 3.7 million since 2001.
Some 55% of the growth - around 2.1 million people - was due to migration from outside the country.
The number of foreign-born residents has increased to 13%, from 4.6 million to 7.5 million.
In London one person in three was born abroad, compared to the North East where the figure is one in 20.
The majority of those from abroad come from India, Poland and Pakistan. Poland is a new addition to the top ten of where people came from and did not feature at all in the last census in 2001.
Dr Scott Blinder, deputy director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said there had been "a very noticeable change in the population of England and Wales" over the last decade.
It is the second major tranche of information to be revealed from the 2011 census, covering topics including ethnicity, country of birth, religion, health and housing.
The data also shows there has been a big fall in the number of people who consider themselves to be Christian.
Numbers dropped by four million over the past decade - from 37.3 million in 2001 to 33.2 million last year.
There was a 10% increase in those stating "no religion".
The British Humanist Association (BHA) described the increase in the number of non-religious people - from 15% in 2001 to 25% last year - as an "astounding" 67% relative rise.
But it said the figures did not offer a complete picture when it came to the number of practising Christians living in England and Wales.
The census also shows 86% of people recorded their ethnicity as white, a fall on 2001. It remains the majority ethnic group in all areas apart from London.
All other ethnic groups grew over the 10 years since 2001.
Two million respondents listed their partners or fellow household members as being of different ethnic groups - 47% more than in 2001.
The number of people claiming to have mixed ethnicity almost doubled, up by 563,000.
Some 91% of respondents to the 2011 census claimed to speak English. Just 4% of households had no English speaking residents.
The statistics also offer a snapshot of how people live.
Since 2001, the proportion of people owning properties through a mortgage or loan has decreased from 39% to 33% but the number of people who own homes outright increased from 29% to 31%.
Ownership of cars and vans has also gone up - increasing by 3.4 million to 27.3 million, a rise of 14%.
Last year there was an average of 12 cars for every 10 households - up on 11 cars per 10 households in 2001.
London was the only region where the number of vehicles was lower than the number of households.
Four out of five people claimed to be in good health.
The questionnaire was sent to around 26 million households in England and Wales on March 27 last year.
what do you think?
Paul Grice
You don't need a census or a report just ask the man in the street it's like we are living in a foreign county
bjnk
Yes were being swamped, time government did something about this inflation,stop it dead now.
Edgar Beckett
Should help with our acute labour shortage.
ali baba
salam, ola, howdie
Louisa Gieldon
Nice, Ali. x
andy johnson
feel like a foreigner in my own back yard
ali baba
maybe thats cause you got 10 immigrants staying cheap in your shed
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RayMcGlynn
Just wait until the eand of next year, when Romania and Bulgaria have the restrictions lifted. In the mean time, could we have some jobsworth or a flawed University study predicting the numbers expected ? I expect this 'racist'' comment will be censored.
Rupert Smythe
What racist comment?.
Brian Holmes
Blame Tone and Gordon. To them an immigrant vote, just like an unemployed vote, was/is a Labour vote.
Geoff
I wouldn't mind so much if I didn't see so many immigrants hanging round street corners selling the Big Issue.
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RayMcGlynn
When Libour get in next time, They will do it again. They put party before country.
Brian Holmes
They all do.
RayMcGlynn
Looking at gthe comments. Can we all be wrong ? Are we all closet racists ?
blue side
So true Ray
Rupert Smythe
if it's people who go around in gangs looking to harm people from ethnic origins just because of there colour or creed, then yes, but if it's because people are fearful because of the economy, lack of jobs, size of the country and criminals from other countrys coming here, then no. Failing that, think for yourself and don't let goverment do-gooders sway your thought.
Neil C
We are the true dumping ground of Europe!!
Edgar Beckett
Only Europe ?
El Bubsio
That's odd, considering France, Germany and the Netherlands have similar proportions of immigrant populations.
Viv hanshall
The posts are so predictable. Even the language employed is unoriginal and riddled with cliche. We are all immigrants, we are all ancestors of people born in other lands, other places. Immigrants work; look at London - the city with the most residents who were not born here - also happens to be one of the most wealthy and dynamic cities in the world and the one city that keeps the rest of the UK afloat. Thanks to the hard work and industry of its residents most of whom were not born in London.
Tricky One
Theres is an opinion shared by many of our ancestors for 1000's of years. Usually felt strongest in harder times. No point arguing against it Viv. It will always always be this way. Times are hard, someone must be blamed, and you can usually predict who most will blame. It's a global issue. Look at Greece etc.. The insignificance of immigrants compared to the banking and corporation tax billions (for example) means it is a genuinely misdirected anger.
blue side
I think the point is whilst we understand we are made up of a diversity of nationalities those nationalities integrated to bring about a culture and society which is being swept aside by those who come intent on imposing their culture without regard or respect. Over the centuries good people have laid down their lives for this nation and politicians and middle Britain now bow to every free rider that lands on our shores.
Viv hanshall
So which people are in the UK 'intent on imposing their culture without regard or respect' ? Enlighten us. And before you bring out the 'good people have laid down their lives for this nation . . . ' cliche go and have a look at the numbers of say, Indians who fought in the British army, or Poles in the RAF, or Pakistanis who served in the Imperial army.
simon calvert
Viv, sorry you have some cliches too.
RayMcGlynn
Predictable yes, unoriginal perhaps. I suggest that London is rich because of the financial sector, not because of immigration. If you are correct, why not encourage more people to come here ?
Edgar Beckett
" Encourage more " steady on buddy. The Lib/Lab/Cons have pulled out all stops to get as many as they can as it is.
Viv hanshall
Can it be coincidence that one of the wealthiest and most exciting cities in the world ? London - also has such a large immigrant population? The same is true of New York, LA, Paris, Melbourne . . . . The list is endless. Wealth, dynamic, influence, culture are all associated with cities with large immigrant populations.
Valerie Wood
..... and also heavy crime rates
ali baba
valerie you right the kray brothers were muslim
ali baba
the qatar royalty built a huge london landmark worth billions, tallest in london emirate stadium man city Chelsea the premier league is the best league in the world because of immigrants also look at the great choice of food you get in london go to your hospitals doctors of all races some foreigners take the P. but most come here for oppertunity and to better themselves, not to sit and claim dole
simon calvert
We make the Qataris rich by buying all their oil, they over charge ridiculously and we should be grateful because they want to show off our hard earned cash with sponsored builds to further promote their very easily earned cash.pah....
simon calvert
Yes, like we need a census to tell us that...lol
David Cooper
The only people who didn't see this was the government and the previous government
jimmyjedi1979
immigrants? what about the emigrants? going over there, taken there jobs, dirt bags.
blue side
10:34am on 11/12/2012
O yes and these are just the ones we have registered - sorry in my books enough is enough. It is not the level of the seas that are rising we are sinking with over population thanks to governments.